You might expect a song called “Tora Tora Tora” to follow loud/fast rules, and for one called “New Hope Cemetery” to be quietly contemplative. But the Damnations have a way of confounding expectations. So the Texas band’s new album Where It Lands has a screaming punk rave-up called “New Hope Cemetery”, and a banjo-plunking instrumental called “Tora Tora Tora”.
Where It Lands does that a lot, and finds this foursome ranging all over the place. “Corona” answers the question of what a Minutemen song would sound like if covered by the Old 97’s, and “Animal Children” works in some honest-to-God flourishes on the Mellotron, a keyboard synthesizer that used to be the sonic signature of ’60s symphonic-rock band the Moody Blues (remember that spooky wailing sound in the chorus of “Nights In White Satin”?).
The Damnations’ first disc since leaving Sire Records after just one album, Where It Lands crackles with plenty of pent-up energy. Amy Boone and Deborah Kelly’s sisterly, quasi-Appalachian vocal harmonies are still the group’s best asset. And you’ll fall in love with Boone’s sultry voice on the album-opening ode to wasted days and nights, “All Night Special”.
Lead guitarist Rob Bernard gets in some good ones, too, recasting the Cajun two-step riff of the old Sir Douglas Quintet classic “She’s About A Mover” as bouncy bubblegrunge on “Root On”. And speaking of the late great Doug Sahm, Where It Lands includes an ace cover of his 1969 gem “I Wanna Be Your Mama Again”.
Only a fool would turn ’em down.