The Cathedral
Dune Altar, 2019
9/10
A Los Angeles outfit with a penchant for punk, shoegaze and pop sounds, this debut album from Brass Box tosses in everything we love about the aforementioned genres, and adds their dark, reverb friendly formula to the captivating listen.
“Bats” dives right into an introduction heavy on atmosphere and calculated dream-pop ideas with pretty vocals from Ammo Bankoff, and “Golden” follows with much attention to detail as the busy tune unfolds with textured haze and melody.
Elsewhere, “Surrender” has the band poking and prodding at post-punk ideas while still very much residing in syrupy shoegaze, while “Waves” recruits a darker spirit with crisp percussion and moody tension.
Deep in the album we are treated to “Roses”, where a calmer setting of acoustic guitars finds its way into the cautious highlight, and “Ivory Skies” pushes and pulls with gorgeous interplay between the instruments and even more sublime vocals. The record ends on “Parting Ways”, where Brass Box put their ominous twist on indie-rock with shimmering, mysterious and addictive fun.
The members of Brass Box have paid their dues in groups like Magic Wands, War Tapes, Rituals and Black Flamingo, but in this ensemble their respective talents shine the brightest. A record that would be relevant in any decade since the ‘80s, The Cathedral is a must for those who adore names like Smith, Marr, Sumner and Murphy
Travels well with: The Cure- Disintegration; Chasms- On The Legs Of Love Purified