Album Notes

"New York City's the Holy Ghost is off to a quick start, with its fourth release since forming in 2001. Bassist Kent Heine and drummer Eric Willhelm's loping rhythms leave ample room for Alec Ferrell's jagged, angular guitar riffs; their interplay is immediate and physical. Frontman Christopher Heine spins literate, stylish, almost surreal tales -- "Ghettobird" evokes a Tarantino-esque landscape populated by Yakuza and CIA, while southern gothic undertones lace "Clarice and the Schoolboy." "What If We Never Change?" is a toss-off -- a kind of bratty, bar-clearing tantrum set to a Gary Glitter beat -- but it's still good fun. And the driving, anthemic "Or Dead" more than covers the damage. If the Holy Ghost keeps this pace up, they just might become New York City's next great band. Maybe they already are." -ROLLINGSTONE.COM

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BIG TAKEOVER
the holy ghost
get your funeral shoes
(Clearly)
This CD kicks out with a little of that angular post-whatever sound that makes its way through the scene once in awhile. These guys do it with a little swagger in their style, though. Gang of Four meets Hot Hot Heat meets the Walkmen meets Radio 4 meets Dismemberment Plan, and they all go off into the middle of a big city and have a booty bouncing soul-shaking street party--and we1re all invited. Excellent pop hooks mixed with guitars that switch from crystal clear slices to fuzzed noise sighs at the drop of an effects pedal. Nervy--that is a definitely good word to use with this band. Complexities hide within the simplicity of the melodies, and you can hear songs in every chorus. Five stars. (www.clearlyrecords.com)
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"Oozing with coolness, The Holy Ghost's six-song EP brings to mind sold out shows at small clubs, wall-to-wall hipsters hoping to discover the next Strokes, White Stripes, Walkmen. Too clean to be garage rock, too rocking Delusions of Adequacy to be bastardized blues, the music on this EP is the equivalent of a $3 martini - crisp, refreshing, and righteously hip."
- 75orless.com

"OK, that's it. It's official. I may as well state the obvious now. I am officially, completely, totally, and thoroughly a fan of The Holy Ghost. This EP makes the third release by this band I've reviewed in the past 18 months, and all three of them have been solid as hell. It's become obvious that The Holy Ghost has entered the realm of stalworth indie-pop bands...disgustingly catchy."
- Delusions of Adequacy

"They combine hauntingly poetic lyrics about a life spent underground with all the energy you'd expect from a band with roughly two years professional experience. The sound is a breath of fresh air in the occasionally redundant world of "no-wave."
- The Reader

"The gentlemen in Brooklyn's The Holy Ghost continue in their mission to provide intelligent rock music that - with the right marketing - might eventually be appreciated by the masses. (That would be contingent on whether or not the average citizen could get used to the band's unusual vocalist.) Actually, the strange vocals are what make this band so great. No generic whiny screams and yelps here. Christopher Dean Heine is truly a man who feels what he sings. His voice is distinctive yet immediately effective. But don't mistake this for a solo affair...the other players' contributions to the overall sound are just as important. Kent Heine's bass playing is thoughtful yet appropriately restrained...Eric Willhelm's drumming is punctuated and determined...and guitarist Alec Ferrell's playing is the icing on the cake. This is a great l'il EP...it just leaves you wanting more. Five superb tunes including 'Ghettobird' and 'What If We Never Change?' Five Stars!"
- Babysue.com