The Missionary Position

It might be a bit of an exaggeration to call Jeff Angell the Jeffrey Lee Pierce of Seattle, but a quick listen to Diamonds in a Dead Sky, the Missionary Position’s latest full-length, reveals rich, sonically diverse songwriting coupled with emotionally raw performances in all the right places. Although a lot of bluesy rock-and-roll these days is nothing more than a living museum piece, this quartet doesn’t seem trapped by tradition. Utilizing atmospheric elements and a broad range of dynamics and textures, Angell and company have created a sound that draws on the familiar and dares to go beyond the boundaries of roots music. Weaving together psychedelia, dream pop and a kind of dark funk that could only have come from the South, the Missionary Position reveals its strength with its frayed roots.