WL//WH Review The Black Watch
The Black Watch, LA
Their Bandcamp says; The Black Watch has been called “a national treasure”! That note is absolutely true by all means, Los Angeles troupe The Black Watch started releasing their visions in 1988 and they never stopped creating some of the fuzziest, indie, most colorful and wild, pure American alternative rock musings in the history of the nation. Although John Andrew Fredrick‘s band never signed to any Def Jam, Geffen, or Matador records, his name is already among the most genuine figures in California’s alt.rock bible with his band having made clear so far that what you’ll be listening to the most original stuff for 30+ tears and on. The man is the same generation as Dinosaur Jr, Presidents Of The USA, Sonic Youth, Pixies, and on, and I mention these names as reminiscent of beloved ‘crazies’ like him.
With an endless catalogue of LPs, EPs, and singles, The Black Watch recently released their brand new accreditation ‘The White EP’ (May 7) with 6 bullets inside that are among the twelve or so that could easily have gone on the ambitious band’s 20th album, ‘Here & There’ (coming soon on ATOM Records). Frontman John Andrew Fredrick seems to toggle between working with producers Scott Campbell and Rob Campanella. The single, “Off You Go!” imagines what the principal characters of Mike Nichols’ The Graduate would make of contemporary USA. Utilizing open-tuned electric guitars, Fredrick strips down (and thus pumps up) TBW‘s normally quite lush sound here.
Everything TBW is restless, is groovy, is colorful, and yes my brothers and sisters, it is also flirting with dreampop occasionally, psychedelic rock too, and with all these things we adore in the American alternative scene since forever, I guess. What I adore in Fredrick‘s musical approach is that he is always unpredictable; he is raw, he is tuneful and his music is always taking me to an amazing live gig with the band. Τhe immediacy of his music is like being in a jam with TBW in a basement studio with beers and friends and fun and all these things that are keeping my heart and soul alive, the disarming honesty of our youth, the everlasting life. ‘The White EP’ is not only a remarkable record, it is that kind of a disc that will lead you to the next beer for each track separately. Now I am going to the store to get another six-pack cause I’m gonna replay it all over again, cheers and listen to it loud!!!
Keep Up With The Black Watch:
John Andrew Fredrick of TBW
Written by Loud Cities’ Mike
