Although one of the band's direct ancestors is the laconic icons Pavement, Louisville's the Slow Break, on its debut, Inside the Dark Mountain, also manages to honor the shambolic, blues-and-beer-infused rock of Janis Joplin and more contemporary artists such as Marah and the Libertines. With a bit of Dolly Parton's twang, Joplin's breathless urgency, and her own passion, singer Alison Lee-Whitney injects songs such as "Interstate Woman" and "Cowboy Crucifixion" with a feminine fire that, like the guitar and drums, is just barely contained in the studio. This is essentially a pure rock record, rough and unprocessed, jangly and passionate, but with a few sax and xylophone licks to keep it from blending in and getting lost.

***

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Band: http://www.theslowbreak.com/

Label: http://www.ionikrecords.com/