video review: 'how to dance' by mount moriah

Oh man, I wanted to like this so much more... eh, it happens. Sometimes it clicks, sometimes it doesn't.

Next up... well, Denzel Curry is there, but I kind of want to cover that AURORA record... we'll see, so stay tuned!

album review: 'how to dance' by mount moriah

So it's been a while since I've made any statements about how online publications cover country music, mostly because after the bro-country bubble burst it's left a fascinating aftermath. On the one hand, most of the mainstream remains tacitly ignored unless they're interesting, have hype, or it's a really slow reviews week. And really, you could say the exact same thing for the indie scene, which is a little exasperating but kind of understandable. Read through the list of writers on Pitchfork or the AV Club that cover country and you'll see a short list of names indeed, and even then they're going to the NPR-approved, higher profile indie names over anyone else. Which I suppose makes sense - you've got to maintain your indie cred and traffic figures somehow - but it also means there comes to be a set 'sound' of indie country acts that'll get critical examination and little else, sometimes so far to the fringe of folk or rock that indie country sites won't even cover them.

Case in point, Mount Moriah. Fronted by Heather McEntire formerly of the post-punk group Bellefea joining with guitarist Jenks Miller of Horseback - a band known like Panopticon for blending Americana with black metal - it's not at all surprising most of the indie country scene ignored their self-titled debut and followup Miracle Temple, which were country-touched Americana drenched in rougher folk rock tones. Oh, and they're both excellent, held up by some great hooks, thought-provoking writing, and Heather McEntire's excellent and expressive delivery. But it's been three years and now Mount Moriah are back with reportedly their most outright country record to date, so everyone is now out of excuses. And while I'm a little late to the punch, it's not like anyone else has covered this band on YouTube - ever - so I dug into How To Dance. Did it live up to expectations?