Dead Confederate
‘Wrecking Ball’
(Kartel)

Cracking, raspy, nasal vocals. Dark, muddy guitars. Thrashing drums. Quiet-loud-quiet structure. Dead Confederate aren’t exactly subtle about taking a colossal influence from ‘Bleach’-era Nirvana, but seeing as they were snapped up by Gary Gersh, the same guy who first signed Cobain and co. to Geffen, guesses are they’re not trying to be. Dead Confederate are five serious men with serious facial hair and ‘Wrecking Ball’ is an aching, earthy record, marrying southern rock and 90’s grunge in a manner that My Morning Jacket would be proud of. Ignore Hardy Morris and his Kurt aping growl, because tracks like anti right-wing political protest ‘The Rat’ and the searing ‘All The Angels’ are bitter, intense and pretty impressive.

Sophie Thomsett