3 out of 5

Label: Sixgunlover

Producer: Josh Hill, Steve Hall (recording, both)

Slotting right in with the Texas indie-folky-rocky vibe of most of Sixgunlover’s oeuvre, Adolfo’s Reversal comes from the loins of Rhythm of Black Lines, and though they are separate animals – ROBL definitely leaning more toward rock – if you like one you’ll probably enjoy the other.  I go back and forth on the Adolfo EP depending on my mood.  It’s about split half and half with vocals and instrumental tracks, and I think the back and forth opinion is due to what mood you’re in when the opening track plays.  It’s a wandering, plucky, keysey affair that winds about a certain sound that persists for the album (sort of carnival music piped through a folked up scenester), and the production has that familiar Jason Ward wamthness to it that, for better or worse, lets you sleep through it if so desired.  Which is unfortunate, because it’s an appropriate lead in to the next few tracks which build toward a unique insanity of guitar splashes and vocal yelps that you won’t find on ROBL.  These are sort of get-in get-out things though, where the songs use that theme to hit these crescendos and then end, starting back with the plucky dynamics for the start of the next track.

If you’re exploring this particular part of the indie world (which are mostly Texas based groups involved with similar peoples), Adolfo’s Reversal is totally worth hunting down.  As a random choice, it might be a bit too – initially – mellow for a new listener’s ear.