A Place To Bury Strangers, Oliver's Ackermann's band, are loud. That's an understatement. The music, occupying a space that straddles labels like post-punk and shoegaze, is brutal but oddly soothing. And with the addition of two new members to the group, now something more complex in spots, at least as judged by the tunes on the new EP, Hologram, out on Friday.
On this Dedstrange release, "End of the Night" opens things on a rhythmic journey, the guitars not nearly as important here as the bass and drums from the new players in this outfit, while "I Might Have" is punishing in a familiar way. A roar that coats a listener's psyche, the cut is undeniably strong, as is "Playing the Part", a spry bit of Iggy-in-the-Eighties-style business. Elsewhere, "In My Hive" and "I Need You" mix the usual APTBS sonic crash with shades of new sounds courtesy of John Fedowitz (bass) and Sandra Fedowitz (drums), the new members of the outfit. These two selections on the EP significantly expand the palette of Ackermann, ensuring that sound of A Place To Bury Strangers will continue to evolve beyond simply being art that's inspired by The Jesus & Mary Chain, for example.
Hologram is out on Friday via Dedstrange, via Dead Oceans.
More details on A Place To Bury Strangers via their website.
[Photo: Heather Bickford]