In-the-moment abandon and knowing craftsmanship, an explosive sound, a refusal of tidy resolution, drowned in reverb, more more More. This is the trick that Northern California garage-rockers Male Gaze pulls off on “The Shining Path.”. Especially prominent on this excellent track is the voice of guitarist Matt Jones, who croons through the racket with a baritone reminiscent of The Idiot-era Iggy Pop or (this must be said) Joy Division’s Ian Curtis. Male Gaze suggest the unexpected accommodation of Joy Division’s existential chill with the of Warsaw, their punk-era incarnation. (This is not a bad thing.) Fortunately, Male Gaze never sounds burdened by the baggage of musical history. Their forthcoming album Gale Maze taps into the infinite for 3½ minutes at a time, committed only to just getting on with it.
These “Blow-out enthusiasts, make ready to scarf this down with strong vocals a la Modern English, back-beat complete and foamy bass bleached onto 1/2” tape specially for Castleface Records. I’ve loved Matt Jones’ vocal stylings (ex-blasted canyons), rich with tenor muscle flexes. Over the top in its endeavors and reaching, always reaching, its a primal gas-guzzler drumming center speaker from Adam sets the ear up for a beating and hell, its got the old (and i mean old) bass player, Mark, from Mayyors…solid state aggression at its mid-low knuckle-dragging finest.
The Fat Angel Sings 