“I would turn myself…” sings Sarah Cuturic of Napsack, alone, a wry grin embedded in her forthright notes. But then Cuturic isn’t alone, instead hemmed in by lush, twanging harmonies. “INSIDE OUT” the chorus surges, as guitars jangle drums rattle.
Napsack crisscrosses the faultlines that run under country, bluegrass, rock and folk, finding an updated rambunctious twang that belongs to all those genres (and none). The band, out of Ohio, may remind you of Wussy or, especially, Florry, with its fizzy, volatile, femme-centric energies. Cuturic’s high, dizzying harmonies vibrate like hummingbird wings. Her gutsy mid-range belts toughness and vulnerability.
A bash-and-pop optimism in the drums/guitars/bass butts up in interesting ways against country-themed mopery. It’s like the Replacements covering George Jones. “Blue Eyes” crying is a hoary country music theme (see Ray Acuff’s cover of the Fred Jones song). And while there are certainly country elements here in the tight, swampy harmonies, other influences percolate as well. The jangle sounds like the Feelies and the psychedelia like the Sadies.
- DUSTED