The Hempsteadys - Séance Séance!
“My first thought when I heard that The Hempsteadys were releasing Séance! Séance! was that this is going to be the party album of the fall. The self described P-Funk of Street Punk are known for their super high energy ska and reggae, as proven on their last album El Amor de Los Muertos, a rocksteady opera from 2015.
Much to my surprise Séance! Séance! opens with “Still Life With Woodpecker” and “Compass” a pair of songs that are reminiscent of 1372 Overton Park from Lucero, hard driving barroom rock with a horn section that delivers a punch. This sets the stage for the expectations from the rest of the album. Gone are the conceptual operatic love songs about monsters, here are heartfelt lyrics layered over hard driving rhythms with soaring guitars and a horn section that knows when to strike. “Classic Cars,” “Ghost of Joe Strummer” and “The Well” showcase this sound with surgical precision.
5/5”