Dead Man - Dead Man

Facts "Goin' Over the Hill," the lead track on Dead Man's self titled debut, is all sorts of retro classic rock awesomeness. The main riff is killer, and when the drums swell and singer Kristoffer Sjoedahl belts out, "I'm going over the hill, to see my baby," you know you're in for a treat. It's a definite "Hell yeah!" moment. Comparisons can be drawn to Witchcraft, another band who poses the question "What era are these guys from anyway?" But Dead Man is less enamored with doom and is more prone to folksy moments and Grateful Dead inspired hippy rock amidst their proto-psych jams. And while I've never been a fan of the Dead save for a few songs, Dead Man sits well with me. It's buoyant, feel-good music that places playing and song craft above all else. - John Pegoraro