West Coast mood rocker Shannon Crawford teams up with veteran sessions drummer Josh Freese to craft Butterfly Pinned, a driving mix of retro David Bowie and modern stoner metal that looks back undeniably to a time of low-end rebellion in the wake of punk. In the vein of Peter Murphy and other early ‘80s dejected brethren, Crawford’s merciless musings sit pretty in the phased rhythms and stark melodies. Tracks like “Under Your Shadow” and “Savior” are deliciously danceable dark rock. Crawford’s voice is ripe mix of Bowie from Scary Monsters and his dark atmospherics jab like a cold steel hypodermic. Thankfully, the main man isn’t constrained by his love of the dreary, and gives the gray melodies breathing room with the Iggy Pop-inspired “Dog” and the Mirwais-styled “Burns Inside Me.” Bassist Douglas Ardito lends a hand that can craft a shuffle as easily as a walk, giving the album its foot-moving rhythms. Thick in its simplicity, Butterfly Pinned gives the depressed plenty of room and reason to dance.
--Matt Wendus
