Battle Mountain And Other Electro-Mechanical Disasters – “Angel In The Mud”

Battle Mountain And Other Electro-Mechanical Disasters – “Angel In The Mud” – Single Review

Solid tune!  Even better band name though?  We’ll let the court of public opinion render their verdict on that over time…but suffice it to say, I ain’t gonna forget the name Battle Mountain And Other Electro-Mechanical Disasters anytime soon, and I suspect that’ll be the case for a whole lot of us listening.

For real though, it’d be hard to resist the deep down groove you’ll find in “Angel In The Mud.”  After a thorough look around online, this seems to be the debut single as far as I can tell.  While little is known beyond Battle Mountain And Other Electro-Mechanical Disasters containing a guitarist named Geo that comes to this project from a different band known as Through Walls, I can confirm that I like what I hear so far.  That’s a factual opinion for ya.  Something more speculative would be something like saying that naming your new band Battle Mountain And Other Electro-Mechanical Disasters is probably a natural but somewhat unconscious response to having a fairly generic band name in Through Walls beforehand.

Anyhow!  “Angel In The Mud!”  What I can tell you is this…right now, we’re looking at a pretty stunning hybrid sound starting up here, and I feel like it’ll be extremely interesting to find out where Battle Mountain And Other Electro-Mechanical Disasters ends up going from here.  You’ll find a sound & style that could be described as many things…Rock…Indie…Americana even…like I was saying, there’s a tangible versatility here that’ll have people debating what they feel like they’re hearing even is, and that’s ultimately a really good thing.  As I always say around these parts of the internet, this whole gambit is about finding your way past indifference first when it comes to a debut or beginning stages of a band’s career, and I already feel like Battle Mountain And Other Electro-Mechanical Disasters has passed that test with flying colors.  As to why I feel that way though, is because Geo has infused another core element into the overall sound here, which is the Post Punk thread that runs through the core of the rhythm and melody you’ll find in “Angel In The Mud.”  So really, we’re looking at a track that contains the earthy grittiness in the songwriting you’d find in something like David Baerwald, but with the moodier & bold murkiness of melody you’d find in something like The Cure from back in the day.  I’ll pause here for a moment to let y’all catch up if you’re unfamiliar with the first reference…you can go out and Google that and have a listen for yourselves…I’m confident you’ll get what I’m talkin’ about when you hear it.  Regardless of what you feel like “Angel In The Mud” would be comparable to from your own perspective, I think we can all agree that Battle Mountain And Other Electro-Mechanical Disasters has got a really well-executed debut single, and given us a cut that should find a nice home at the tops of several playlists out there.  There are many elements that deserve a sincere shout-out here…I really dig where the bass sits in the mix towards the surface of this song and what a crucial role it plays in how this song transitions from the sparseness of its opening…I really like the effects and tone of the guitar…I really love how the drums are played…the vocals sound stellar, and the backing vocals that chime in from the second run-through of the chorus on forward where a genuinely clever addition to this single.

“Angel In The Mud” is a dusty, mysterious, story-teller’s type of tune, and I feel like that’s going to carry a lot of the weight when it comes to people checking this track out.  Like I was tellin’ ya earlier on, you’ll find true grit in this single…it feels and sounds like there’s a ton of meat on this bone for your ears to chew on, and I reckon they’ll be up to the task.  Whether it’s dissecting the crossover sound at the core of “Angel In The Mud,” or examining each different element added in from performance to production that makes this single stand out for all the right reasons, this cut warrants several spins for the effort that has been put into it from start to finish.  Lyrically, it’s excellent – I love what I’m hearing in the uniqueness of the words and the imagery being used.  Structurally, it’s freakishly bulletproof…like, you could even look at the mechanics of a song like this on paper and you’d know it had everything in the right place where you’d wanna hear it.  So clearly, there’s an in-depth knowledge and experience driving Battle Mountain And Other Electro-Mechanical Disasters, which makes a debut tune like this sound like it’s already coming from a well-established band that’s thriving out there in the independent scene.

Even on a conceptual level, you can instantly feel the weight in the songwriting…think about it – “Angel In The Mud” – that’s what you’d call effective contrast y’all, and it’s also lyrical imagery you can see in your mind.  You’ll find noticeable hooks in the verse, the chorus, and the instrumentation to go along with it – and you really can’t ask for more than that on the inside of any tune you’re listening to – this cut is stuffed with an inspired spark & creativity everywhere that you choose to turn your ears to listen.  It’s got that early Tom Petty kind of feel to it as well…with like, a fierce Springsteen edge to it…but like I pointed out earlier in this review, you’ll hear “Angel In The Mud” reveal a much more hybrid design to it that should prevent anyone from feeling like it’s comparable to any one thing directly, and a sound that’ll end up having any comparisons made likely be different for everyone out there having a listen.  I love that kinda stuff…that’s what the effect of great music should be, we should discuss what we’re hearing, and wanna talk about the substance of what we hear from the music to the microphone.

Anything short of feeling that way would imply there ain’t enough substance at all, you feel me?  So heck yeah…I’m interested in what Battle Mountain And Other Electro-Mechanical Disasters are up to and I’d look forward to hearing more from this band any ol’ time.  It’s well-played, well-conceived, and well-executed too…I’m not hearing any major concerns straight outta the gate, and I’m still hearing a little bit of space for Battle Mountain And Other Electro-Mechanical Disasters to evolve further too – “Angel In The Mud” marks an excellent start for this new band, and earns a green light to go forward.

Find Battle Mountain And Other Electro-Mechanical Disasters at Spotify here:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/4NELgkfz9shWND6GbNiwLF

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