This review was written in response to a submission to BDCwire’s “Review Anything August” campaign. The opinions in this review are those solely of the author and not of BDCwire as a publication. Stay tuned to BDCwire for more reviews from this feature.
Somewhere, behind the wall of guitar that presides over Kindling’s “Spike and Wave” 7-inch, there is something begging for a better adjective than “indie.” Though the fuzz is appealing and atmospheric, I keep waiting for something big to happen and for the vocals to bust through the static. Instead, an Interpol-esque register is shrouded in acres of feedback that, despite its best efforts, hides the distinguishing features of this otherwise ambitious record. Perhaps, with some discipline on the reverb knob, this Easthampton band can unearth a qualifier better than “noise rock,” but they’re just not quite there yet.
