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Holy Sons

Decline of the West

(Partisan; US: 23 Sep 2008; UK: Available as import)

Review [18.Nov.2008]

As a member of two of America’s most prominent modern psych-rock monoliths in Om and Grails, Emil Amos is no stranger to create dark, hypnotic music. But while the songs he sings under the din of his own vanity project, Holy Sons, are shrouded in several shades of black, they possess a sense of melody and structure unfounded in anything else he is a part of. Originally released in 2006 as an Italian import, Decline of the West, Amos’ sixth full-length release under the Holy Sons moniker, has been expanded to 15 fantastic songs that will remind some of Beck during his One Foot in the Grave days, albeit more sophisticated, ambient and beautiful. Utilizing a vast array of rhythms and textures, from dub-like echoes to hip-hop drum pulses to Krautrock-ian avant-folk drones, Amos has created a wholly unique spin on modern underground psyche-rock that will appeal to fans of the Red House Painters and Growing alike.

Rating:

Ron Hart is currently enjoying his 11th year as a professional music journalist. In addition to PopMatters, he has also written for such publications as CMJ, Billboard.com, SPIN.com, The Village Voice, Gear, Paper, SHOUT NY, Paperthinwalls.com, Blender, Yellow Rat Bastard, Good Times, Paste, and Barnesandnoble.com among others. He is also the editor and publisher of the Interboro Rock Tribune, a free NYC music zine now in its 6th year in print. Please give us traffic on our website at http://www.irtmag.com.


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7 Feb 2011
A new album of slow, depressing, lonely songs from Grails drummer Emil Amos.
18 Nov 2008
Holy Sons possess a sense of melody and structure unfounded in anything else Emil Amos is a part of.
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