Scuttlebuggs
– After Brilliance (Independent)
Chicago duo Kevin Golden and Claire Kander are the
Scuttlebuggs. Golden is a member of Beaten By Yuri, and Kander has provided
voice-overs for commercials. Together they make music that brings to mind an
array of artists, from the Everly Brothers to Low and The Original Harmony
Ridge Creek Dippers. Folk and country are at the root of their sound, but
they’re open to other influences, and “After Brilliance” has been recorded with
a full band, including various keyboards, violin, pedal steel, bass and drums.
Both Golden and Kander write the songs, and both sing
them. Their “togetherness” is evident throughout the eleven tracks of the
album. Often singing together, their harmonies are delicate and graceful, and
bring an indie edge to the Americana arrangements. They begin the record with
“Outlawz”, a quirky song about breaking the law, which has considerably more in
common with Bonnie Prince Billy than Judas Priest. “Combover”
arrives fully formed on the coattails of an upbeat country shuffle and “The Kids” warms up with a little psychedelic magic,
via Twin Peaks’ Black Lodge, before settling into something quite gentle and
positively life-affirming. They end with the beautiful, haunting “Autograph”, which ebbs and flows like a classic Neil
Young song.
Phil S.
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