All This Time * [by Heartless Bastards, CD, 2006]

A gentle line-drawing marks the cover of the Hearless Bastards' sophomore album, All This Time, just a woman holding a dragonfly by its tail. Singer Erika Wennerstrom's yearning vocals and the roll... more

A gentle line-drawing marks the cover of the Hearless Bastards' sophomore album, All This Time, just a woman holding a dragonfly by its tail. Singer Erika Wennerstrom's yearning vocals and the rolling piano figures that open the album echo the cover. It's sensitive, full of feeling. Beware: It bursts open, with a wall of lean and loud guitar, bass, and drums – and Wennerstrom's room-filling mid-range vocals, blasting full-throatedly as she sings "Things are coming into focus!" The Cincinnati trio's 2005 debut, Stairs and Elevators, highlighted their blues roots, and All This Time takes those blues and folds them into a brawny rock pastry. Wennerstrom's voice is huge, an instant ear magnet that no one misses, a PJ Harvey from the heartland playing bold, large-stroke guitar. At once, the Bastards are bottom-heavy and beautifully melodic, taking flight--or at least harnessing the power of that album-cover dragonfly. --Andrew Bartlett less