Reviewed :: Guillermo Sexo - Dark Spring

Growing up in the suburbs of Boston and having an older brother who thankfully had a keen interest in making sure I was educated on the happenings of the Boston music scene, left a big impression in my formidable years. Seminal records from bands such as The Neighborhoods, Gang Green, and The Outlets just to name a few, were etched into my brain and those albums and this scene remain important to me. So, it's thrilling to find it in it's current thriving state, arguably like never before with a rich and expansive collection of musicians in several different splinter scenes once again making important music. From Allston to Brighton to Somerville there is an extensive amount of talented bands who have solidified Boston as one of the most important music city's of the moment, perhaps none more so than Cambridge's Guillermo Sexo.

Over the better part of a decade Guillermo Sexo have issued an impressive collection of material that expertly marries, psych, shoegaze and dream pop. For those paying attention, those releases found the band successfully pushing their sound to new and exciting places and on their Midriff Records  debut full length, Dark Spring the quartet of Reuben Bettsak, Noell Dorsey, Elliot Anderson, and Ryan Connolly continue that tradition while expanding their sonic palate with elements of British folk and cacophonous noise rock, which may explain why Dark Spring captivating listen from start to finish. One of the strengths of this album is Guillermo Sexo's ability to exhibits both subtlety and restraint a midst some of the bands more complex and raucous material. The LP opens with All Whispers, a moody guitar pop track that features Noell Dorsey delivering a strong brooding vocal while the rest of the band provides whirling guitar fuzz and throbbing rhythms. The way Reuben Bettsak and Dorsey's vocals combine and harmonize throughout the album only adds to this records varied and captivating tapestry, this is showcased on my current obsession of this LP, the discordant and explosive Carried A Golden Heart. If the lo-fi Brit Folk of Moonlight Sparrows is the curve ball of the record , then maybe I can finally hit a curve, this track wouldn't sound out off place next to anything on GBV's Alien Lanes and that's a high compliment in around here. The truth of the matter is that on any given day I could write this review and have no problem highlight three or four other songs, which speaks to the quality of this album, I believe that's because Dark Spring is an impeccable rock record that requires your attention and Guillermo Sexo is a band poised on something substantial and this record proves that in spades.

Tonight Guillermo Sexo will celebrate the release of Dark Spring at The Middle East along with Marconi (last show), Boggie Boy Metal Mouth, and Doze. Check the FB event page for the deets.