Payne, Adam / Organ

Holy Mountain

Were you one of those kids who was distraught after discovering Black Flag was more influenced by ZZ Top and The Grateful Dead than The MC5 or Stooges? Well, you might wanna strap on a stronger carabiner before scaling these cliffs because you're more likely to discover pop gems than a stoned mystic in a cave. Organ is an anthem of Southern California patriotism with all the thrills of dragging in Lodi and peyote-munched soul-wandering in Silver Lake. This album is power-pop perfection, the Paisley Underground finally done right.  There's a big difference between playing every instrument and being a one-man band. Suffice it to say that Adam Payne is a one-man band akin to Emitt Rhodes broadcast over solid-state transmitters. Maybe Grant Hart has the better voice while Bob Mould churned out better lyrics. What if the Kirkwoods melded into a creature that couldn't punch itself? Adam Payne, as one band, has made an LP that matches the chops and hooks of Captain Trundlow's Sky Company or the bits of The Only Ones that are consistently lifted. The rumors that Payne was asked to produce the next Mudcrutch album have yet to be confirmed. Organ opens like Up The Academy but ends like Zabriskie Point in frustrated abandon that only leaves the listener wiser. 

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