Bass Drum of Death

©  Kate Lamendola

Bass Drum of Death is getting back to basics. From the bare-bones title of their sixth record—SIX—to the writing approach—their first two LPs were recorded entirely on GarageBand—the creative process for the group is strikingly similar to the early stages of their career. While the new album marks a return to their original recording method, there are a few notable changes. Instead of working solo on the demos, frontman John Barrett and the band (Jim Barrett, guitar; Ian Kirkpatrick, drums) convened for several sessions in Barrett’s home studio in Nashville to bring the songs to life. Manning the faders was producer Jeremy Ferguson (Cage the Elephant, White Reaper), who then hosted the band for ten snowy days of fine tuning at his Battle Tapes studio. The result is a scuzzy blast of their signature sound, with influences ranging from The Stooges to ZZ Top and very much aided by Ferguson’s deft engineering touch. If SIX sounds like a return to form, the band proves they still have a few tricks in their pockets and things up their sleeves.