Album Mini-review: Milk Lines — Ceramic
File next to: Skip Spence, 13th Floor Elevators, Black Angels
Just when you think the guitar-and-drums-duo format is totally played out, along comes Montréal-based Milk Lines. Rather than slammin’, unsubtle roots rock – the typical product of such duos – this pair makes music that sounds like a cross between freak-folk of the late 60s and modern tribal psych of The Black Angels. Imagine if Gram Parsons were backed by Pearls Before Swine and time-transported to the 21st century. On their debut album, Milk Lines craft hypnotic, relatively simple melodies and deliver them with determined intensity layered with nuance. The careening “Suicide Note” takes a countrified Byrds approach and pushes ahead, full throttle. On “Purgatory,” they combine atonal guitar skronk, a 60s pop melody, and Emily Frances Bitze‘s gentle vocal work; the latter suggests Cowboy Junkies after a few espressos. The lysergic “Another Breed” melds spaghetti western textures to a psychedelic drone. This duo bears watching.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.