The debut full length from the Chicago based psych rockers Dead Feathers is a fantastic exploration of desert/retro rock as All Is Lost drips with trippy vibes.
While other bands (Radio Moscow, Dead Meadow, Black Angels, etc) work in these same hazy realms, Dead Feathers has an ace up their sleeve. Frontwoman Marissa Allen breaks them away from the pack with stunning vocals soaring over the distortion and meandering effects. Allen recalls Robert Plant, Inga Rumpf and a more powerful Grace Slick with vocal dynamics which are just not found in this genre. A track like “Night Child” uses distortion, feedback and organs, par for the course so far, but it is Allen’s singing which pulls the number out of the tar pits and darkness.
The tribal “With Me” finds Allen effectively inserting yelps and primal screams into the mix while her strong singing on the galloping “Cordova” and lumbering “Not Ours to Own” soars around Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin inspired riffs/chugging. The guitars of Tony Wold and Tim Snyder partner for grooving distorted blues-rock on the title track while the ominous bass of Rob Rodak and mammoth drums of Joel Castanon form the spine of elongated “Smoking Gun”.
The band is never in a hurry, content to let the sonic scene unfold with ease as the production expertly layers guitars in fore and background, increasing and decreasing fuzz when needed. The opener “At the Edge” is a perfect summation of the group’s style, twinkling guitars, rumbling drums, an undercurrent of dread and of course Allen’s blistering singing. “Darling Sighs and “Found Caravan” show off softer acoustic sides of the band while “Horse and Sands” successfully goes the opposite direction with heavy sludge laden feedback, wah-wah breaks and the most pounding stoner rock on the record.
While there isn’t a must-hear single, the whole album works by setting a tone. Even though Allen is the major highlight, Dead Feathers are a complete outfit delivering an engaging first release with All Is Lost.