The Weird Weeds

(Sedimental Records)

If the Weird Weeds’ 2010 LP, Help Me Name Melody, toned down the experimental flair by adding upright bassist Lindsey Verrill to Aaron Russell and Sandy Ewen’s guitar interplay and Nick Hennies’ percussion, the locals’ self-titled, vinyl-only fifth album resets that impression. Through the nine untitled instrumental tracks, the Austin quartet stretches and bends its sound into slowly evolving soundscapes. The unsettling ring of the opener gives way to the building, doomed intensity of a second track that crawls with a heavy viscous warp like wrought iron being welded, while the following cut cracks and creaks against low-bowed tones. Track five looms as the most expansive spiral into cataclysm, but the B-side plays a lighter lift between more plodding bookends. The closer fades amid an eight-minute unfolding of beautiful contours. The Weird Weeds is a mesmerizing balance of carefully distilled repetition and movement. (CD release: Saturday, July 7, at the Scoot Inn)

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This article appears in July 6 • 2012.

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Doug Freeman has been writing for the Austin Chronicle since 2007, covering the arts and music scene in the city. He is originally from Virginia and earned his Masters Degree from the University of Texas. He is also co-editor of The Austin Chronicle Music Anthology, published by UT Press.