For those who enjoyed Low’s brief foray into loud guitars and massive choruses (2005’s The Great Destroyer), frontman Alan Sparhawk’s other band has crafted another grungey opus, which lives up to the standard set by the band’s excellent 2008 debut. Taking their cues from Crazy Horse, RGC have put out another balls-out rock record that’s big on anthemic choruses and memorable melodies. Opener “Hide It Away” sets the mood well, chugging along at 4/4 with ample emotion and a sturdy wall of sound. “Your Bird” follows with a heavy momentum that RGC manage to sustain. It almost goes with out saying: this territory is far from uncharted, but Sparhawk and his band do a fine job of adding their own subtleties to the mix. The eight-minute jam “Electric Guitar” steals a grinding bassline from Soundgarden, while the punchy “Workin’ Hard” sounds exactly like what you’d expect from its title, ploughing the same ground as Springsteen and Pearl Jam. RGC executes its material (particularly the guitar solos!) so well that the lack of diversity isn’t really a problem on 2. When an album is this strong, both in terms of its writing and production, conventions can be a complement. (Sub Pop, www.subpop.com) Jonathan Dyck
Winnipeg music & culture since 1989