Big Business – Mind The Drift: CD
Haven’t read what other people are writing about this one, but I know some of my friends are a little disappointed. I am not however. I really didn’t know what to think after anxiously awaiting their 3rd album with the addition of guitarist, Toshi Kasai, but I stuck through it and am much better for doing so.
I think most people were afraid that the addition would somehow ruin the strictly bass/drums pummeling aspect of their music. But, what most people may not realize, is that there is an overlying melody to Big Business’ music that keeps that pummel together even more than its tight rhythms. Jared’s vocals. To me, his vocals had completely replaced a guitar’s duties in a band. He sings in riffs, making his voice another instrument. This has always impressed me, and what I was afraid of, was that adding the guitar to the mix would change that. This is not the case.
Well, allright!. I just watched the Iron Maiden documentary Flight 666, and was just completely blown away at how much they remain a very vital band after some 30 odd years. Their new material and live shows are just as amazing as they have always been. You really can’t say that about too many of your heroes as they age ahead of you. Some things and artists just do not weather time.
Not to be confused with the In The Red garage band, this Horrors are from the UK, and, boy, can you tell. Their last effort, "Strange House," took a while to grow on me, and was quite different than "Primary…" It had this Cramps meets Birthday Party feel to it, but done in a garagey way. Turned out to be quite good.
This is the only thing of Kurt’s that I’ve heard since his fantastic, garage-blues, pop, bedroom opus "Constant Hit Maker;" and, this seems to be going in a very different direction. Way laid back, quasi-psychedelic, and more "modern" than I would have expected, and a little reminiscent of fellow Philadelphian, Entrance. He employs a full band on this outing, and the songs are developed a little more in the full department, although, they still retain their lo-finess even without being so. Swirly, distorted, dreamy jams are the template, almost like a dirtier Brian Jonestown Massacre, but that unpolished element also passes for charm.
