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Backwords - Rhythm and Rain
Author:
joeabdo
joeabdo
Published:
Sep 01, 2012
Total plays:
17,581
Saved:
82 times
Why do we like this?
Brooklyn's favorite psychedelic rock band, Backwords, is at it again with their third studio release By The Neck. With the addition of Meredith Meyer playing an array of instruments as well as providing a nice touch as a vocal auxiliary, this album goes deeper and is a bit more polished to their sophomore album Quilt.

This quartet from Williamsburg has really hit their stride with this album. There is literally not one skip-able song on this track list. The album opens with "Break My Spine" - an intelligent, catchy song that sucks you into the album. It features Russ's phenomenal guitar work (which sounds like John Lennon's distorted Rickenbacker 325) and cabalistic lyrics.

Frontman Brian Russ shares lead singing duties with bassist Tim Pioppio, which gives them a Wolf Parade-like double threat to this album, leading to a wide range of diversity from song to song. "Little Feet" is a great ditty with a captivating tempo, a catchy guitar rift, and a solid jam session wedged between the bridge and refrain.

My favorite song on this album is "Rhythm and Rain" (music video below). Put this song on your end of summer playlist - it is that good. No equation used here on this song -- just a well crafted "whiskey rock n roll" track that will invade your blood and bones. The music video enhances the song's psychedelic undertones and prolific lyrics -- check it out.

One has to respect this band. They hail from one of the biggest cities in the world, yet sound like they formed in the badlands of South Dakota, or a surf shack in LA, or a moonshine distillery in Alabama - anywhere but the concrete jungles of Brooklyn. Their prior albums Buffalo Still Roam and Quilt are all strong efforts and very complex; a hodgepodge of genres (surf rock, bluegrass, indie, alt-country, psychedelia, etc). Backwords is patient and smart enough to mash all of those genres into the musical version of a beautiful dream catcher -- made with all sorts of materials and colors, yielding a gorgeous piece of art.  

Not only do I strongly suggest buying their albums, but try to see them live in a venue near you - they tour the country a lot, so look them up and support this group of travelling songsmiths.

Backwords - "Rhythm and Rain" from Benjamin Johnson on Vimeo.

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