The Black

The Black

Liner notes for the Black's sophomore LP declare the disc "a combination of history remembered and history interpreted," an apt rendering of this Austin quartet, which sidles through musical annotations as if they were flipping through racks of used vinyl. For their first full-length since 2005's Tanglewood, Black heads David Longoria and Alan Schaefer wrangle former Voxtrotters Jason Chronis and Matt Simon to fill out the rhythm, and commence jumpin' out the jukebox like "Johnny B. Goode" behind opener "Freeway (Exiled)." As Longoria's nasal whine bleeds all over the sliced guitar lines, the band dissects Dylan on the allusion-riddled "Now I Am Here" and compose their own legend of "Casey Jones." The backside shines behind a roughed rockabilly rhythm in "Love Don't Need a Reason," the saxed-up "Ms. Henry," and slow, country turn of "Green Leaves." The Black may settle in the penumbra of the histories they orbit, but they enforce their own gravitational pull equally.