Can there be anything more satisfying than discovering a new genre of music you never knew existed? It can go either way I guess, but in the case of the latest release from Quarry Mountain Dead Rats I am so darn happy for the opportunity to have listened to “ Bloodhound Killed My Squeezebox”, I want to print “I HEART Quarry Mountain Dead Rats “ T-shirts and wear them with pride everyday.
What a kicker of a record. Take your average bluegrass, banjo, mandolin, guitar, blues harp and washboard style jug band from the Ozarks, couple their musical instruments with underpinning 20th century Detroit rock n roll inspiration, give them Australian accents and a hilariously dry wit and you have yourself a brand new musical genre I like to call Grass Rock no, that’s not right. How’s about Duel Rock. Nothing fits! And surprise, surprise this band can’t be pigeonholed except to say they are “amazing.” Not in an Alex Lloyd way. Thanks be to the Lord.
These guys can really play, fast and almost manic in delivery, the pace of the instrumentation contradicts the “ hang it all, I don’t give a rats arse, whatever happens, happens, I wanna live simply!” themes of the album, delivered with articulate wit. I laughed out loud on a number of occasions. A good example is from track 4 “ Where No One Knows My Name” with the following couplet:
“I’ve been feeling kind of useless/ Having dreams where I’m toothless.”
So succinct and true, ain’t everybody felt like that on occasion? I have, but I wouldn’t be able to describe the feeling so wittily and simply. Gold.
What’s more there isn’t a dud track, from go to woe this album is a tonic for everything that ails you. Supremely talented musicians with “live “ kudos in spades I am kicking myself I was in Sydney when they launched this album at Northcote Social Club on June 16th.
The Quarry Mountain Dead Rats should be a band name on the lips of music fans worldwide. Keep your eyes peeled for announcements as to when they will play next; you will be in for a treat amoondo!
Quarry Mountain Dead Rats are:
Chris Wishman- Mandolin, vocals
Daniel Sudholz- Banjo, vocals, harp
Lachlan Alcorn- Guitar, backing vocals
Ben Clements- Washboard, Mallet, Tambo, Lagerphone, circular saw and hammer
Davin McDonald-Double bass
The album was produced by Shane Nicholson, and recorded by Nicholson and Nash Chambers at Foggy Mountain in NSW.
The album is out right now, so ya’ll better go and grab it if you know what’s good for your person.
http://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/quarry-mountain-dead-rats/id521207522
