Retribution Gospel Choir - 2

Author

Uri Moline

Published

Tuesday 16th February

Alan Sparhawk and Steve Garrington already stated with RGC’s first album on Mark Kozelek’s Caldo Verde label that this was no Low mark II. Gone were the ever so slow tunes, shimmering guitars and glacial melodies; in came the big riffs, arena inspired rock and soaring vocals, it was time to turn it up and get noisy. In this second album and first on Sub Pop, Retribution Gospel Choir –Low minus singer Mimi Parker plus drummer Eric Pollard– have expanded their sound and it feels bigger, catchier and rougher. 2 delivers a great balance of big classic rock tracks (Working Hard, White Wolf) reminiscent of Crazy Horse or even the E Street band, experimental pieces like Something’s Going To Break, short interludes and songs that would easily fit in a Low album if you could strip them down, like the epic blistering Electric Guitar or album closer Bless Us All. Clocking off at 33 minutes, 2 is up there with Alan Sparhawk’s best work and clearly not just a side project. Definitely one of those albums that keeps getting better and better the more you listen to it. Listen loud for better results.