Subterranean Sleep

Opening with "Wrecked and Useless," the music on this album is reminiscent of the sinuous, eclectic Jux County. On "The Vines," Fred Thulson channels a bit of Love Hysteria-era Peter Murphy, even as the band waxes into funky territory in the song's outro. The orchestral arrangement of "Why'd She Rain"...

By Tom Murphy

February 7, 2012

Audio By Carbonatix

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Opening with "Wrecked and Useless," the music on this album is reminiscent of the sinuous, eclectic Jux County. On "The Vines," Fred Thulson channels a bit of Love Hysteria-era Peter Murphy, even as the band waxes into funky territory in the song's outro. The orchestral arrangement of "Why'd She Rain" and the next three, more acoustic-oriented songs give the album two very different flavors while also providing an organic and diverse feel, like pre-alternative-era rock. It's like something Sister Double Happiness might have put out if that band was a little darker and had cut its teeth on the Funky Meters and Crime and the City Solution. The broodingly introspective "Praccore, Praccore" is the album's finest moment, with its understated, shimmering guitar melody and perfectly accented percussion.

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Tom Murphy is a writer, visual artist and musician from Aurora, Colorado. He was a prolific music writer for Westword and a documenter of the Denver music scene.

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Twitter: @simianthinker