Directions to See a Ghost
May 17, 2008
THE BLACK ANGELS
If you missed the Black Angels' full-length debut, "Passover," in 2006, let this effort be a reminder of your mistake. This troupe cranks out hazy, dark rock'n'roll—real, honest-to-God rock'n'roll—with disarming ease. From the ominous, churning guitars and moaning toms on opener "You on the Run" to the 16-plus minutes of epic closer "Snake in the Grass," the quartet borrows from the sludgy psych of the Velvet Underground, squeals through the Jesus and Mary Chain and tops it off with singer Alex Maas' creep-tastic, reverb-drenched howl. The breakdowns on songs like "Dee-Ree-Shee" and "You in Color" truly highlight each member's technical and dynamic abilities; the crescendos emphasize their quantum power to make great art as a group. —Katie Hasty
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