THE PINE HILL HAINTS
You Bury Your Hate In A Shallow Grave
(Lelp Recordings)
Reviewed by Erick Mertz

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The Pine Hill Haints reach into a cauldron brimming with the magic of long cold nights for You Bury Your Hate In A Shallow Grave's inspiration. A series of five simple country themed tracks, the Nashville Tennessee quintet employed Dub Narcotic legend Calvin Johnson to record and capture an eccentric, eerie tall-tale storytelling feeling. In large part he was successful; the recording is dark and anything but formulaic, it evokes dusk light images and shivers with ease. Each song is less than three minutes, highlighted by the title track and the murky basin bottom send-up "Wade In The Water" so steeped in autumn ambience, the pumpkin pie and cider, you can almost taste them on your lips.

While the Pine Hill Haints won't reinvent the wheel with these crudely simple recordings, they are examples of what cold water sessions with an indie rock genius can yield.

© 2004 - Erick Mertz