When The Sun Hits Reviews
Covered in Dust
by Kindest Lines
Review by: Ellie Sleeper
Combining
girl-group and garage influences with noise aesthetics is nothing new these
days; in truth, it seems to be the current noise-pop paradigm, and it’s
beginning to border on the trite and cliché. On their full-length, Covered in
Dust, New Orleans’ Kindest Lines manage to take the formula and completely
reinvigorate it with just a few small adjustments—adjustments that make the
idea seem novel and genius all over again. I’ve always personally thought that
simply allowing more room and space in such songs would make them more
compelling, and such a hunch is proven correct here.
The
primary change in what Kindest Lines do with their songs is the incorporation
of synthesizers and a focus on using lead guitar lines instead of allowing
chunky chords to take up most of the landscape. This is readily noticeable just
on the opening track, “Hazy Haze,” which sounds akin to The Cure during their
Disintegration-era covering, say, The Shangri Las. Whether it’s the monolithic
string sounds used at the album’s start, or grimier bass later, with various
synth voices carrying the bottom end, the spindly, frigid guitar work is
allowed to speak very clearly and emotively throughout.
Standout
tracks for me included “No Perfect Focus” and “In Death Not to Part.” The former is incredibly delicate and has a
plaintive, longing chorus that could snare the heartstrings of even the most
resolute stoic. There’s also what I think is an awesome e-bow solo near the
end, which is surely worth catching. “In Death Not to Part” may benefit from
the pacing of the album and its location near the end, but it commands
attention all the same; it’s a very danceable number and another strong vocal
performance. Additionally, “Prom Song” may prove a remedy for those who think
the album has borne too much McGeoch and too much 80s influence, and not enough
gazing; I found groups like Ride and Revolver coming to mind while listening.
Covered
in Dust has been out for over a year now, and it’s gotten some airtime on
Strangeways Radio, so you may have some familiarity with it already. If you
haven’t heard it yet, or if you haven’t picked it up for yourself, I highly
recommend you seek it out. These three blur the lines and blend several
different genres and subgenres, but the end result is intriguing and lively. I
look forward to what the future will bring from them.
Overall
Evaluation: 8.5 or a B+
Standouts: “No Perfect Focus” and “In Death Not to Part.”
Goes Great With:
The Radio Dept.
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Revolver
Hearts of Black Science
Home Video (also originally from New Orleans)
Standouts: “No Perfect Focus” and “In Death Not to Part.”
Goes Great With:
The Radio Dept.
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Revolver
Hearts of Black Science
Home Video (also originally from New Orleans)
