Black Nite Crash - Array

Named after the best track on Ride’s last album Tarantula, Seattle’s Black Nite Crash dazzle with their heavy melodic sound, which blends together an ‘array’ of influences ranging from 1960s psych rock to classic UK post-punk and shoegaze. The seven-minute opener “Revelator” instantly draws you in with its soulful Stooges vibe, building up to an extended Ron Asheton-like guitar wigout at the end. “Falling Down” follows with its menacing Black Rebel Motorcycle Club-like groove (think “Whatever Happened To My Rock ‘n’ Roll?”) . “Soft Focus” is the most shoegaze influenced track on the album bringing to mind Ride’s infectious Going Blank Again gem “Twisteralla.” Also great is “I Want You,” which sounds a lot like The Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Just Like Honey” before building to a wild Spacemen 3-like finale. Perhaps the best song of all though is the lush closer “Perfect Blue,” which recalls the majesty of The Church with its trance-inducing layered guitar sounds and Jim Biggs’ seductive vocals. Array is actually only available on vinyl, but if you do not have a turntable, don’t fret (each copy also includes a free CD!).