From an early age we are taught to never judge a book by its cover. When I first heard of Athen’s Dead Confederate I thought it was going to be a mediocre punk band or even worse, some Southern rock revival crap. Luckily, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. After garnering some praise from the likes of KEXP (they are playing their holiday bash), and wrapping up some dates with Dinosaur Jr, you can see that Dead Confederate just might be the real deal.
The EP opens up with the slow ballad-esque “Memorial Day Night” before leading into “The Rat.” This second song showcases what the band does best, making psychedelic and grandiose tunes mixed with whispery vocals in the vein of Calla. Crashing cymbals, swirling guitars and long bass lines make “Tortured Artist Saint” stand out, while the atmospheric brooding guitars are prevalent in “Get Out.” Finally, the guys pick up the pace a little with the rockin’ “Shadow The Walls.”
Just as we find ourselves totally emerged in Dead Confederate’s introductory EP, it is over. The good thing is that this is just the beginning, as the guys’ LP will be coming out in the New Year. We are waiting with baited breath, and glad that our mothers taught us that valuable lesson of giving things a chance so long ago.
