Butte La Rose
Self-Released, 2021
9/10
Listen to Tenth Mountain Division
The Colorado outfit Tenth Mountain Division return with their 3rd album, and they continue to progress their mountain rock formula with electro-acoustic sounds, well timed brass and even moody synth across these very diverse 10 tracks.
“Hot Sweaty South” starts the listen with plenty of brass from Nathan Peoples (sax), Gabriel Mervine (trumpet) and Scott Flynn (trombone), as the band’s energetic brand of Americana flows with much playfulness, and “Sad Summer” follows with a ‘60s surf-pop flavor that benefits from the harmonic singing and endless hooks amid the dreamy landscape.
Near to the middle, “Spring Chicken” emits much beauty as keys from Campbell Thomas and Tyler Gwynn’s skilled drumming anchor the very cautious instrumental, while “Get Out Of My Head” gets soulful, even somber, amid soothing backing vocals and bouts of firm keys that bring us back to the ‘70s. “Got Too Excited”, another top notch track, calls back the brass as bassist Andrew Cooney takes over on lead vocals on the rugged, R&B and jazz indebted climate that tips it hat to Memphis.
The finals tracks, “Drown You With The Bottle” and “Big Blue Sky”, keep the diversity intact, where the former gets a bit funky with MJ Ouimette’s spirited guitar work, and the latter places Thomas on lead vocals on the bare, atmospheric and gentle finish that’s a bit darker in scope.
If you’ve been following all along, you won’t be disappointed with this batch of tunes where the many guests complement the quintet’s flourishing sound, and if this is your first trip with Tenth Mountain Division, hold on tight, cause it’s an unpredictable and adventurous ride of some of the most exciting rock’n’roll being played today.
Travels well with: Andy Thorn- Frontiers Like These; Chicago Farmer- Flyover Country