I swear it's not Alan Sparhawk Week at the Star Tribune. But after naming Low's "The Great Destroyer" the best local album of the decade, I'm going to go ahead and declare Retribution Gospel Choir's "2" the first great record of the 2010's in time for the band's gig Saturday at the 501 Club.
If you don't already know, RGC features the Low frontman along with Low's new bassist Steve Garrington and drummer Eric Pollard. It was actually at the 501's grand-opening celebration this summer when I first heard (and was nearly deafened by) the tracks from the new album, and they sound even punchier, uglier and wilder on the record, which comes out Jan. 26 on Sub Pop. The famed Seattle label is already hyping the record, and it's now offering the opening track "Hide It Away" for free -- a good primer on the higher-strung Neil Young & Crazy Horse flavor featured throughout the album.
(Above photo by Cameron Wittig)
