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With so many contemporary artists seeming obsessed with the future (through electronic manipulation and such), it’s refreshing to see a group take a more vintage, guitar-based approach to crafting a work of music. No, it’s not the Black Keys, and it’s not San Francisco’s Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
The band in question is Austin’s The Black Angels. They present their influence in a more creative and subtle manner, making them comparable to, yet far from, any of their contemporaries. The Black Angels’ most recent effort, Phosphene Dream, aggressively journeys into the realm of the psychedelic from the moment the album begins. Opener “Bad Vibrations” introduces the listener to everything the Black Angels do well – crunchy guitar riffs, pounding drums, and oscillating background effects all set the foundation for what is undoubtedly the best feature of Phosphene Dream – the lead singer Alex Maas’ wiry vocals.
The effect Maas has on the music on Phosphene Dream simply cannot be stressed enough – while influenced by singers of bands like Jefferson Airplane, Led Zeppelin and The Velvet Underground, he also sounds wholly unique. Maas’ voice is never passive sounding, but also never too emotive, instead the vocals are simultaneously inviting and challenging.
While at times Maas’ vocal melodies can seem repetitive, they never become grating, which is due to the fact that there just isn’t another singer like him out there.
Whether he’s singing about heartbreak (“Bad Vibrations”), violence (“River of Blood”) or spirituality (“True Believers”), Maas creates a natural-sounding tension that perfectly accompanies the instrumental track. As a result, whether The Black Angels are grooving (“Haunting at 1300 McKinley,” “The Sniper”), rocking out (“River of Blood,” “Bad Vibrations”), or feeling a bit peppy (“Sunday Afternoon”), they never stray too far from the tense and foreboding.
Phosphene Dream is a classic-infused guitar rock album that won’t grab you as quickly or effortlessly as albums like “Brothers” will (or have). Give it a few listens, however, and you’ll find yourself grateful that The Black Angels show some damn restraint – while Maas and the Angels can certainly blow your mind.
