Review Summary: It's not Charles
Archie Bronson Outfit have quietly been carving out a name for themselves since their first LP, 2004’s
Fur. In that time they’ve posited themselves as an energetic psychedelic outfit with far more talent and potential that makes their relatively low profile seem a little strange.
As it stands,
Wild Crush is their most complete, well-rounded and accessible record to date. Think of an English version of Darker My Love and we’re getting there. At nine tracks and a mere half hour long, its enough to keep your attention, leave you feeling satisfied and still leave you wanting more. Am I comparing this album to good sex? It seems like, but I’m not that stupid.
The question is, do we like bands that wear their influences on their sleeves? We all have to start from somewhere. Me? I try to rip-off Hunter S. Thompson, William Burroughs and Will Self but that probably doesn’t show.
Wild Crush seems to borrow from the greats and that’s not a Bad Thing. “We Are Floating” carries the weight of the Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” on its shoulders, while if “Love To Pin You Down” doesn’t sound just like Pink Floyd’s “Time” then the world has become a strange place indeed.
But, as stated, it’s not great shakes. ABO have taken an old model and splashed a fresh coat of paint over it. What they conjure up themselves is more than enough. “Two Doves On A Lake” is a real get-up-and-go morning song. “Cluster Up and Hover” gives you a notion of what the Black Keys should have done instead of the insipid
Turn Blue; its mean guitar riff and howled vocals show some real soul, aching or otherwise.
If you want an idea of where this record is going to take you, follow the advice given by the penultimate track: “Hunch Your Body, Love Somebody.” Alright.
