I’m a big fan of guitar driven bands, so I was delighted to review The Last Days of Death Country’s debut EP “Mode and Effect”. Spread between Limerick and Belfast the Last Days of Death Country’s consist of Patrick O’Brien (lead vocalist and guitar), David O’Dowd (lead guitar) Rob Kelly (drums) and Gary Lysaght (bass). Citing an eclectic cast of inspirations including the Radiohead, Tom Waits and The Mars Volta I was very interested to see how this effort would pan out.
The record opens with the resounding scratching of feedback and out of sync drums before breaking into the first track Feedback. Straight away you can pick up the Mars Volta influence. Lead vocalist Paddy O’Brien has comparable high pitched and strained vocals to Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala. Coupled with piercing guitar and unusual time signatures you realise this is a really unique sound. Certainly different to that ubiquitous indie shite that seems to be falling out of any studio that has access to fringes, ray bans and skinny jeans.
The second track (Goodbye) and third track (Strung out) feel like almost a different genre entirely. On Goodbye the sound is not as distinctive but still interesting, not unlike Foals’ Spanish Sahara. A deliberately slow and cheerless build up mounts to an intense crescendo of guitars and weeping vocals. Most good songs sound better live but I can guarantee that Goodbye would be mind blowing, and Il be there to see it live in Whelans on 14th of Nov. Ending the EP is Words, another solemn song that slowly gathers pace to finish in distorted guitar wailing and Paddy O’Briens voice echoing “choose your words carefully”.
Mode and Effect is an exciting and entertaining debut piece. The songs are saying something and the sound original. What also strikes me is they are not afraid to make forays into a number of different locations on the musical landscape. A very sophisticated and mature debut release, it defiantly works for me. Mode and Effect is available on iTunes and Amazon, I highly recommend you take a gander. Also, if you prefer your music live and in the flesh they will be playing in Whelan’s on Nov 4th, I’ll be there, come buy me a beer!
Buy Mode and Effect on Itunes / Last days of Death Country Website