Ghost Woman – Hindsight Is 50/50 LP (Dine Alone Records / Full Time Hobby)

“Hindsight is 50/50” is a brand new album by Ghost Woman, a prolific duo consisting of Evan Uschenko (guitar, multi-instrumentalist) and Ille van Dessel (drums). Although “Hindsight is 50/50” is their third full-length album released in 18 months, the band thinks this one perfectly captures the true nature of the Ghost Woman, and they couldn’t be far from the truth. This material carries so many exceptional moments that you’ll immediately feel the urge to repeat it over again. For those who might not know, Ghost Woman combine different styles to illustrate such rich and luxurious sonic imagery. Perhaps shoegaze comes to mind first, but these experienced musicians unquestionably implemented more genres along the way. Therefore, don’t be surprised if you stumble upon some of the finest properties of alternative, garage rock, post-punk, punk rock, stoner rock, western, cinematic ambient, etc. Ghost Woman use these additional elements as more than necessary enhancements, accentuations, and decorations that uplift this comprehensive collection of songs on an entirely new level, while the band remains loyal to the primary sonic direction. Therefore, these experimentations with different styles resulted in a magnificent album worth spinning over and over again.

As soon as you press play, you’ll immediately notice the generous servings of reverb decorating all the cleverly assembled, semi-distorted or heavily distorted themes, leads, melodies, harmonies, chord progressions, and riffs. The studio reverb plays a significant role in this sonic equation by giving a more ethereal vibe to these songs. These sonic maneuvers also carry a subtle stoner rock, southern rock, southern folk, western, and soul feel that makes this material so fresh and unique. However, don’t be surprised if you notice some goth rock or post-punk maneuvers, where the band shines bright in the limelight. Ghost Woman is undoubtedly one of those bands that sounds magnificent no matter which genre they explore at the particular moment, and “Hindsight is 50/50” is more than rock-solid proof of their ability to create a multidimensional masterpiece. Of course, this material wouldn’t sound this good without the outstanding drumming performance. The rhythmic sequences based upon thoughtfully arranged beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive movements provide groove and pace but also keep the remainder of the instrumentations in line. The drumming on “Hindsight is 50/50” almost sounds like an introduction to the ritual. It’s tribal, hypnotic, addictive, and engages the listener to dive deep into these songs.

Evan Uschenko’s songwriting and composing skills shine here. He invested all his experience, knowledge, talent, and ideas into every song, solidifying his position as one of the best songwriters in the genre. The sonic chemistry between him and Ille van Dessel bursts with so much power, so you’ll have so much fun while listening to their latest album. It’s one of those records you should immediately put on your radar because it carries so many impressive moments where both musicians showcase all their ideas and talent. “Hindsight is 50/50” comes on black vinyl and it’s available via Full Time Hobby in Europe and Dine Alone Records in North America. Head to their website for more information about ordering.