From Oakland, CA comes this odd outfit called the Antler Family (oh, deer!) consisting of Mia Dean - Guitar, Vocals; Tom Flynn - Guitar, Backing Vocals; Tom Dean - Keyboards, Bass; and Stark Raving Brad - Drums. Mia Dean is a former opera singer and also 1/2 of the US/UK duo Blood Moon Wedding with Steve Lake. Stark Raving Brad has played with The Hellbillys, Undercover, The Planning Commission, CHUB, The Psychokinetics, The Freak Accident and others. Tom Dean played with Code of the West, and Boner Records owner Tom Flynn was in and out of the Melvins, Fang, Duh, and Star Pinmp. (I don't understand why a label as notorious as Boner doesn't have a website, or even an email, at least not one I could find.) So there is some degree of pedigree to this rock animal.
The record is a mere 8 tracks but this is a vinyl album and not a CD, so there's no room for a 70-minute opus. "Roses" opens on the minimal side sounding slightly Native American goth at first but gets better and fuller as it progresses. On their publicity sheet the genre selection is punk rock and no wave, but to me it sounds too elaborate and tight for punk, and not strange and "I don't give a shit" enough for no wave. (I ought to know; I was briefly involved in the New York No Wave scene.) Anyway, if you're looking for a genre tag, maybe goth-no-goth, or alt-dark-alternative. After getting your attention with the opener, the band launches into the more forceful "Setting Eyes," a good but not particularly remarkable number. I thought Mia's vocals could have been a little more prominent in the mix, but maybe that defies Antler Family's punky roots. "Captive" is meandering and almost grungy but features some nice guitar work by Flynn. Mia emotes a-plenty on "Bring Me Back My Love" (the briefest track on the album at 2:48) but she should have been mixed louder for max impact. The best song on the album is "The Widow's Call," sort of a blackgrass murder ballad. Absolutely loved this one!
"I Don't Wanna/Black Hole Love" goes grungy country metal if you could imagine such a thing. Some Concrete Blonde vibe to this one. I liked the change of pace on "King Tide," a dark, plaintive, piano-based ballad that offers a lot more pathos than any other band sporting punk roots I've ever heard. Finally "It Don't Rain Anymore" is another kind of slow number, but quite atmospheric with a lot of emotional outpouring from Mia. It's also the longest track at 7:49. I would have preferred a couple more faster songs, but Antler Family didn't make this album for me. Still, there's enough meat on the bone to make for a tasty musical meal. Certainly a band to keep an eye on. Limited Edition LP on antler-colored vinyl, or digital for the turntable-less.