11.13.2008

Snap Judgements

Those Poor Bastards - "Gothic Country" practitioners. Their site sports a quote from no less than Hank III. Imagine Jon Spencer of JOHN SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION putting his lo-fi/overly distorted recording ethic to early NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS (think "Tupelo" as an idea of what you'll find here). Other tracks take the dark carnival ride closer to Tom Waits territory.

The Matadors
A swingin' rhythm section helps sell the Matadors' blend of cheeky, defiantly un-P.C. lyrics delivered in an over-the-top psycho-hillbilly faux Elvis vocal style. The thematics and beat seems indebted to the MISFITS, but the music is much more "legit" rockin' rockabilly, like early LIVING END. Judging from the braggadocios, Satan-laced bio, this is a band that knows how to take the music... and ONLY the music... seriously.