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Pic by Jeff McMullin
If Wilco had been jamming Husker Du with Bob Mould instead of No Age at the recent ATP show, it would probably have sounded a lot like We Are Bound.
The album’s an update of the Paul Q Kolderie powered Fort Apache sound of the early 90s, mashing together Buffalo Tom and Uncle Tupelo, with a contemporary ear on the lo-fi sonic sensibilities of the shitgaze brigade. Stephen gets the balance just right - the fuzz doesn’t interfere with the melody, just gives it a great thrown together, lively feel.
Tunes like ‘We Could Gamble’ and ‘Gone for Good’ have that same bittersweet tug as later Superchunk, earlier Lemonheads and the same country-ish kickass feel as Dexateens and Conor Oberst’s Mystic Valley Band.
The softer numbers give room to Stephen’s poetry and heartfelt delivery - album closer ‘Irish Blood’ a particular standout.
It’s a brilliant record - the songs are well put together and strangely affecting. Without wanting to sound like a pretentious twat, it’s the kind of album that makes you feel like you’ve been on a journey after listening to it - like a good movie.
Take that trip people.
Get We Are Bound from CD Baby
Check out Stephen McDonald and the Okay Win on Myspace
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Uh huh.
Glad to hear you enjoy a kickass record, but could you possibly talk about the why without listing off everything in your iTunes? Music journalism is rife with this "well you've heard it before" mentality, and listing off 1800 records that this one might sound similar too doesn't do much to paint a picture here.
I'm not saying he's copyist
or that I've heard it all before. Just that this album reminds me of lots of things I like, in a good way. It's not the most original album in the world and that doesn't bother me in the slightest. Because it's very good.
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