Laconic stoner indie rock. Sounds promising huh ? It seems that Speck Mountain’s philosophy is “lets go back to basics” as the whole album is essentially simple indie rock with only the odd splash of synth or basic drum machine to acknowledge its release in the 21st century. I’ll start off by saying that I am the wrong person to review this album. Once you have tasted the delights of music’s more experimental and esoteric branches, it takes something essential to raise an eyebrow in something this traditionally presented, and Speck Mountain haven’t given me something extraordinary, they’ve given me something that’s at best average and at worst lazy.
I once read something Brian Eno wrote about the bad habits that Western music can instill in musicians. Essentially certain chord progressions and scales become so ingrained that people just fall into them without thinking. This whole album is symptomatic of that. There isn’t a trace of inventiveness or a fresh idea to be found. If you’re into twin guitar solos that could have come straight off an Eagles record, this will be for you. The real sticking point for me is the singer’s voice. For one song, she comes over as breathy and sultry but you swiftly realise that she has a range of about half an octave, so every song is sung virtually the same. If you’re looking for an album to buy for your Dad, this might be a winner but for me it’s a hollow experience. Badwater ? More like Boringwater.
Kim Monaghan
