Thursday, December 27, 2007

Melody Where There Is None

I'm getting more and more into a group known as the Heartless Bastards (not to be confused with the two guys who back up James McMurtry and who are known by the same touchy-feely sobriquet).

Power trio with a female singer-songwriter at the helm and who blast out guitar riffs carved from stone - in other words, they seem to create something melodic out of guitar blasts and drum beats. No backup vocals, no annoying synths (although there is some piano once in a while). Even singer Erika Wennerstrom yelps it out with the best of them, rather than going the Sheryl Crow doo-da-doo-da-how-dya-like-our-catchy-chorus route. Not sure how much the band can evolve from its premise, but the White Stripes seem to be doing just fine with a lot less at their center. I'll be curious to hear more from these Bastards (as well as McMurtry's).

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