COMMANDMENTS ACCORDING TO SCAC

Vinyl LP pressing. It has been 24 years sinceßSlim Cessnaßparted ways with The Denver Gentlemen, that grand progenitor of the peculiar strain of Gothic Americana unique to the Mile High City, to formßSlim Cessna's Auto Clubßwith a group of talented peers. Many bands with a long and successful run like that would stick close to it's roots. But rather than rest on well-earned laurels, the Auto Club challenged itself to break with well worn modes of operating for the new record. The title evokes the themes of cosmic punishment and redemption that have served the band's songwriting engine so well in the past. But this set of songs sounds more hopeful and expansive, a quality that was always there but this time out the brighter sides of the songwriting are emphasized. Hints of this saw early full-flown expression on 2008'sßCipher and Unentitledßfrom 2011. WithßThe Commandments, however, the Auto Club seems to step forward into the promise of it's own possibilities. It remains capable of the heady darkness and celebratory intensity with which it made it's name. Now that charmingly dusky and spare sound breathes with a color and delicacy of feeling that perhaps sat in the background in times past. Maybe it's partly due to the greater creative contributions from longtime collaboratorRebecca Vera and The Peelerßor the inclusion of upright bass playerßIan O'Dougherty. But the core of the band's songwriting and sound is anchored firmly in the vision of Slim,ßMunly MunlyßandßLord Dwight Pentacost.