WILLARD GRANT CONSPIRACY
Mojave (Rykodisc)
Reviewed by Holly Day

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As always, WGC remains one of my favorite bands and consistently releases some of my favorite records. Mojave is yet another of the band's exploration into loneliness, open countrysides, flat fields interrupted only by telephone lines and highway, and just the vastness and emptiness of the world. The rootsy music is gorgeously punctuated by accordions, violins, and bare percussion, adding to the feeling of desolation that permeates (without being overbearing) this ensemble's body of work. The one big surprise on the disc is the addition of a hard punky-rock tune with noisy electric guitars and distorted vocals-amazingly, while this tune seems like it should interrupt the flow of the album, it actually feels like it belongs with the rest of the pieces.

© 2001 - Holly Day