Droning doom band Lathe open the way westward toward an uncertain, peculiar place on their debut album, Tongue Of Silver.

Lathe is Tyler Davis (guitar, bass, organ), Eric Paltell (pedal steel, guitar), and Flynn Diguardia (drums). They are an instrumental doom band from Baltimore, Maryland. This manner of composition is the sort of thing I greatly appreciate because, to me, this is clearly doom music but it is also country music, obviously, and the drone elements are unmistakable, too. None of these separate lands are compromised by the amalgamation. What results is unique.

“Vinegar” is a lonely country tune at the beginning. After a few bars, the music shifts into a more ethereal lonely country tune, with peculiar side bars laying at odd angles, some almost perpendicular. “Drain” is even more sorrowful and downtrodden, offering a beautiful lead guitar presence. “Heat Wave” slows the pace and deepens the atmosphere to a point so thick it begins to close off your air. “Rodeo Fumes” is an upbeat rambler compared to its predecessors. It has a good clip, and a nice melody. There is still the echo of uncertainty that keeps this one in the doom realm.

Things start to get more peculiar on the second side. “315W” has a droning noise bed that tones slip into and around. “Cauliflower” lays on the blues, and the guitar here is a highlight in the set. “Journey To The East” is the big dog in the barnyard and has the most Lost Highway weirdness feel among the contenders, I would say, all the while maintaining the established laid back attitude. It is unhurried, certain. Lastly there is “Morris,” a song to nourish your darkening soul. The powerful rumbling of the guitars is a cushion for the beautiful lead string rambling. A tinge of bitter flashes in once or twice, reminding you that this is real. I am captivated by this album. Recommended.

Tongue Of Silver is out on Friday, July 29^th through Grimoire Records. Touch the links below to see the sites.

Band photo by Daniel Regner.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://grimoirerecords.bandcamp.com/album/tongue-of-silver

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/lathe66

Grimoire Records, http://www.grimoirerecords.com/

© Wayne Edwards