After a self-titled album that drew comparisons to
the White Stripes, and EPs with
Broken Social Scene's
Brendan Canning producing,
the Dead Ships return after signing with Nevado Records.
Citycide manages to capture the spirit of the energetic live performances that made the band's reputation in its base of Los Angeles, and made a fan of
Canning, who also produced the sophomore LP. The dramatic clatter of "Spun Yards" and the punky "Los Feliz" may be the best examples of this, though there's nearly an album's worth of contenders. The band's post-
Strokes garage sound is topped by Devlin McCluskey's enthusiastic yowl, which can, in calmer moments, seems to snarl through the mike à la
Jagger. Sweeter tunes like "Big Quiet" dabble in the lush drama of
Foals, while the catchy "Canyon" may get feet and bodies moving in a way that probably shouldn't be encouraged within an hour of bedtime. ~ Marcy Donelson