The Lost Patrol's new album is available at iTunes and CDBABY. Here are 2 reviews from a couple days ago:
Eight-Stone Press, Baltimore, MD
THE LOST PATROL – Dark Matter
Self-Produced;
http://www.thelostpatrol.com
As its title implies, the seventh album from New York's Lost Patrol (and second with singer Mollie Israel) finds the band characteristically digging ever-deeper into the darker recesses of the human psyche via reverb-soaked surf guitar, lonesome 12-string rhythm and haunting female vocals.
The great potential Israel demonstrated on the band's last album, 2008's Midnight Matinée, has blossomed considerably on Dark Matter. Here, her lilting voice fully inhabits the melodic twilight of tracks such as "These Days", "Nobody There" and "Ever After".
But looks can be deceiving; indeed, beneath Israel's wan exterior lurks latent, predatory muscle. "Now you keep me / Like a disease" she wails over the menacing groove of "In Your Blood", like an obsessively crazed ex capable of a whole lot more than flattening your tires. This incarnation resurfaces later within the majestic gloom of "Justine" (based on the de Sade character of the same name), wherein Israel admits, "I love the way they tortured you, Justine". Even the yé-yé-inspired bubblegum of "Before I Go" has a decidedly dark cast about it.
On Dark Matter, the band has evidently found common footing given Israel's underscored presence and the supporting roles in which bandmates Stephen Masucci and Michael Williams have seemingly cast themselves. And while this is most assuredly a good thing overall, the band's ardent long-time fans may find themselves lamenting the absence of the soaring and mournful instrumentals that Masucci and Williams brought to the Lost Patrol's earlier work.
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The Lost Patrol follows up it’s Midnight Matinee (2008) album with more brilliance on their new Dark Matter album. With Dark Matter, they continue their gothic roots that reach into the realm of Cocteau Twins with well-played shimmery guitars, and the honeyed voice of Mollie Israel.
The songs on this album offer hints of rockabilly, especially on it’s classic “In Your Blood” track. But talent like this is restless and often finds itself crossing borders. On their perfected ’60s-like song, “Before I Go,” they deliver a contagious and authentic primed-for-radio track that is simply memorable.
However, it is their intro to “Leading The Blind,” which reminds greatly of the opening to The Moody Blues’ “Nights In White Satin,” that got me wanting to hear them do a cover of that very song. The Lost Patrol is a talented band that could pull this off. Regardless of intro reminescences, this song is crafted ’80s brilliance.
I truly like this band and have them on my radar. They are self-produced and simply the kind of band that delivers on every song in very talented and inventive ways. Yes, they’re influenced by period music. But they pull it off as if they originated from those timeframes and that’s a rare trait.
Dark Matter is an accomplished album by this dream pop band that knows exactly how to make a strong album. Definitely worth your attention.
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars