Album Review: Stoner Control – Alone In The City

Portland’s Stoner Control are set to release their new album, Alone In The City, that was produced by Hutch Harris, the frontman from recently disbanded and already much missed outfit The Thermals, and it is set to be be released via Blade Records at the end of August. Alone In The City is a full length that on the surface promises to be another album of fuzzed up power pop, but appearances can be deceiving as their latest release is one that has a slightly more laid back feel than their previous releases.

The mellow tone of Hollywood Hills and Gimme Some Space gives you a clue as to what Stoner Control‘s chosen moniker is inspired by. Throughout the nine tracks of Alone In The City there is a constant ebb and flow, meandering currents of throttled back power pop, garage fuzz and indie melody swirl amongst the grooves, that is until you reach the album’s final track, iPhone, a fuzzy slab of lo-fi grunge influenced punk that sees the only moment on Alone In The City when Stoner Control truly let loose.

It’s easy to see why Hutch Harris chose to produce the album, Stoner Control are a band that come from the same school of sound, albeit from a much mellower class, as The Thermals, so obviously Alone In The City will is going to be a guaranteed hit with fans of that band, but it should also appeal to fans of the likes of Built To Spill, Weezer, Grandaddy and Archers Of Loaf. The Thermals may now only be a cherished memory but Stoner Control are living breathing proof that there bands out there just waiting to waiting to fill the void that their absence has created.

You can pre-order Alone In The City via Bandcamp here

Stoner Control‘s Facebook page can be found here