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UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS “Shapes Of Midnight”
UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS “Shapes Of Midnight”
By Dr. Abner Mality
UNCLE ACID is back to his old tricks after a strange detour into unknown territory. The masters of gloomy British doom-pop have returned to their standard style following the “Nell ‘Ora Blu” album which saw them diving into GOBLIN-esque synthscapes. “Nell ‘Ora Blu” was a cool diversion but not something that would have paid big dividends in the long run if they pursued it.
Nope, “Shapes of Midnight” sees THE DEADBEATS once again plunging into their trademark mix of syrupy doom metal, horror movie psychedelia and droning poppy vocals. Nobody else really sounds like this and that’s an advantage in today’s monochrome music world. Although UNCLE ACID has never been the heaviest band around, there’s something oppressive about them that can weigh a listener down. Most of that is down to Kevin Starrs’ feminine, sing-songy vocal style which doesn’t vary much. Imagine a sinister, monotonous take on 60’s Britpop singing. And the band’s subject matter has never been cheerful or upbeat in the least.
The record, which tells the story of a town decaying into oblivion, starts off with strong riffs and foggy atmosphere on “House By the Grave” and the title track. As the album goes on, that style begins to take a toll. The appearance of synth on “Psycho On The Loose” and some smoky sax on “I Won’t Sleep”(‘til You’re Gone) offers some diversions, but by the time we get to “The Other Side of The Sky” and “Sleep No More”, the DEADBEAT sound is starting to wear thin. The band has created an original vibe, true, but they pile it on pretty thick and Starrs’ droning begins to be soporific.
There’s still plenty of atmospheric doom and psych fans who will be glad to hear UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS are treading familiar ground, though…and treading it pretty well.
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