Just Joined begins the same – fast, hard, with throaty vocals (a little more human-sounding), galloping bass, riffing guitars, and a non-stop barrage of drums.
It’s hard to imagine that one with a voice so reminiscent of Elvis Costello could make music that so… isn’t. John Wesley Harding’s Awake is a folk album.
A little gentleness can be pleasant, but too much of it can be lethal. James Iha’s new solo release unfortunately falls on the side of severe feline damage.
Rather than 242-inspired dance beats and rhythmic noise, this is a collection of haunting electronic ballads, honing in on Maria Azevedo’s enchanting octaves.
If you liked their past albums, you’ll be just as pleased with this one. It’s indie rock with the usual fuzz tone guitars, shifting tempos, and buildups.
Taking an early ’90s techno sound and wrapping it up in industrial, pop/Goth shouldn’t work – but Hexedrene have this damn good album to prove that it can.