

Shannon Wright's tumultuous indie rock recalls an era that started in the mid-'80s, when bands such as Sonic Youth and Live Skull initiated new abrasive sounds far removed from the pop-rock available in commercial circles. The '90s continued this wave with audiences conditioned by Nirvana and Hole more readily accepting the underground dissonance of The Jesus Lizard, Come, and countless other bands that lived for the extremes. Shannon Wright grew up in the shadow of these sounds and recorded for the esteemed Chicago label Touch & Go before it closed its doors. With Shipping News members Kyle Crabtree (drums) and Todd Cook (bass), Wright then headed to Louisville, Ky., to record her ninth solo album, using producer Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket, Andrew Bird). The resulting set is aggressive and tonally dense. From the opening drums and dark guitar clusters of "Noise Parade" to the cathartic trudge of "Mire" and the surprisingly melodic and subtle "Surely They'll Tear It Down," In Film Sound is a trip through the dark, guitar-based sounds of decades-old indie rock.