Baltimore is a city in the midst of a serious crisis right
now. A cassette blog might not be the best platform to discuss the politics of
brutal policing and rioting, but there is so much more to the city than that. A
big positive we should discuss here is how much of a bustling creative music
powerhouse the city is right now thanks to natives and relocated types alike.
Established acts like Future Islands, Beach House, Wye Oak, Animal Collective,
Matmos, Roomrunner, Dan Deacon, Ed Schrader’s Music Beat, Dope Body, and Lower
Dens rep the city and are all key players in a very fertile area that new acts
regularly seem to pop out of. Outer Spaces is one of those aforementioned
quality new acts.
“Creature of Nature” is a 6 track EP. 5 of them are covers
from lead singer Cara Beth Satalino’s old band Witches. With help from veteran
Baltimore producer Chester Endersby Gwazda, it appears she’s stripped her past
work down by subtracting the drums and playing around with vocal layering +
guitar effects. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one of the tracks was
titled “Roy”. Although it isn’t about me directly, someone with no relation to
the band whatsoever, I think all Roys can relate to the anxieties discussed in
the lyrics. In fact it’s such a song so ripe with meaning that I am pretty sure
other people not named Roy can relate to it as well. The only new track closes
the album. Called “Changing My Stride”, it serves as an ode to the fact that
Satalino is indeed changing her stride as a new addition to the Baltimore scene.
-- Roy Blumenfeld
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