DOWNLOAD: The Black Heart Procession

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 5, 2009 5:20PM

We never thought we'd be writing this sentence, but The Black Heart Procession's "Rats" sees the brooding, creepily atmospheric band ... getting funky? O.K., maybe funky is too strong a word, but the staccato guitars of the chorus play against the gentle surge of the drums to create a milieu that at least encourages finger-tapping, if not an adventurous toe-tap or three. We keep finding ourselves migrating toward their latest, Six, to slowly allow ourselves to sink and submit to its dark charms. They've always been hard to label -- are they goth, indie, sludge, Leonard Cohen swagga? -- and this album's thirteen songs will do nothing to clarify the band's intent enough to slot them into one niche or another. And frankly, we wouldn't want that.

MP3: The Black Heart Procession "Rats"

The Black Heart Procession plays Saturday, November 7, at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W Lake, 8 p.m., $15, 18+