The Shouting Matches "Grownass Man"

 

When I read that Justin Vernon of Bon Iver was a member of this band, I bought it immediately.  Didn't sample it or even know what genre it was, but I wasn't going to let this one slip away.  I first heard a Bon Iver track on a Music Choice channel and another one a day or two later.  Jotted the name down on my "investigate list" where it remained until hearing more several weeks later, but my list had so many proven names added with the big 4th Quarter 2011 release schedule that I couldn't act upon an unknown artist.  Then, bam!...four Grammy nominations and two wins.  So no, procrastination on The Shouting Matches wasn't an option. 

This isn't polished or refined, it's dirty, buzzy, psychedelic blues rock which most reviews I've seen link to Tom Petty.  I can't say that I could make that connection (there is a debut album I will post on soon where I WILL make the TP association), but these are some of the names brought to mind while enjoying this album; Beck, Los Lonely Boys, Rare Earth(!), Lyle Lovett and Lenny Kravitz.  Here are three songs from their Coachella set.  The opener had me yelling "Chuck Prophet" in the car (as did other songs from the record) and the second song here is the album's best, coming off like Wilco...



Love the organ, love the fuzzed harmonica, love the looseness and fun, love this album!  It's made a nice dent on the Blues and Heatseekers charts but it deserves better. 

My only complaint?  Clocking in around 35 minutes, there just ain't enough of it...