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Music Review
Again [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]
Distance to Trance: The Anthology [Box set] [Import]
Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw
Amazon.com
Thank God the Fastbacks' revolving cast of drummers (three on this one: Mike Musberger, Jason Finn, and Nate Johnson) has never kept them from consistently cranking out some damn fine heavy-pop records. The secret of their prolific legacy is surely the ability of the core trio--guitarist Kurt Bloch, bassist/vocalist Kim Warnick, and guitarist/vocalist Lulu Gargiulo--to mix things up while essentially staying true to their sound. New Mansions in Sound will certainly sound familiar to longtime fans. Kim and Lulu's voices, the vulnerable yet tough melodies, and Kurt's guitar heroics (always smokin', occasionally flashy) embellish these perfect pop nuggets in a manner that's pure Fastbacks. They can do the fast songs, they can do midtempo tunes, and, hell, they aren't afraid to throw in a cover or two. Yep, that's what makes every Fastbacks record I've ever heard great, and this one is no different. Not even 16 years of drummer problems can slow the Fastbacks, it seems. If anything, the continual changes have helped assure their longevity and freshness. New Mansions in Sound is one of their finest records, packed tightly with 15 amazing songs, and is certainly one of Sub Pop's finest recent releases. --Adem Tepedelen