Every once in a while a totally random album strikes a nerve. With me it's usually something that is slightly abnormal yet possesses bits and pieces of several styles that I enjoy to a satisfying level. SkyAcre became that band early last month after I discovered them on Bandcamp.
Sacred Ground hits that sweet spotby combining grungy desert groove, indie rock flair and punky psychedelic rhythm. They didn't send a promo. They weren't asking for attention per say, but the music absolutely demands it. This is seriously invigorating stuff here folks. I've wanted to write up a little some'n some'n for a while but just hadn't yet found the words. Nor did I really, just a bit of rambling here….
The songs typically start out a little easy going from the smooth bass, gentle precise riffs and soft vocals veering into a rather angular post-punkish/mathy direction which scenically captures a panoramic soundscape accessible to even the most audibly handicapped. A heavy western flair lurks within the majority of the record pairing comfortably with the soothingly gruff vocal cries. Mild guitar distortion flashes like heavy eyes baking in a shadeless haze during the mid 1990's. The instruments all come together full circle keeping the band from falling victim to any sort of genre pigeon-holing. The vocals have a convincing tone with a variable volume that keeps listeners at bay.
Songs like "Steps on Sacred Ground" are a perfect example of what I'm getting at. Smooth and sexy opening with a gentle vocal whisper morphing into a haunting fetish of grunge laced fuzzorama. The band lists a variety of influences on their Facebook profile which are definitely evident including Sonic Youth, Pixies, Nirvana, The Beatles and Black Sabbath. I could argue throw equal parts in the blender; add a little lemon zest and you have yourself a SkyAcre cocktail. Pretty potent stuff and goes down smooth. I'm a fan, bought the CD which came with some swag including a fridge magnet of the cover art, which I have on my fridge right now next to a couple other band magnets I've randomly collected. That says quite a bit right there. Only the best sounding bands are worthy of holding up pics of the kids on the fridge. If they sucked they would not be on my fridge; the band’s magnet that is.
Let us know how you liked it. You did go straight to the link to push play correct? Well, it'd be a lot cooler if you did.
-The Huntsman
