Garfan deliver louder yet consistently melodic adult alternative rock
Reviewed by Alison Murphy
Garfan/Family Affair
Hailing from Nebraska, Garfan specializes in alternative rock for adults; this is not some kiddie unit. Nevertheless, Garfan are substantially louder than most of the post-collegiate acts pitched to an aging Generation X. “Dwell” crawls ominously with its brooding riffs and tribal percussion; if it reminds you of X’s “The Hungry Wolf,” you’re not the only one. “Of Course I Do” is full-throttle left-of-the-dial rock in the sonic tradition of Husker Du while the low bass and searing chords of “Mantrap” is purely Pixies.
There are elements of psychedelia, blues, and classic rock in Garfan’s bag of tricks as well. Probably the biggest surprise is Katie Preston’s sullen singing on the downcast “Had to Die,” reminiscent of Fiona Apple’s angst-ridden teen spirit but with bluesy, heavy guitars. Even when they raise the noise level, Garfan remain consistently melodic.
