polaroids of androids

In recent times I have begun to become more aware of the way in which I define whether music sounds good to me. When listening to new music (or more accurately new to me) I always try to take into account the influences the band are showing, where and when they come from, musicianship, and even what the band members look like and act like, but when it comes down to it the verdict almost always comes from a gut feeling about whether the band feel 'genuine'.

This is how I find I can like a record like In The Future, by Black Mountain, when some of these other criteria tell me I shouldn't. Put simply, the record is unashamedly and in some cases directly influenced by Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin (I'm still not convinced they aren't using the exact same organ in some parts of this record), and countless other bands of that ilk. Yet despite this, these influences are worn proudly as a badge of honour, while simultaneously being used as a springboard into other sounds and textures that breath new life into the tried and tested formulas of old.

Sure it's nothing new, but tell me honestly that a song like Wucan, with it's driving baseline, droning keyboards and thundering drums doesn't get stuck in your head for weeks on end, or that tracks like Angels or Evil Ways, don't get your foot tapping under your desk and your head bopping when they come on. Sometimes it's ok to do something that's been done before, as long as it's done well and in this case done without any apologies.