Saint Anne’s Place
The Earth Shaker EP
In the last few years, few area acts have had the impact of Saint Anne’s Place. The young trio’s onstage energy is palatable, yes, but it’s their collective instrumental prowess that has consistently landed them on our ones-to-watch lists. On The Earth Shaker, Saint Anne’s first proper release since their 2011 Downtown Sound Battle of the Bands win, they nicely mine their live sets for nine tracks that speak to both their musicianship and their electric command of an audience. Take “Friend Song,” a nearly five-minute exercise in psychedelic riffing that weaves a somber story about saying good-bye before it explodes into a fury of guitars and cymbal crashing. Later, “Genghis Khan” draws on the trio’s blues chops to create a taut and tense number that nicely showcases frontman Jacob Cole’s raspy vocals and impressive guitar tech. If you’ve ever caught, or ever missed, a Saint Anne’s show, The Earth Shaker is a must-have.
