Baba's Mountain

When you think of Washington, D.C., rock music, the sounds of such hardcore pioneers as Minor Threat and the Bad Brains usually immediately come to mind -- certainly not noisy, organ-laced {indie rock}. But that's exactly the style of music that local favorites the Apes specialize in, as evidenced by their third full-length (and first for the Birdman label), Baba's Mountain. Sounding a bit at times like the Brian Jonestown Massacre if they were fixated on Black Sabbath rather than the Velvet Underground, the quartet has no problem creating a sonic ruckus, despite the absence of six strings. Additionally, the Apes have a soft spot for {garage rock}. But instead of focusing on succinct, three-chord songs with pop choruses like most {garage rockers} do, the Apes embrace artsy, experimental song structures, as most of the tracks stretch toward five minutes in length. Your speakers are sure to get a workout if you crank such standouts as The Night Time Reaper and Imp Ahh to the max, and while Paul Weil handles the majority of the singing, organist Amanda Kleinman's lead vocals on Ornaments and Windchimes provide a momentary break from all the dense rock. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide