Denver’s Somerset Catalog wavers between spooky, self-aware, literate and joyous — often in the same song. (Provided by Somerset Catalog)
Denver-based indie rockers won’t unveil their debut full-length for a little over a month. But in advance of the Oct. 30 release of “Lonely Fang” on (a national indie label now partly based in Denver), the group is sharing the new track “Shaking Windows.”
The crisp tune, with vocals from Trevor Trumble, vibrates on a bed of dark, rumbling melody until Trumble’s vulnerable, up-front singing takes a seat and Brigid McAuliffe’s harmonies hover above it. We could throw all kinds of dumb comparisons at you — for example, if Wes Anderson curated the “Drive” soundtrack, or Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker of Low tumbled into a well during a sugar high — but we’ll just let you listen to the track below.
I’ve had a chance to hear the whole album and, while I was a fan of the members’ past and current bands (including Bela Karoli, Everything Absent or Distorted, Rabbits is a Sphere and Gun Street Ghost), I don’t feel biased in saying it’s the best kind of culmination of everything they’ve done in the past. There’s variety — both emotional and textural — sentiment, humor and good amount of honest-to-Pollard rocking. If Somerset’s live show is angled more toward sweaty catharsis, the album is a page-turner, compelling and brisk but more considered and thoughtful.
Starting today, incidentally, you can also pre-order the album . Who knew?
