MURDER CITY DEVILS:
RIP: CD
This is a recording of the Murder City Devils final show, after keyboardist Leslie Hardy had already left the band. It was also recorded at the end of their final tour, so even though one member was missing, her replacement had gotten pretty good at playing the songs, and the songs on this recording are tighter than I’d normally expect from a live recording. The recording quality on this is okay. When I listen to it in my truck, a lot of the cooler parts of the songs get absorbed by freeway traffic. Sitting at home, listening to this through a good stereo, though, I actually appreciate the added fuzz of the recording. It makes the CD sound like I’m hearing it bouncing off the concrete walls of a club while my ears are ringing. The Murder City Devils play a solid set here, too, including a pretty even mix of songs from their five-year career. I guess it’s a shame that these guys broke up, but all in all, RIP is a pretty good parting shot. –Sean Carswell (Sub Pop)