Michael Beach - Big Black Plume LP

Another release from one our favourite Americans-residing-in-Australia Michael Beach is always welcome news.

His first since the killer Dream Violence (and follow up 12” EP), Big Black Plume brings with it a crack collection of familiar names: Gareth Liddiard, Mick Turner, Lloyd Swanton, Leah Senior, Joe Talia, Utrillo Kushner etc.

While the voices and contributions of these players are clearly heard (a traded guitar solo between Turner and Liddiard feels like a coming together of the Victorian rock glitterati), it’s Beach at the front and centre. Longish songs  in his very distinctive voice; equally melodic and heavy in that post-Crazy Horse manner.

In a similar way that Ned Collette’s communal LP last year (featuring a handful of the same players) didn’t bludgeon but was a slow burn that gradually inched itself into my regular listening pile (the best kinda record in my opinion!), I reckon Big Black Plume’s gonna be the same! —Mitch