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| Popmatters |
 Will Johnson, the main force behind Centro-matic, seems to be perpetually releasing something. A solo album, a record with one of his bands, or a supergroup recording seems to always be coming out. Throw in EPs, cassingles, and the like, and it’s hard to imagine where this all comes from. That there have been five years between proper Centro-matic albums (aside from a split with Johnson’s South San Gabriel) seems either unlikely or inevitable depending on how you look at it, but at any rate Candidate Waltz marks the latest work in Johnson’s career and it’s worth slowing down for.Centro-matic has generally had an element of the alt-country to them, and while it’s not unimaginable to picture this band coming out of, say, Chapel Hill, the Denton, TX roots make sense (even if they’re not a death metal riot). While Johnson’s whiskey-and-cigarettes voice provides the group with some of its uniqueness, they’re not likely to be confused with the Strokes no matter indie-rock they get (or Archers of Loaf, to keep our geographical dichotomy intact). On Candidate Waltz, though, the group fills out its sound more in that direction. Just a few seconds into the album, “Against the Line” sets itself up as a hooky, guitar-driven album, and that holds reasonably true, especially on tracks like “All The Talkers”, “Iso-Residue”, and “If They Talk You Down”. “Iso-Residue” particularly sounds at home in an NYC indie club (I knew the Strokes would come up again). If the album leans heavily on Johnson’s indie side, though, it doesn’t stay stuck there. “Solid States” provides a notable departure, riding on an almost New Wave groove, sounding as familiar as an ‘80s song you’ve heard on the radio for two decades, yet unique enough to remain distinct from any of those songs....full text |
| 3minuterecord |
| A funny thing happened on my second spin through Candidate Waltz: I caught myself singing along. It was surprising, but not because Centro-Matic’s Will Johnson—who also records as South San Gabriel and under his own name—hasn’t written catchy songs before. He has, especially in Centro-Matic. South San Gabriel dwells more in sprawling, pedal-steeled indie-folk that has its own charm, but they’re not sing-along songs. And even in Centro-Matic’s more fast-paced and focused outlet, Johnson has always had a rambling way about him, lending the albums a loose yet monochromatic feel on the first few listens. He often makes up for that lack of immediacy with enduring textures, but it can take patience. Candidate Waltz is the best of both worlds, an album that connects the second and 15th time through. It’s a simple record—light on atmospherics, heavy on hooks and riffs that grab with white knuckles. “Only in My Double Mind” pounds with arena-rock drums and dirty, downstrummed guitar. Staccato piano and a bouncy beat anchor the melody of “Solid States,” while the “Gimme what you want, but don’t tell me” clap-along outro of “Estimate x 3” is Centro-Matic at its most lighthearted and brain-lodging. In short, these are rock songs—unadorned, straightforward rock songs. “All the Talkers”—which uses power chords to tell the story of a fledgling band (“they were raw”) winning over an apathetic crowd (“They played until we had been won… It was not like the night before”)—could be a Hold Steady cover. And I mean that in the awesome way. Aside from “All the Talkers,” Johnson’s lyrics are typically enigmatic and more about creating images or an overarching feeling than spinning yarns. It’s more about the way he sings the words, the mood he evokes, rather than the words themselves. Sure, that’s sometimes code for “lazy songwriting,” but with Johnson, that’s not (usually) the case. On Candidate Waltz, the riffage, the tattered vocals and the taut melodies suck you into that happy place where, if you’re picking up what Johnson is throwing down, great. And if not, great. The album resonates either way....full text |
| Hearya |
| A few weeks back, Shirk and I were talking about the logistics of a potential Centro-matic live session. Unfortunately schedules didn’t work out, but Shirk asked me to describe them. I said the session would similar to The Mother Hips. Like Tim Bluhm and Greg Loicano, I imagine Will Johnson to be the quintessential pro that would just lead his band in for a cracking session – everything nailed on the first take. And like The Hips, Centro-matic has managed to become one of America’s most under-appreciated bands, flying under the radar as they continually produce some of the best music around under the names Centr-matic and South San Gabriel. Candidate Waltz is not Centro-matic’s first album, but it sure does sound that way. The album’s sound is fresh and full of energy. They sound hungry and the album is no shrinking violet as it comes banging out of your speaker. Johnson has this to say on their site:...full text |
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