By Rich Horton

While the Electone Record Label evokes singer songwriters, folk, Dylanesque songwriting and the band name Big Ditch Road sounds like a working mans rock band, their new album shatters those preconceived ideas by coming off as a quirky and catchy indie pop album.

While there still is the squeal of a pedal steel guitar and some countryish tinges, the songs are upbeat and sometimes experiment with some echoing guitar lines and experimental instrumentation. Darin Wald’s vocals meander around the beats with great ease, and while I discovered some off key long notes they see to fit right into the direction of the songs.

“Waiting To Destroy” and “Hey, Mrs. Strife” are my favorites which found there way into the first two songs which seems about right. The most experimental “Northwoods Report/Chomki ‘08″ has a great spot at the end of the CD, which is a good choice as well because it seemed by then I was hooked by the other songs enough to get passed the spacey intro into the melancholy verses and chorus.

Big Ditch Road celebrate the release of this fine just over half album length CD (six songs), Friday, January 11th at the Turf Club.

Big Ditch Road, The Glad Version, Ice Palace and The Wapsipinicon.
Turf Club
9pm/21+/cost TBA

www.bigditchroad.com

Filed under: Music Events, Music Reviews