Search - Demolition String Band :: Pulling Up Atlantis

The Demolition String Band is the brainchild of New Yorkers Elena Skye and Boo Reiners, who make a heartfelt attempt to meld honky-tonk, bluegrass, and rock & roll into a new package while maintaining a solid retro sound. Skye's earnest lyrics and voice, coupled with Reiners's twangy guitar, are well-suited for the rock-country sound they're after, neither straining too hard for false authenticity nor playing the genre for laughs. Their craftsmanship and affection for the retro roadhouse sound is apparent on every song, from the raucous shuffle of "Gone So Long," to the giddy-up cowboy rhythms on Madonna's "Like a Prayer," to the bluesy, organ-grinding "Opportunity." Reiners's banjo, lap-steel, and guitar leads throughout are both spirited and economic, indicating careful study of the pioneers he emulates, such as James Burton and Link Wray. On the title song, the least retro of the bunch, and the rockish, '60s sounding "One Shot," Reiners launches into lengthy, reverb-drenched, psychedelic solos, suggesting a link to other urban folk-rockers such as Jerry Garcia and Neil Young. --Wally Shoup