Checkered Past is an album that takes its time, and that’s not a bad thing at all. That’s not to say that this release from The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer is a peaceful endeavor. It’s an electrified record that proves to be quite the batch of songs to tangle with.

The two-man-band makes their music on a staple of organic, self-performed ingredients that they cook up themselves. This intimate interplay stems from a recipe of hands-off, honest-to-goodness legitimately live energy. According to the guys, they don’t program or loop their stuff, so everything you hear is astoundingly close to the real Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer live experience. I suppose that hearing them live would still be a uniquely rewarding experience, however. Given that they remain only a two-piece band, it’s sure to be a shocker to see them creating such controlled cacophony on demand.

Checkered Past draws heavily from traditional blues avenues, but there’s some room for progression here as well. For instance, while I was listening I found myself occasionally drawing direct comparisons to the sounds of Black Box Revelation. This is by no means a negative thing. Both bands have a sort of unabashed, in-your-face gumption when it comes to the performance of their music. Checkered Past is a great opportunity to hear The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer relentlessly carve out their own territory in a sea of familiar faces. They prove their point.

The Review: 8/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

- Be My Woman
- Get Out
- Can’t Judge a Book
- Too Late Virginia

The Big Hit

- Be My Woman

Review by Tyler Quiring