The Metal West

Last updated
The Metal West
Album MetalWest cover.jpg
Studio album by
Released2005
Genre Indie rock
Length41:36
Label Summersteps Records
Producer Dan McKinney at Dan's House Studio, except Tracks 2 and 10, Barry P. Saranchuk at Black Plastic Sound
Kid Icarus chronology
Be My Echo
(2002)
The Metal West
(2005)
Imaginary Songs & Aluminum Hits
(2010)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
CD Baby (very favourable) [1]
Left of the Dial(favourable) [2]

The Metal West is the third studio album by Kid Icarus. Released in 2005 by Summerstep Records, the album was the first by Kid Icarus to feature a full band, with the line-up consisting of guitarist Justin Marchegiani, bassist Ted Baird, keyboardist Chuck Keller, and drummer Thad Moyer. The album cover was painted by Cassie Rose Kobeski.

Contents

Reception

PopMatters music critic Mike Schiller praised album track "A Retail Hell", calling it "a nice two-guitar acoustic tune about the mundane routine of everyday life that would sound a bit like Bright Eyes if Conor Oberst sang more than he emoted." [3] Schiller gave the album a generally unfavorable review, however, saying that "[a]side from a few tight, solid tunes, the rest of the album veers toward those attempts to expand the basic rock sound, and as such, The Metal West is a frustrating listen." [3] Spin magazine writer Lane Brown described the album as having "a mellow, spacey vibe that would collapse under the weight of a slicker treatment." [4] Brown added that while The Metal West contains immediate highlights, such as the title track and "Beekeepers on the Edge of Town", the album benefits from repeated listening. [4]

Track listing

All songs written by Eric Schlittler.

  1. "Beekeepers On The Edge Of Town" - 2:53
  2. "A Retail Hell" - 1:54
  3. "My Anthracite Headache" - 3:46
  4. "Marlowe's Blues" - 2:18
  5. "The Metal West" - 7:06
  6. "The Murderess" - 4:42
  7. "700 Angry Ghosts" - 3:44
  8. "White Church Rd" - 3:35
  9. "Perils of Dating in 1899" - 1:54
  10. "Field Song and Record" - 4:11
  11. "Her Song for Beth and the Sideshow" - 5:41

Notes

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References

  1. CD Baby review
  2. Left of the Dial review
  3. 1 2 Schiller, Mike (2005-07-19). "Kid Icarus: The Metal West - Review". PopMatters . Retrieved 2010-01-19.
  4. 1 2 Brown, Lane (2005-08-12). "Kid Icarus - Artist of the Day". Spin . Retrieved 2010-01-19.
  5. "NPR: Music Interlude: The Murderess". 31 May 2005.