Tag: cosmic country

Brother Townshend Heavy Hands album cover

Album Review: Brother Townsend (Heavy Hands)

Reviewed by Harry Kaplan

Four songs and the release clocks in at 24 minutes. Having four rather long songs is quite an undertaking, but Brother Townsend rises to the occasion. An unconventional melding of blues, pop, rock, cosmic country, and psychedelia is the signature of this release. What it may give up in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality. All four songs are expertly crafted. Discipline is also the operative word here. While the album is entitled “Heavy Hands,” the production, mixing, and engineering is surprisingly light and ambient. Lots of open space to let the listener reflect on the music without being overwhelmed with production gimmicks. All the instrumentation is spot on and the fills, while sometimes understated, are all in the right place at the right time. It is hard to keep a listener engaged for six-plus minutes of a song but Brother Townsend executes perfectly.

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Shinglers – Hit the Head album cover

Shinglers: Hit The Head! Album Review

Reviewed by Harry Kaplan

A fine release from Shinglers who hail from Austin, Texas. And it’s Shinglers, no “the.” Clearly, these fellas are very well-schooled in Texas country, rock, and blues music. All the boxes are checked: great vocals, pitch-perfect harmonies, and twang out the wazoo. You can definitely hear very strong flavors of Roy Orbison and Doug Sahm, as well as other Texas music dignitaries. Additionally, there is a strong swig of Tejano music that runs through this album like a main circuit cable, giving it a rich and diverse flavor that pays homage to the region’s musical heritage.

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Barry Walker Unit – At the 13th Moon Gravity Well album cover

Barry Walker Unit – At The 13th Moon Gravity Well Album Review

Reviewed by Harry Kaplan

Sun Ra exclaimed, “space is the place,” and I think he was on to something profound. The Barry Walker Unit seems to live in a realm that is not just physical but ethereal and nebulous. They challenge the very concept of structure in music and flirt with chaos; in doing so, they create new lines and new borders that have yet to be defined. Their sound, infused with unique twang and innovative use of pedal steel, offers a fresh take that is both avant-garde and deeply comforting at the same time.

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