Bone & Marrow

Defeater frontman Derek Archambault moves away from his role as a hardcore bellower and explores a country-folk vein on Bone & Marrow, his first album under the moniker Alcoa. Previous experiments in softer acoustic sounds (found most notably on Defeater’s Empty Days & Sleepless Nights) served as testing grounds for the emotive, vulnerable music offered here. Bone & Marrow lands in a sweet spot between Elliott Smith and Sun Volt as it taps into Archambault’s life as a touring musician for inspiration. Unflinching self-portraits like “I Don’t Feel Welcome Here or Anywhere” and “Whisky & Wine” reveal a gift for confessional, finely drawn lyrics and incisive melodies. “Cab Rides & Cigarettes” (featuring background vocals by Archambault’s fiancée, Alysson Eygnor) stands out as a particularly arresting snapshot from the road. Propulsive electric guitars and keyboards give “Keep Track/Lose Track” an upbeat kick, while “Limbs” and “Lucky Me” gain vividness from pedal steel and banjo. “Third Untitled” brings Bone & Marrow to a resonant conclusion.