Pierced Arrows

Descending Shadows

(Vice)

Record Review by Adam McKibbin

If you happen to be a fan of lo-fi, garage-punky fare and you are not familiar with Fred and Toody Cole, get thee to the Dead Moon discography!  Dead Moon enjoyed a nearly 20-year run, never really crossing over to make a mainstream impact, but carving out a rabidly devoted following that includes Eddie Vedder.  When they hung it up several years ago, it was reasonable to assume that the final chapter had been written, aside from maybe a tribute show or reunion at a benefit show here or there.  After all, Fred Cole was a known commodity in garage-rock circles all the way back in the Sixties (when he was with The Weeds).  He’s only a few years younger than Roger Daltrey and Mick Jagger, and while those two are still “rocking,” they are pretty much “rocking” with quotation marks. 

Cole has never been about rocking in quotation marks.  Maybe he’ll be fine just as long as he doesn’t play the Super Bowl halftime show.  Fred and Toody are together again (no surprise there – they’re one of the most successful examples of couples-as-bandmates in all of rock and roll) and, with Dead Moon in the rearview, embarking on a new journey as Pierced Arrows, alongside drummer Kelly Halliburton, whose dad once played in a band with Fred.  They released their debut in 2008 and now are back in raucous form with Descending Shadows. 

They still sound quite a bit like Dead Moon, which should be delightful news to anyone who liked Dead Moon.  “Mom and Dad aren’t ready to mellow out just yet,” Toody promised the Seattle Weekly.  And, sure enough, Descending Shadows doesn’t exactly sound current, but it sure as hell sounds vital – and as heartfelt as ever.  Ignore the early hiccup “Buried Alive,” as it’s one of the few missteps.  The Coles have an easy way with ragtag anthems, highlighted here by “This Is The Day” and “Tripped Out.”