RFC Reviews: Bars of Gold's "Of Gold"

 "Well I was born a cannibal. Not like any cannibal you've seen before. Son of a working man, son of a salesman..."

Terrorhawk was a visceral assault on your senses. Stuttering riffs and a calm Marc Paffi indicated they were just starting, as if feigning the audience right when they were going straight towards you with shouts and a blazing melange of punk, indie rock, and unadulterated joy. This was the last album of Bear Vs. Shark, a post-hardcore group from Highland, Michigan who, along with The Blood Brothers, rate as the most depressing dissolutions of the past decade...

Hence the excitement, hesitant suspense, then euphoric satisfaction when "The Hustle" came up in those glorious time-saver RSS feeds. The freshly minted Bars of Gold reunites Brandon Moss with Marc Paffi along with members of Wildcatting, an instrumental noise group. The track is a six-minute barrage balancing amid post-hardcore, folk, and indie rock. An unassuming, lone banjo picks up the hitch-hiker Brandon on the side of the street. The two continue their merry way before Marc pulls a Paul Revere. Marc's the instigator who's singing teeters between barking and genius; the Jekyll and Hyde of indie rock.

Bars of Gold - The Hustle

Of Gold is a revival of the racket and romp that permeates the aura around what Brandon and Marc touch, made better by Ben Audette, Nick Jones and Scotty Iulianelli. "Boss Level" starts the album with solemn strings, cut abruptly by bass lines and keyboards epitomizing the moments you, as a child, stepped into a video game store. In an instant, the declarations of obligatory gun-carrying and hushed shouts accompanied by candy-coated keys demand you to suppress your inhibitions and dance as you would to Isaac Brock. 

What has changed? The outbursts are interposed with Americana folk and undrawn genre boundaries redrawn to encompass Bars of Gold's whim. "Heaven Has a Heater" descends upon garage rock, slicked and dressed up like a greaser for an absolute absurdity breakdown towards the end. "………." encompasses the Appalachian side of the album. Brandon's snare introduction with a sparse guitar and violin serves as the introduction to rabbling your rouse. Lonesome banjo plucks contrast the ominously sweet violin as Marc (actually) sings encrypted lyrics. 

The lyrics above come from the closer, "Cannibal." The track encapsulates what drew my merry band of friends to Marc and Brandon's previous efforts, and is preserved with Bars of Gold. The unhurried eccentricity, accompanied with newfound twangs of bright folk guitar, is punctuated by Paffi's crooning. Imagine it is closing time and the sole karaoke singer is your reminiscent designated driver, reluctant to leave the mic. The drums kick up, keys interject, and a wall of guitar washes over your perceptions as many of the member so expertly achieved five years prior. Time may cause tractors and tools to rust, but Bars of Gold glints and glimmers with its curiously absorbing amalgam of folk, rock, and post-hardcore.

Record release show will be September 11th in Grand Rapids, Michigan at Founders. If you are within a few hours driving distance, I highly recommend you view their brilliantly bombastic show. Doors at 9:30 PM, 21+, a recession-friendly $5 with openers Ghost Heart, Prussia and Chance Jones.

Comments

[Online Bingo]

very informative and interesting post, i am a huge music fan and i love to hear insightful comments and blogs about music. it was really great of you for sharing this with us, thank you

[Herve Leger]

a year‘s plan starts with spring.
wd

[wine bottle gift bags]

The audience must be really stunned when they witnessed it.

[Supra shoes]

I am thankful to you for sharing such an informative post.