Thursday, May 21, 2009

Pick of the Week #20: Black Hat Brigade


Alright, I'm going to try and make it through this post without any Austin Powers 'faja' jokes...

There are probably about four of you who will remember when I mentioned the first Black Hat Brigade EP and said flat out that it was better than anything Wolf Parade has ever done (note: this claim will only make any sense if you know that the Black Hat Brigade get compared to Wolf Parade). Well, this EP/album is equally good, maybe better.

Certainly Fathers covers a little more ground that the BHB EP, in part, because its longer; but also because the band has branched out from using (incredibly catchy) guitar riffs to carry their songs. The band has kept the (incredibly catchy) guitar riffs, but has built in the use of keys, a few more vocal harmonies, and an unidentified instrument which I'll call the suzaphone (for entertainment purposes). In addition to branching out instrumentationally (yes, instrumentationally, when you have your own blog - which I realize you probably do - you can invent your own words), they also demonstrate that they've got a softer side toward the later half of the album with "Lost Boys", "Vera" and "Vera (reprise)".

And, those who are fans of the BHB should make note of a couple of things:
[mp3] Black Hat Brigade - Zombie City Shake
[mp3] Black Hat Brigade - Lost Boys


Pick of the Week #1: Ketch Harbour Wolves
Pick of the Week #2: Rah Rah
Pick of the Week #3: Glasvegas/Animal Collective
Pick of the Week #4: Bruce Peninsula
Pick of the Week #5: The Antlers
Pick of the Week #6: The Darcys
Pick of the Week #7: Ohbijou
Pick of the Week #8:
Gentlemen Husbands
Pick of the Week #9: Chris Whitley
Pick of the Week #10: Alela Diane
Pick of the Week #11: K'naan
Pick of the Week #12: TOR/Sufjan Stevens
Pick of the Week #13: Timber Timbre
Pick of the Week #14: Justis
Pick of the Week #15: Hibiscus & Rosehips Compilation
Pick of the Week #16: Patrick Watson
Pick of the Week #17: Olenka and the Autumn Lovers
Pick of the Week #18: The Liptonians
Pick of the Week #19: Sunparlour Players

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