Heatless Bastards climb The Mountain

If the Heartless Bastards of The Mountain sound vastly different than, say, the band that recorded Stairs and Elevators way back in ought-five, well, they are. No longer the Rust Belt garage-punks that their first two albums triumphed, lead Bastard Erika Wennerstrom is the only bandmember left after the move from Ohio to the musical hotbed of Austin, Texas. Which is OK, really, 'cause Wennerstrom's was the big voice, bigger vision, and scorching guitar that fueled that early band's shambolic sound.

Which is not to say that the Heartless Bastards have gotten any less…well, heartless…with a new crew assembled around Wennerstrom. No, if anything the move and different players has re-energized Wennerstrom and expanded her already highly personal and unique musical and lyrical perspective. Yes, her voice is still capable of leveling a building, but as shown with the rootsy, damn-near-pastoral "Could Be So Happy," Wennerstrom can also tone it down and use her blasting cap pipes as a soulful, plaintive instrument.

The Mountain is a much more diverse set from a band that could once start fires just by climbing onstage, a pitch-perfect illustration of roots-rock direction and garage-rock aesthetic packed with shards of electric blues, folkish lyricism, and country twang. As invigorating as the music is, however, it's all just mere audio illusion that masks Wennerstrom's oblique, heartfelt lyrics. This woman could be singing her words to a slinky German cabaret soundtrack and still hit the ears with the impact of the noisy industrial machinery that once comprised Wennerstrom's Dayton, Ohio homestown.

Thus, The Mountain represents an evolution, of sorts, for the Heartless Bastards, Wennerstrom expanding her sonic palette to better compliment her expressive lyricism. There's plenty here to satisfy the old fans, as well, such as the hurricane-force confessional minimalism of "Out At Sea," a right fine song with beautiful guitar resonance, '60s-styled rhythms, and Wennerstrom's punkish vocal wails.

Perhaps the key moment of The Mountain, though, can be found in the country-dirge "Had To Go." Wennerstrom's high lonesome vocals rest uneasily above a slow-picked guitar and rhythmic hum that is part Delta blues damnation and part mournful hillbilly heartbreak. The lyrics tell of leaving home and facing the loneliness and unfamiliarity of new surroundings and relationships. The title says it all – "I got no one to blame cause I had to go" the song's protagonist sings – and it's the expression of an artist treading water and trying to make their way in this world.

After leaving home and family, there are only two ways to go: admit defeat and return, or struggle and grow and work to create something new. My bet is on Wennerstrom succeeding and thriving in her new surroundings. With The Mountain, she's already begun the process…. (Fat Possum Records)

(Click on the CD cover to buy The Mountain from Amazon.com)