Ladyhawk - Shots (Jagjaguwar)
3/5
By: Jim Carroll
Ladyhawk's second full length sees them retain their position in that small but significant clique of North American alt-country blues-rock bands who seem bound together by their mutual idolisation of Neil Young. But unlike their previous output and the ilk of Destroyer and Electric Magnolia Co., Shots sees the Vancouverites move away from the Harvest era sound. Instead, this record sees them firmly saddle up alongside label mates Black Mountain at the Crazy Horse end of the Neil Young spectrum.
In other words, it is loud. Shots is a stomping audio assault; as classic bluesy rock riffs abound, before often descending into swirling spacey breakdowns which drip with feedback and scuzzed up lo-fi solos.
Opener 'I Don't Always Know What You're Saying' sets the tone for the album, seizing the listener with a rip roaring riff, as front man Duffy Driediger entreats like Lou Barlow at his most animated. Next up, 'S.T.H.D' explodes. It's an exhilarating indie blues rollercoaster - imagine Kings of Leon if they had not been born with the perfect cheekbones and stumbled upon their distortion pedals. 'Night You're Beautiful' continues the scuzzy blues rock, with a euphoric chorus replete with doo-wops, whilst 'Finale Ghost Blues' is an epic muscular eight minute work-out before descending into a cacophonic crescendo.
When Ladyhawk attempt to slow it down though, it all begins to feel a little less convincing. Songs like '(I'll Be Your) Ashtray' or '(Faces of Death)' become so earnest that it begins to feel mawkish - think Red House painters or Kind of Like Spitting at their most whiningly introspective. As Driediger bleats "I know there's no such thing as endless love" you beginning wishing that someone would just get him a stiff whiskey, remind him that his guitar would never have the audacity to cheat on him, and implore him to crank it all up again.
Ladyhawk are better when they stick to doing what they do best - namely when they ratchet it up a few notches and unleash dirty, boozy rock. It has no pretences and is unabashed about being backward looking and derivative. But then, if you're looking over your shoulder and seeing Neil Young smiling back at you then you are not likely to go too far wrong.
Artists in this article: Ladyhawke
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