Their second album, "Nights In The Dark", was released in 2015, once again via Don Giovanni Records.
(meta data) TITLE: California X - Nights In The Dark - LP Review - Overblown (meta data) AUTHOR: https://www.facebook.com/jamie.coughlan (meta data) PUBLISHER: https://www.facebook.com/OverblownFanzine?fref=ts (meta data) PUBLISHED DATETIME: 2014-11-13T21:51:45+00:00 Search Home Reviews Album Reviews California X – Nights In The Dark – LP ReviewReviewsAlbum Reviews # California X – Nights In The Dark – LP Review By Jamie Coughlan - January 13, 2015 When Amherst, Massachusetts indie rock quartet California X dropped their self titled debut LP in 2013 they came under some degree of skepticism due to their absolute disregard for attempting to hide their influences in any way. To be fair, if their scuzzed up Dinosaur Jr-esque fuzz stomp had been a tired rehash of their neighbours more famous din (J Mascis and crew also hail from Amherst) these doubts would have had some merit. To their credit, the powerful lo-fi indie grunge of California X's debut easily dismissed these concerns. They stormed through their debut with such unrestrained enthusiasm and epic tunes that the band seemed like peers, rather than descendents, of Dinosaur Jr's enormous classic rock influenced lo-fi alternative rock. At first it seems that the band's follow up, Nights in the Dark, aims to follow the same tried and tested formula. The record's opening track, and title track, carelessly mingles Neil Young feedback squeal with early 90s tunesmithery, while "Red Planet" sounds like Weezer if they left the edges unpolished for once. Then a curve ball. Third track "Ayla's Song" is a delicate, gently plucked instrumental acoustic guitar number, hinting at the groups willingness to push beyond their good old reliable lo-fi big guitar jam band shtick. Typically, as if embarrassed by the ambition, the track ends abruptly with band leader Lemmy's grunt, and the band segues into the mid tempo stomp of "Hadley, MA". "Blackrazor (pt 1)" has ambition in an alternative direction. Recalling a fuzzed up cover of Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer", the track lopes and trudges its way through swampy minor chords and enormous early 70s guitar solos. This here is a band full of beans, and possessing the chops to pull off their ambitions. You can hear the band's enormous smiles as they plunder their way through another inspired jam. Shit, if I could play guitar that sounded like J Mascis jerking off Tony Iommi, I'd be grinning too. Elsewhere pianos make a brief but welcome cameo appearance on the contemplative "Garlic Road", while "Blackrazor (pt 2)" brings some Sabbath sized riffs sans the hamfisted malevolance. After a brief 37 minutes, the record closes out on "Summer Wall (pt 2)". A total 'driving off into the sunset' track, it's a victory lap for a band that has crafted what should prove to be one of the most effortlessly enjoyable records of 2015. On Nights in the Dark, California X are clearly confident they can shake off any derogatory and demeaning comparisons to Amhert's "other" band, and, fuck it, if they fail, they're going to have a damn good time regardless. Nights in the Dark is out on January 13th via Don Giovanni Records. #### RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR ### California X Interview: "I Don't Get The Mascis Thing" ### California X Stream Raucous/Poppy "Nights In The Dark" #### Podcasts ### The Creative Process Podcast – Ep 11: Happyness Jamie Coughlan - October 26, 20170 New album Write in is out now via Moshi Moshi and Bar/None Records. Talking to me today is Jonny Allen, who plays guitar, bass, and sings... ### The Creative Process Podcast – Ep 10: And So I Watch... October 9, 2017 ### The Creative Process Podcast – Ep 9: Cloud Nothings October 2, 2017 ### The Creative Process Podcast – Ep 8. 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California X
Abstract.
California X are a punk rock band formed in 2012 in Amherst, Massachusetts by Lemuel Gurtowsky. They released their debut album in 2013 on Don Giovanni Records.