Local Review: Crook & The Bluff – Down To The Styx

Crook & the Bluff
Down to the Styx

Self-Released
Street: 01.13
Crook & the Bluff = Those Poor Bastards + Lydia Lunch & Cypress Grove

Down to the Styx is a rise and fall of a drawn-out song—eroded down to the twang of the guitar and redolent of all psychedelic hearts longing for the Southwestern desert. Kirk Dath’s voice is soulful and sooty, like iron-crusted boots kicked around in the sand until they’re tattered but still barely intact, elation and agony both held in the shreds. Purist blues and squealing harmonica—mixed with slithering, vintage rock n’ roll—sounds like Timothy Leary in the Wild West. Check out “Devilish Deeds.” The quality of recording and use of heavily echoing reverb brings to mind a sweltering twilight performance with sound waves bouncing off hoodoos and up toward the stars. Tad Wilford’s licks will bring out your most wicked fever dreams, à la “Honey.” This gorgeous and gritty album has already ranked up on my summer time “trip” list ’cause this layer of downtempo grit reminds that we’re just animals inside. –LeAundra Jeffs