Akron/Family reviewed
Akron/Family
Meek Warrior
(Young God)
Boundlessly energetic heroes of Michael Gira’s post-Banhart world return with wide-open racket.
The frightening thing about Meek Warrior is how it waits until the title track chimes in to really unleash Akron/Family’s hypnotically woven gang vocals. Opener “Blessing Force” is the result of their chaos condensating until it bursts the levees in a 10-minute rampage. “Gone Beyond” hints at the vocals, but unveils itself more as a Zeppelinesque folk tune traipsing down the lowlands. Most of Meek Warrior finds the band drawing more and more on the detached folk of Gastr Del Sol and David Grubbs, particularly on “No Space In This Realm” and “Lightning Bolt Of Compassion.” The emergence of primary vocalists is nonplussing — it would suck for these guys to lose their voices.
— Kevin Keegan
Click here to download “Gone Beyond.”
