Savaging Spires – “Savaging Spires” – [Critical Heights]

The boys and girls at the acoustic mass sing-a-long
throng, pushed a toy piano up on the altar and
worshipped it. Acoustic guitars were strummed in
sugar-coating, and uncle’s old banjo even makes
an odd dance into the aisle. Keyboards too joined
the jubilee for a few moments, hear them wheeze in the
“Cemetery Lounge” but drums were forced to stay outside
at all times and peer through the pained stained glass.
Apparently this is an English countryside product, based
upon the pennywhistle on the “Blackbirds.” Even the
electric feedback on “Trust” sounds like it might be
found in a nature preserve somehow. It all kind of reminds
me of the early Cerberus Shoal homegrown work, especially
when the vocals teem together. Listen to them sing in
technicolor at the end of “Cemetery Lounge” and other
spots. The vox are a high point, as is Brian Pyle
production which gets the ghost of percussion from
creaky floorboards and tick-tock tapping on the closer.
Maybe this is just a dose of Starving Weirdoness, hard
to say, but easy to swallow, unless of course you have
toy piano allergies.

-Thurston Hunger