The Clean Crime Scene‘s debut album Raw Cuts moves between gritty guitar rock, swirling psychedelic passages, and layered vocals, showcasing the project’s knack for balancing heavier riffs with more dreamlike arrangements. Led by John Simek and five years in the making, the collection brings together longtime collaborators and additional contributions from friends and family. Released through Blank Verse Records, the album also has a limited-edition vinyl pressing featuring an alternate cover and track listing.
“Backstabbers & Moneygrabbers” opens the album with a no-frills rock charm, fondly reminiscent of Deerhunter in its hazy vocal submergence amidst sturdy guitar riffs. The multi-layered vocal layers compel in the approach to the two-minute turn, evoking a more throwback, psychedelic allure there. Twanging, charismatic guitars complement the main vocal refrain as the final minute arrives, driving into a wholly sating conclusion.
Ensuing track “Elevator to Nowhere” continues a memorable rock-forward energy, delectably debonair in its near-whispered vocal tones and grooving rock riffs. Its second half then enthralls with added vocal dreaminess within the “you can figure it out” refrain, furthering the band’s palpably dynamic tonal range and knack for both rollicking rockers and hypnotic psych-touched haze.
Another standout, “Dark Days” channels a sort of T. Rex-esque glam in its pulsing guitar strut, illuminated backing keys, and meditative vocal layers. That production’s 7+ minutes are consistently delightful, and the epic finale “Sunshine Death Train” — spanning nine minutes — is similarly captivating, sounding like a cut from an Elephant 6 heyday act in its lushly compelling vocal layers and bursting guitar work. Raw Cuts is a consistently excellent full-length rocker from The Clean Crime Scene.
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“Elevator to Nowhere” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
