March 11, 2024
Winter Rundown2024 kicks off with a diverse batch of jangle pop, art rock, garage noir, psych pop, space rock, heavy metal, doom, post-punk, Cosmic Americana and more.
Ducks Ltd. – Harm’s Way (Carpark)
Rickenbacker wasn’t the first 12 string electric guitar, but they were the first to think of gifting the Beatles with their early protoypes which can first be heard on “A Hard Day’s Night,” “I Should Have Known Better” and “I Call Your Name.” From there, and Roger McGuinn and The Byrds’ cover of Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man,” jangle pop took off, though it wouldn’t be called that for another couple decades in association with R.E.M., The Smiths, The Feelies and others. Yet arguably, no band has tackled the sound with such fervent focus as recent bands like Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, The Tubs and Ducks Ltd. After a great EP and debut album, it seemed like the Canadian duo were ramping up to something special when they released a series of covers in the tradition of The Feelies — “Head On” (The Jesus and Mary Chain), “In Between Days” (The Cure) and, appropriately, “Invitation” from The Feelies’ fourth album Time For A Witness (1991). And sure enough, while Harm’s Way may seem taken for granted in the weeks since it’s release, it ranks as one of the most perfect executions of the sound.
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