Dre Perish Criminal Ghost LP
Rootsy collection of noisy, melodic rock songs steeped in Southern gothic and reverb that might appeal to fans of the GUN CLUB or the DRIN. Criminal Ghost is not bad by any means, but it definitely follows a more traditionally structured mainstream rock music approach than punk, although some of these tracks do have a smoky post-punk skeleton inside the meticulous production. DRE has a full-throated singing voice with a bluesy warble that registers somewhere between Win Butler of the ARCADE FIRE and Jeffrey Lee Pierce and gives the songs a lived-in sonic weight. The recording was done in New Orleans, which seems apropos, given the streetwalking at dusk vibes; I can practically smell the stale beer and cigarette smoke wafting through the lyrics, accompanied with just a touch of danger.