Phases and Stages

Spacetruck

Spacetruck is the perfect moniker for this Austin fourpiece. Like a truck, it's a workhorse, hauling loads of original tunes and chunky rock & roll. And like the ubiquitous Texas pickup, Spacetruck has a slightly country-fried flavor, more Marfa and less Lubbock. The space component is easy, created by the group's use of vintage echo boxes. Likewise, the title Night Rider is apropos, a reference to the distinctly nocturnal mood of this debut. The Seventies are probably the best reference point, as Spacetruck fuzzes things up by adding analog keyboards to their standard rock mix. These nine tracks also have an edge, as demonstrated on the self-assured, sarcastic swagger of Stoogeslike rocker "The Destroyer." The saturated sound, full of aural surprises, comes compliments of studio Bubble brother Chris "Frenchie" Smith, former Sixteen Deluxer and current Young Heart Attack. While Night Rider comes in at a well-edited 45 minutes, sometimes the recorded objets de rock are more interesting than the songs themselves. If these promising local youngsters continue barreling into sonically interesting territory, while at the same time resisting the jam band urge to noodle, we'll all be Spacetrucking.