Even without advance knowledge that J Mascis produced the latest from Hush Arbors, there’s no mistaking his presence after one listen to the first song.

“The Devil Made You High” is, at its core, a folk-rock tune — it just happens to be dressed up in lo-fi guitar noise, which is something of a Mascis specialty. In addition to producing, the Dinosaur Jr. leader played guitar on two tracks, drums on a third and even contributed Mellotron.

Hush Arbors is the primary musical vehicle for Virginia singer and songwriter Keith Wood, who also plays guitar for “death-folk” band Current 93 and has toured with Six Organs of Admittance, Sunburned Hand of the Man and Wooden Wand.

Wood’s new album as Hush Arbors, “Yankee Reality,” branches beyond face-scouring blasts of guitar on 10 songs that also include throwback Byrds-style folk rock and sweeping reverb. The album, his second for Thurston Moore’s Ecstatic Peace label, comes out Oct. 6.

LISTEN
The Devil Made You High mp3

(Photo by Andrew Kesin)

September 21, 2009 at 10:00 am | Share |