***** REVIEWS *****
TIMEOUT NEW YORK
"Is it possible to smash a guitar un-self-consciously? It certainly
seemed that way at Cake Shop earlier this month, when Awesome Color
left a roomful of in-the-know types gleefully dumbstruck. (Oakley Hall
was headlining-- that alone means several quality musicians were
present.) Singer Derek Stanton's seemingly unpremeditated ax-whacking
lacked any sense of violence or menace(which is fine). It was simply
the final blow in a stream of gestures that translate across rock &
roll forms; any punk, metal, or bar-rock fan can appreciate the thrill
of someone playing guitar with his bare feet--and having it both look
and sound cool. (Yes, Stanton did that, too). Considering that Awesome
Color has been a band for only nine months, there's an alarming lack
of things to find fault with in their music or its execution; even the
name makes sense after witnessing the trio's unironic stage presence.
Some of the group's songs evoke Sabbath as played by Germans in the
'70s, with Stanton's terse riffs cruising atop crisp, loping grooves
provided by bassist Michael Troutman and drummer Allison Busch. Other
tunes come across like lean, airy impressions of classic Southern rock
(the three met in Ann Arbor, Michigan--the northernmost Southern
state--before setting up together in Bushwick). But the most indelible
image from an Awesome Color show is the rapt joy in Stanton's face
when he backs away from the microphone for a solo. It was infections
in the close quarters of Cake Shop, and should be at the Lakeside,
too."
Mike Wolf
ALL MUSIC
Awesome Color are a power trio from Brooklyn but their original
and spiritual home is in the mid-west. The mid-west where pounding
drums that sound like they are played with tree limbs, angry,
whiplashed guitars and snarled, over-amped vocals rule the day, where
the Stooges rule with a leather whip and a TV eye. The band's
self-titled debut is a rocket-fueled blast of energy and brains,
packed with songs and sounds that will blow you away. They are equally
adept at bashing out short and devilish rockers and at weaving through
longer and slower trippy tunes like the album's last track Animal.
Guitarist/vocalist Derek Stanton is both an amazing singer from the
howl till the mic feeds backs= school and a fiery guitarist with a
knack for bludgeoning riffs and raw, exciting solos too. He's backed
with precision by drummer Allison Busch and bassist Michael Troutman,
they give Stanton room to run wild and are always there when he lands.
A near perfect rhythm section, in other words. The trio put their
skills to use on hook-filled, roof-raising tracks like Ridin', Free
Man, the rampaging Hat Energy (which features some fine freeform sax
work from Wade Kergan) and the near Sabbath grind of See You Hear You.
You wouldn't think from looking at the booklet photo of the group that
such an innocent looking bunch (dressed in such loud colors!) could
create a sound so hairy, tough and thudding. They can though and while
they are nothing if not derivative, they play with so much energy and
fire that they sound like contemporaries, peers, of the Stooges, not
like kids kicking out the jams almost 30 years later. Awesome Color
live up to their name.
Review by Tim Sendra
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