Tulsa : I Was Submerged EP

<img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/tulsaiwassubmerged.jpg" alt=" " />Thanks in large part to Carter Tanton's chilling vocals and the band's modern, outlaw sound, Tulsa's physical debut is a darkly enchanting spine-crawler.   ...
7.6 Park the Van
2007 

 Thanks in large part to Carter Tanton’s chilling vocals and the band’s modern, outlaw sound, Tulsa’s physical debut is a darkly enchanting spine-crawler. The disconnection in Tanton’s echoed twang gives off a Wild West vibe while the stark, rambling rhythms behind him are so tight, it’s as if they came from underneath a single hat.  With both intimacy and apathy in its guitars, I Was Submerged exudes a beautifully lonesome introspection throughout.

As a slow-churning acoustic guitar lays most of the foundation on I Was Submerged, steely riffs and Tanton’s distant voice define its sound.  On the EP’s opener, "Breath Thin", a sharp electric guitar snakes around a pattern above the acoustic chug, as Tanton sings with a powerfully sour strain.  Ominous drums complete the track with an occasionally desperate rolls like the heartbeat of a fugitive.  On the standout track, "Shaker", the elements are similar, but the atmosphere is more positive.  The melodic vocal track coasts effortlessly across the smooth wash of instruments.  "Mass" has a laid-back rhythm with poignant interludes, while "Rafter" is the most mysterious track as it slowly build from a quiet, delayed guitar into an aching, metallic swell.  The last track, "There Goes a Man", is a cool, acoustic crawler with a chorus that features Tanton’s airy vocals and a swirling guitar effect before cruising off into a rolling drumbeat and expansive solo.  The EP musically spans a wide variety of demeanors from solitude to adventure to death.

Tulsa’s I Was Submerged EP stands out as a collection of alt-Western gems that portray a desolate and difficult existence from a haunting, modern perspective.  It’s further out there than typical alt-country, and much like the revered legend of the old West, will have a uniquely enterprising way of sticking in our minds.

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