Some years ago, the Vatican made a list of what they considered to be the top 10 rock albums. Revolver was #1, David Crosby, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, U2, etc etc followed. Many were surprised that a Bob Dylan album didn't make the list. According to the Wall Street Journal, "...Dylan was excluded from the list despite his "great poetic vein" because he paved the way for generations of unprofessional singer-songwriters who have "harshly tested the ears and patience of listeners" with their tormented stories."
The Devil's music.
Alas, I regress.
Sic Alps are a psych-noise-slacker-garage trio from San Francisco. Their newest effort Napa Asylum is one of their finest. These songs are effortless. Matt Hartman's vocals remind me of Stephen Malkimus. That "I can get all soft but I still sound cool" thing. Everyone loves a dude who doesn't have to try very hard to make a good fucking song. Acoustic guitar is at the spine of these songs. Closely followed by hazy, lazy, downright breeezy vocals. Drums try to catch up at a distant side of your headphones while another guitar feedbacks out of control in another corner. Many of these songs start slightly chaotic, fragmented, almost improvised; but give it a chorus and a verse and see the flawless effortless transition into its own individuality of a song.
The album spans 22 songs in 48 minutes. Ranging from tape-warped noise fills like "My My Lai" and "Wasted at Church", to beautiful acoustic ballads such as "Country Medicine" and "Super Max Lament On The Way". This album is cohesive; it's not meant for songs to be picked at random and judged on its lonesome. Its a start to finish, or maybe a start to half way, and half way to finish. Either way, you have to see Napa Asylum as a broad sort of sound collage, as fans know that's one of the things Sic Alps is best at.
DJ Custielol
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