Centro-matic – Love Just The Same
Six years into Centro-matic’s tenure, Will Johnson and his mates have carved out a kind of cottage industry of jagged, moody roots-rock. Unlike many sectors of the sluggish economy, their production is booming: This disc, the band’s Misra Records debut, is already their seventh album.
It’s tough to keep such a prolific pace without making albums that sound tossed off, so it’s a credit to Centro-matic’s consistency that Love You Just The Same stands with anything they’ve has done before. Their dependable hallmarks remain: On guitar, Johnson and Mark Hedman unleash healthy hooks (see the back-to-back cuts “Picking Up Too Fast” and “Spiraling Sideways”) or create a shimmering din (“Strahan Has Corralled The Freaks”). Matt Pence’s shuddering drums drive the effervescent “Flashes And Cables”, Scott Danbom’s bass holds down the bottom end and his sharp piano licks add color, and Johnson’s oily rag of a voice leads the way all the while. Like thumbnail sketches, his lyrics are typically evocative, if hard to grasp.
But there’s a downside to just being reliable. After all, a pessimist might view a band’s knack for turning out a lot of good product as an inability to make just one thing that’s truly great. Thus far, Centro-matic’s chief achievement may lie in applying a quasi-shoegazer wall of guitars to roots-rock songs; it’s given them a unique sound, but whether they can take the next step remains to be seen. Given the band’s abundant output, it’s clear that failure to do so won’t be for lack of trying.