According to The New York Times, ´Blood Meridian´, the 1985 novel about the bad, old days of the Wild West by Cormac McCarthy which inspired Black Mountain bass player Matthew Camirand so much he chose to name his new band after it, “comes at the reader like a slap in the face.” Yet Camirand and group, fellow Vancouver rockers Joshua Wells on drums, organist/pianist Shira Blustein, Kevin Grant on bass, and guitarist Jeff Lee, on this, their sophomore album, elicit an altogether different reaction from the listener. Instead of feeling like a smack across the chops, hearing them is more reminiscent of a cuddle. From a python. It´s a record steeped in those two great staples of rock and roll: cigarettes and alcohol. MySpace friend Simon calls their music “nice to smoke to” whilst the band themselves cite “booze” as a major influence. Country-tinged, ´Soldiers of Christ´ sounds like Neil Young´s ´Old Man´ updated for the benefit of the reluctant Bush generation whilst ´Good Lover´ begins like a Calexico instrumental before lauded Texan singer/songwriter Micah P. Hinson appears to step up to assume vocal duties. Camirand, who started Blood Meridian in a hotel room whilst touring with former band Black Halos, interviewed shortly after the release of debut ´We Almost Made It Home´ promised the follow-up would “rock like the Rolling Stones during the glory years.” He doesn´t quite deliver on that pledge, especially as ´Kick Up The Dust´ embraces Americana more than Blues-Rock. Nevertheless, it´s an album the Stones would be proud to call their own.
Rating: 3.75/5
Release date: 07 August 2006
Record Label: V2
Words by: Matthew Hirtes
