Search - Muckrakers :: May

An honest and unpretentious indie rock record, the Muckrakers borrow from garage, grunge, and lo-fi to craft a gloriously raw sound. While a few songs suffer from uneven mixing, studio wizardry is unnecessary to communicate the visceral drive of the Hendrix-esque grooves of "The Arson Song" and the wildly primitive "The Kiln." Still, for all the amateur spirit, the band's members show a considerable proficiency on their chosen instruments, weaving intricate guitar patterns and incorporating Jonathan Rundman's turns on guitar, bass, drums, accordion, melodica, and balalaika. So armed, the Muckrakers are capable of slipping into softer sounds, approaching a Violent Femmes sensibility by combining stripped-down arrangements with obscure references to leeches, BETA tapes, and locales unknown to those outside of their neighborhoods. At other times, the use of muffled drum loops and over-sized guitar tones combine to form a slight funk-rock hybrid. Not totally first rate, occasionally simplistic, but always a pleasantly unassuming listening, May is an album crafted in the true rock spirit. (review from the All Music Guide)