No, It Isn't Anathema To Be Intelligent
Heavier than Atomic Opera, with elements of thrash and metal
as well as the machine-gun rhythms of Metallica – for example Kill Thriller – Galactic Cowboys make up
the trilogy of Sam Taylor Texan bands Kings X, Atomic Opera and themselves.
Vocal harmonies are therefore also prominent, gloriously so on My School.
I have listened for the first time [prompted by my Atomic
Opera review here] and, as I said there, because of my knowing and liking of
Kings X. The Cowboys have a more complex overall sound/mix than their
stablemates, and it is very good.
Opening track I’m Not
Amused is a perfect exemplification of the excellence. This melds their
elements of tight harmonies, the chug-chug of heavy metal, including the
trudging riff with harmonica that echoes Black Sabbath, a riff that extends out
to underpin a delicate and ironic guitar solo before it breaks into a shred and
before the ‘mexican’ acoustic break breaks in: this is both a clever and
playful interlude with layered vocals returning to consolidate the cleverness.
Kaptain Krude
reflects two interesting further aspects: concerns beyond the ‘spiritual’ as it
relates to the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989, and their Beatles influences,
here in the vocal harmonies and, as the song closes, the production additions.
An intelligent heavy metal album.
No comments:
Post a Comment