Brass Tax
Brass Tax
Neurotic Yell

Link: Brass Tax on Bandcamp

Brass Tax looks back to an era when Sha Na Na dominated the television and the girls in The Ronnettes were looking for someone to be their baby. The music on this self-titled album seeks to find the ‘60s girl group allure with punchy rock and powerful pop grooves.

But what Brass Tax does on this album is forced and less than alluring. If garage rock was what was intended, then there is not enough of it. If channeling Dusty Springfield was their intention, they need to study the style a little more.

“And Then It Starts All Over Again” tries to mimic the gritty garage rock with sincere storytelling. And they do, but it’s a song that could use to cut a minute out of as, after a while, it feels like it’s flogging a dead horse.

“I Won’t Cry” is better with a saxophone being a nice touch. It reminds me somewhere between X Ray Spex and The Chantels. When I hear music like this, I want to experience the smoothness of the ‘60s soul. And when I hear “Feel Better,” I want to hate Jada Wagensomer’s voice. But there is something in the roughness that gives out this back country rebellious spirit that I respect who makes me think of a more potent Holly Golightly in her tongue. She belts out these songs two notches too much. There are times when it works and you thank her for her boldness, and there are times when you want to keep moving. The harmonies, as hard as they try, are not as smooth as you want them to be.

“The Buffalo” is a great surrealist experience like when Hope Sandoval spoke of the end of the world like a prophet of inner emotional armageddon. The simple pop of “It’s All The Same To Me” perks you back up with another nice tune. It’s when she keeps her talent within this spectrum is when Brass Tax sounds best.

The grittiness prevails on her album, and the farther they get away from the ‘60s soul fascination, the better this album gets.