Young Widows: Settle Down City

From the ashes of the now-defunct Breather Resist comes Young Widows, and with them, a decidedly less hardcore sound. Though the album was originally intended to be the next Breather Resist release (minus singer Steve Sindoni), the three remaining members felt that the entirely different sound of Settle Down City warranted an entirely different name. And it probably does, especially if the band hopes to attract a new audience with this release.

Spotlighted by the Widows is heaviness much more akin to The Jesus Lizard, Shellac, and even Helmet. Sludgy, dirty bass grooves lay the foundation for reverb-soaked, Duane-Denison-inspired guitar and unabashedly David-Yow-ish vocals over tom-heavy, mid-tempo drumming. The combination is thick, ominous, and neck breaking, but the eleven tracks of Settle Down City never drift from the style. Even those basilisk-loving Touch and Go pioneers switched it up from time to time.

Guitarist Evan Patterson, though contributing greatly to make the album a worthwhile listening experience with his riffs, also is responsible for its vocal limitations. It’s not a bad rookie effort, but my guess is that his next attempt could evolve much the way Settle Down City has.

- Scott Morrow
Young Widows (Jade Tree)