Alas Salvation
The Jack White-approved trio’s debut is a rousing exploration of heady rock’n’roll. At its core is the sort of feral, electrifying riffola that’s born in garages and can knock down tower blocks. For all the distorted, blunt-force thrills of “Victorious (National Anthem)” and “Use Somebody” though, *Alas Salvation* slips through plenty of psychedelic trap doors and the band emerge as cosmic groove riders on “Take It”, adrenalising drone rockers on “Harbour the Feeling”, and preachers of space-rock gospel on “Interude I”. It’s that anything’s-possible volatility that makes *Alas Salvation* so exhilarating.
Yak has built a reputation as a thrilling, unpredictable live band prone to throwing guitars crowdward during feedback-squelched noise pileups.