The Waylons: Out of Love

The Waylons
Out of Love
Self-released
2009-10-20

Brooklyn’s the Waylons won’t soon extinguish newcomers’ suppositions the band derives its sound from a certain honky-tonk hero, though “the Malkmuses” would make more sense. Out of Love, the seven-song follow-up EP to its 2006 self-titled full-length debut, was apparently recorded in train depots, apartments, and hallways, and it shows in its vacant sonic drift, which is usually a good thing here. The record is full of the slow-engine drone of college-rock fuzz, at times perking up to a hallucinatory guitar riff here or a driving snare workout there. However, the best tunes bounce with Shins-style indie-rock idioms, like “Traveler”, which flirts with a big chorus but ultimately sounds afraid to surface from the basement, while “Endless Supplies” answers the bell with its boy-girl harmonies and GBV-style finish, making it the soundtrack for a 3 a.m. comedown when you realize you’ve outlasted the booze.

RATING 7 / 10