Albums of the Year # 58 Battle Ave. - I Saw The Egg

 

 

'I Saw The Egg'  is the the third album from Catskills band, Battle Ave. and their first for seven years. It's melodic, approachable leftfield fare, the kind of untuned guitar approach that might make you think of the likes of Grandaddy, Band of Horses and Dinosaur Jr. and then go back from there to the real granndaddys of this approach, Neil Young & Crazy Horse.

If you like that stuff then you'll surely like this. Despite their long absence, Battle Ave. haven't forgotton how to do what they do. The record starts with the sound of a baby crying. She's Esther, the daughter of band leader Jesse Dohetry. It's an invitation to an album that like Esther is vulnerable and emotionally honest.

It's also well versed in its chosen generic style. I Saw The Egg may remind you of Dinosaur or Young but it's never slavish to either of them because the songs here are sturdy, crafted product in their own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this on first listen and wager I'll back which is always my ultimate indicator on whather a record passes muster, given what this blog tries to do . It's going to be on my end of year albums rundown too. Time will decide where. A highly likeable and durable album.