The latest in a series of EPs, In Chains is a fine slice of
indie pop pie. Leader Boris Skalsky
obviously takes melody and craft seriously, settling into strong pop tunes such
as "Halfway Gone", "Farther Than You", and "Flash In A
Bottle". Skalsky mixes and matches
from sources as varied as the Beatles, Sufjan Stevens, Elliot Smith, and
Supertramp. There's nothing here that
wouldn't satisfy the indie pop melody freak.
- The Big Takeover.
New York's Dead Heart Bloom recently released a series of
three EPs with five songs apiece. Each
EP is said to reflect different musical styles: "The original concept was
to set 'moods' for the EPs, where the first would be optimistic, the second
aggressive, and the third resigned," vocalist Boris Skalsky said. The band accomplishes this effortlessly. Fall In is the more pop-oriented, with light
vocals and even some string arrangements.
Oh Mercy goes a complete 180, focusing more on the blues with deep
guitar fuzz and ferocious lyricism. In
Chains is an acoustic effort, with echoed vocals that give its five songs a
dream-like quality.
- Matt Pusatory, Metropolitan State College of Denver.
The second of three Dead Heart Bloom EPs scheduled for
release this year, Oh Mercy finds the boys deep into Bauhaus Black Sabbath Cure
territory. Not sure what territory that
might be? Think lurching, oft snarky
pieces with stellar fuzzy riffage. This
is, of course, a somewhat different sound than Fall In and I dig it just as
much. Dead Heart Bloom is obviously all
about power, and it seems to know a thousand ways to deal it. Not many folks trust rock and roll enough to
go all out like this. Fabulous. I await the final chapter with baited breath.
- A & A