The Blind Shake
Seriousness
Learning Curve (2011)
It’s Seriousness indeed for The Blind Shake. The Minneapolis three-piece plays concise, to the point garage rock. From their matching trek suits to drummer Dave Roper’s emphatic beats, the band has an air of professional dedication when they take the stage that’s distinct in a genre that seems to pride itself on sloppiness. The band has been alternating records between their solo group and with noisemaster Michael Yonkers on guest vocals. Seriousness is the band’s first “solo” full-length since 2007’s Carmel and the progression in that time is clear. The Blind Shake define themselves with a tight-knit sound of syncopated, buzzsaw guitars and powerful drumming over bullet-paced songs that rarely top three minutes. It only took a few songs on their debut to introduce their signature sound, and it’s been a steady growth since. While there is a definite sameness in their approach, the nuance and energy override the formula—and the brevity helps overcome any similarities. It only takes fifteen seconds on Seriousness , when the well-timed chords really kick up the juice in “Hurrican,” to be clear that this release isn’t a departure. The song delivers a familiar, urgently rocker with such precision that the Blaha brothers’ vocals are … Read more
Celestiial
Desolate North (Re-Issue)
Handmade Birds (2011)
Allow me to be quite frank with this one, please; if you do not own the vinyl release of Desolate … Read more
Steve Reich
WTC 9/11
Nonesuch (2011)
Steve Reich occupies a weird place in modern music. He's one of the most-respected modern classical composers and right on … Read more
