I had the pleasure of seeing this band perform this past Sunday. And i was really excited for the show. Not only because a couple of my friend's bands were playing, but because in the weeks leading up to the show, Sinaloa had become my new favorite band and this album was probably the album I listened to most.
Sinaloa formed in 2001. The Massachusetts natives have released three full length albums, Oceans Of Islands having been released just last year. They have appeared on some various comps and have also put out a boatload of splits with bands like Ampere, Catena Collapse, Wolves and Daniel Striped Tiger. And that is just naming the few that I know of off hand.
The band, which consists of two guitarists and a drummer, never sounds flat or dull on this release. They somehow make the space work for them and sound as full as any band. After listening to the album, I actually went through and checked the liner notes to see if there was a bass on this album. Not even because I thought I heard a bass on the recordings, but because it sounds so full, it was hard for me to believe they were able to achieve this sound otherwise. There isn't any bass on the recording. Every member of this bands sings and their vocals all work really well together and with the music they make. The music sounds energetic and urgent. Technical drumming, without ever overplaying. The guitarists work beautifully together crafting guitar lines that compliment one another and make the songs really powerful and moving. The vocals are sung and yelled like the members of the band are trying to say, “Please understand what these words mean to me." And that is exactly the type of band Sinaloa is. In their album, they have the lyrics for all of the songs, but they also have explanations for what each of the songs are about and what lead to them being written. But what I love is, that is where they keep it. So many bands just love to go on these long winded speeches about this and that live, and honestly, it turns me right the fuck off and takes me right out of the music most times. Even though they are very conscious about many different issues, Sinaloa aren't preachy live and their lyrics certainly aren't straightforward or blatant. And yet, once you read what the songs are about, it makes the music they play and how they sing to the songs make just that much more sense. Sinaloa will spell it out for you, but all of it is already there in the songs they are playing.
I recommend this album to everyone. Though, having an appreciation of mid 90's indie music wouldn't hurt.
-matthew st.
p.s. the band was amazing live. :-D
Personal album highlights:
-Tread, Not Trudge
-We Could Not Move
-Rows Of Tops
-Echoes
If you like this album, please buy it from your local independant record store!
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