Ryoki Center - Strychnine

 

Label: self released

Year: 2020

From the "Almost Best Of" file, this one is a real doozy. Full bore and preceding with extreme prejudice (or at minimum, animus), this Nashville power trio picks up the pieces from the various noise rock empires that have risen and fallen before them to mosaic a pastiche of the sub-sub genres of the medium. Bits and baubles from Louisville, Madison, Chicago, and Olympia.

The only points against this record was an attempt at covering the greatest John Prine tune (and therefore one of the greatest tunes of all time) in their staccato lurch style, which renders all of the humor, dexterity, and folksy warmth of the original moot. It hurts me to hear. But that aside, this one is a super solid, great record.

DL