Deap Valley - Sistrionix


Release Date: October 8
Label: Interscope Records
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
The two LA chicks who met in a crotchet class and ended up opening for Muse a year later. That's quite some transition. Unfortunately that may be the most impressive thing about them.
So they are two rocker chicks. One on drums, one on scuzzy 70's guitar and screechy, attitude driven vocals. Think White Stripes, but where Jack sounds even more like a woman. And then take away all humor, quirkiness and cleverness and what you have left is Deap Vally. It may have been what Julliette Lewis may have sounded like were it not for the intervention of Dave Grohl. It's not awful. But 6 tracks in and you could swear you were still listening to the first track. Some backwards strings on track 6 give a slight point of interest, but it winds straight back to the start again in no time.
There are moments, like on 'Lies' when the duo sound less self aware and soften their vocals a tad, contrasting them nicely with guitars as sharp as steel blades. Unfortunately that is the single notable moment of stretching out here.

To be fair, they did only form in 2011. What we are hearing are two chicks who had a spark of inspiration and found a decent sound on their pedal. There is little else. Were they to work with other bands or producers - Dave Sitek took the Yeah Yeah Yeah's to new grounds - or perhaps align themselves with artists who have similar aesthetics to themselves - Auerbach maybe - we might hear something fresh and unexpected from them. They can play those guitars and don't shy away from wonderfully strained vocals. But they just need to go some new places. Maybe back to crochet class.
WVS


Lindsey couldn't bear to look at Dee Snider's new red do.

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