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coverpic flag England - Full Moon 220 - 08/10/14

Archie Bronson Outfit
Wild Crush
Domino Records / Playground

Wild Crush, Archie Bronson Outfit's fourth full-length album was released back in late May. I almost got to see the band perform live at Rough Trade East, London, but I had to skip the in-store gig to run off to Camden's Roundhouse that very same night for a Neutral Milk Hotel gig. No hard call for me. Next time, lads. Promise.

Archie Bronson Outfit (ABO) have held together as a trio since they met and formed in Bath back in 2002 (?). ABO left their native Somerset, theyr moved and re-located in London, and were discovered and snapped by Domino Records. I bumped into their single Kangaroo Heart, off their debut album, Fur (2004). Derdang Derdang (2006) followed, before it took the boys another four years to put out their third LP, Coconut (2010). And now, here's the fourth crush by Sam Windett (vocals, guitar), Dorian Hobday (bass, guitar), and Mark "Arp" Cleveland (drums) [hey, on the first two albums they even had a 'secret fourth member'; Duke Garwood - a London based multi-instrumentalist, adding clarinet and rhaita - a Moroccan reed instrument].

The lads still got the somewhat dirty, psychedelic blues in them. The 9 song, 32 minute long album is a rapid rodeo throughout ABO's musical territory. It's a wild and wonderful ride, like always with ABO. Wild Crush present a spirited and powerful band. They're playful, enthusiastic, and carefully energetic. They do not sound modern, and they do not sound retro. Well, they're steering somewhat towards the 1970s. They're just sounding like they're having a good time, doing what they want to do, playing what they want to play. Simple as that. No fuss. No big deal. No fake make up. Just plain and chilled grooves, neat guitar riffs, laidback rhythms. Aces up the sleeves: "In White Relief", "Love To Pin You Down", "Cluster Up & Hover", "Hunch Your Body, Love Somebody", plus the closing "Country Miles" - which is ABO going Country, Roxy Music-style! Fair album, but not their best (I'm afraid).

Copyright © 2014 Håvard Oppøyen e-mail address

You may also want to check out our Archie Bronson Outfit articles/reviews: Coconut, Kangaroo Heart.

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