The record that we poured our hearts and souls into (that not only ended up with GLOWING typographical errors in the liner notes but also became the great unraveling of the ensemble) finally got a review! http://deafsparrow.com/Death-In-Graceland-review.htm
Too bad this Cincinnati quintet just called it quits. Not sure what is it about good bands these days, maybe it is the over abundance of music that helps us listeners overlook those actually worth hearing or we, the general public, are just mongoloids, but it truly sucks when you come across an album as solid as Gifts and you get all enthused about it because it sounds refreshing and it is demented and it is energetic and then you find out, the band is no more. The reasons for a break up are of little importance. The consequences are what matters. Perhaps, had Death in Graceland received a little more attention they'd still be rocking out these songs in a little garage in the Westside of Cincinnati, but that's just not the case. Fuck us for not being timely.Apparently Death in Graceland didn't go to better life without receiving some accolades. One year after they formed in 2003, the band recorded their first release Come On, Touch Me, which Cincinnati's publication would name Record of the Year. A few more congratulatory remarks like that one hailing Death in Graceland as the city's best punk band followed. Deservedly so, Gifts, their last recording is an impressive indie punk noise rock and roll record.
Death in Graceland are on fire here. Surely a relentless band at the top of their game displaying subtle guitar melodies crashing against a potent rhythmic backdrop. The band they remind me of the most is Hot Snakes, except the vocals of Matt are much more liberated only occasionally guarding a melody and frequently approaching the belligerency of one David Yow. The energy level is on high as the band plays its half angular punk rock/half full on rock and roll approach with much grace. Man, they shouldn't have broken up.