Spindrift

God bless bands with ambition. Most artists release clean, concise debut albums and save the druggy experimental stuff for later efforts. Spindrift’s first full-length album proper is a glorious exception to that rule. A concept record exploring the United States’ age of expansion, The West is one of the most overblown yet entertaining releases of the year. Spindrift’s love of absurdity is less of a surprise when you learn members of Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Warlocks are involved. The eight-piece have already released a film soundtrack, The Legend of God’s Gun, and the building blocks of The West are similarly cinematic. "Ace Coltrane” and "The New West” both sound like pastiches of Calexico tracks. Though a spaghetti western theme runs throughout, various other retro influences are also prevalent. "The Wind” is seven minutes of druggy, bluesy rock’n’roll, while "A Celebration of the Human Body” features echoes of ’60s pysch folk. The West moves into new territory every few seconds but it is well worth the ride.