Grass Widow-Past Time LP (2010)

You know it's time to get out of the game (music criticism, that is) when, confronted with a new band, all you can do is list previous bands they sound like. Few recent bands are as open to this sort of stupidity as Grass Widow; virtually every review I've ever read of them starts or concludes by intoning one of the legion British post-punk bands we all know and love.

Fuck all that. Sure you can line up the possible influences, but origin does not determine outcome, as they taught me so long ago in undergrad, and it's a massive disservice to this band to just say "blahblahSlitsblahblahNeoBoysblahblahBikiniKillblah." Me, I'm too hungover to bother with saying anything intelligent.

I will say this, though: it's one of the most democratic albums I've ever heard, in the best possible way. No one-bass, guitar, drums, voice-leads, and the interplay between the various components sounds better with every GW release. The layered, constantly shifting focus of each song means that you'll never hear the same thing twice.

Check it out. The LP is still available from Kill Rock Stars, and comes with a digital download code, obviating the need for my own link. GW also just dropped a new EP, available here. They're playing with the Raincoats in Chicago on the 19th, in Detroit with the 'coats and Pink Reason a few days after. Peeps 'em.