Lonesome Shack – More Primitive
Blues. Bare knuckled, groove filled blues. Haunting blues. Dirty blues.
The argument I was having with myself was what exactly to call what I was hearing when I first listened to “More Primitive”, the new release from Seattle’s Lonesome Shack. Once I realized that this record is all of those styles, and so much more, I was able to really hear what I was listening to. The songs are raw, gritty, and vulnerable. The kind of songs you might hear in a dingy, dim lit, basement room with a small stage, full of smoke and cheap whiskey.
The name of the record is also fitting as the band has chosen a kind of less is more approach to the songs. The recordings are straight up, no bullshit, no distractions. Singer Ben Todd delivers lyrics in a haunting tone that fully compliments the music behind them.
You know right away what you’re getting with the opening track “Wrecks”, the kind of rhythm and blues song that should be listened to with the aforementioned cigarette and whiskey.
Other standouts include “Trying to Forget”, “Chomping at the Noose” and my favorite “Die Alone”, another raw but gratifying song that leaves you both depressed and feeling great for having heard it.
I really enjoyed this record. It proves that blues can be different, that a band can stay true to the style but still leave their own mark. Lonesome Shack has done just that with “More Primitive”. So go ahead, turn down the lights, light a couple smokes, pour yourself a strong one and enjoy this ride. I know I sure did.
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Vinyl lovers.....Go here:
http://www.bompstore.com/servlet/Detail?no=15600
For digital, this is what you need:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/more-primitive/id864292052
Review submitted to Empty Bottles And Broken Souls by Zach Kring