"Bleeds, the fifth salvo from this Dead Oceans-signed, Asheville, N.C.-based indie outfit, is truly the best album of 1994. Who thought it would be so compelling to graft country rock idioms to the relentless decibels of British shoegaze and American grunge and then have the whole cyclone spin around a slacker vocalist? Then again, mediocrity rules the top halves of our pop charts and festival bills, so any hyperbolic verbiage thrown at Wednesday is completely meritous."
"There's not a lot of screamy, throat-shearing catharsis here (barring the 90-second "Wasp"), but her delivery can be plaintive ("Elderberry Wine") or downright pre-occupied, as if she's crafting a melody by reading the contents of a cornflakes box with a complete disregard for phrasing or key changes. At any given moment, Hartzman could be singing stridently into the side of a mountain from the porch of an Appalachian cabin ("The Way Love Goes")."
Bleeds is the fifth salvo from a Dead Oceans–signed, Asheville, N.C.–based indie outfit and channels 1990s sounds. The record grafts country-rock idioms to the decibel heft of British shoegaze and American grunge, anchored by a slacker-style vocal approach. Karly Hartzman's delivery ranges from plaintive to preoccupied, often feeling like diary readings or casual voice memos, with only brief moments of cathartic screaming. Band members include MJ Lenderman on guitar, Xandy Chelmis on pedal and lap steel, Alan Miller on drums, and Ethan Baechtold on bass and keys. Songs use quiet/loud dynamics and pair intimate storytelling with raucous instrumentation, with tracks like "Pick Up That Knife," "Candy Breath," and "Gary's II" illustrating the album's wide emotional and stylistic range.
Read at SPIN
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