A Place to Bury Strangers, Exploding Head (Mute)
Oct 28, 2009 1:28 PM, Lily Moayeri
We love our pedals
It’s almost as if A Place to Bury Strangers has a bet going on as to how many guitar pedals they can use in succession in the shortest time span. The trio’s second album, Exploding Head, threatens to do just that to the listener.
But don’t take this as a negative thing. The East Coast’s Black Rebel Motorcycle Club takes its cues from the same places (Phil Spector, Jesus and Mary Chain) as their West Coast counterparts. Hiss and fuzz and walls and walls of guitars are de rigueur. But there is also an emotive pull to the vocals that belies the crunch and crackle of its distorted musical counterpart. This is particularly helpful on “In Your Heart” and the title track where the racing beats and riffs pound against the understated vocals.
Still, hearing all that static for so long can start to wear on a person. Maybe taken in two or three parts, the threat of Exploding Head will be curbed.
[3.5 out of 5 stars]
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