Gold Connections - "Ammunition"
The history of indie rock runs deep in Virginia, and a key chapter in the book takes place in the late 1980s, when David Berman, Bob Nastanovich, and Stephen Malkmus first met on the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Though Silver Jews officially formed in New York City in 1989 and every Pavement biography identifies Stockton, California as the band’s city of origin, a serious period of musical discovery and collaboration occurred in Charlottesville amongst these three individuals (James McNew of Yo La Tengo was even involved at one point), and without question, their collegiate encounters altered the course of independent music for a generation.
During our recent conversation on the Look At My Records! podcast, Will Marsh of Gold Connections discussed the spiritual connection he feels with this indie rock lineage in Virginia, and as a part of it, he carries the torch of this sonic tradition for a new generation of guitar-driven rock. On his brand new EP Ammunition, Marsh channels the raw, passionate sounds heard on those early Pavement records by returning to a more DIY, hands-on approach to recording, bartering his gardening services for studio time at the local attic studio of duo Stray Fossa. By self-producing the record, Marsh executes his vision perfectly, working in the appropriate amount of slacker rock charm and incorporating some wry lyrical observations. They’re the kind of songs that’d make Malkmus and Berman proud.
The songs on Ammunition are fierce and jittery at times, but they can also stand back when necessary to allow Marsh’s warm melodies to take center stage. They soar early in the EP with the title track “Ammunition,” which serves as a springboard for the other four song. The mood slowly intensifies on “Stick Figures” through guitars that oscillate between muted and explosive with just a sprinkle of twang thrown in for good measure, as Marsh gets a bit introspective. He specifically laments how it’s easy to get too nostalgic for what you’d consider your glory days, concluding that it’s better to plot a new course forward. There’s an air of anxiety that stews early on “Bleed,” that bellows into some of the EP’s most intense moments, as Marsh reaches deep down to belt out several verses, including the highly emotive final one, where he sings: “You make me bleed / You break new strings I never needed til I needed you. I never wanted love til I loved you / I never needed blood, but I need you.” He brings things back down from those emotional heights on “Fortune,” a more melodic and mid-tempo number, and the balladesque “Slow Driving,” which examines the challenging aspects of moving on from a former flame amongst ringing guitar tones and lush harmonies.
You can purchase Ammunition on limited edition cassette via Bandcamp. The EP is also available on all streaming platforms, including Spotify. Keep up with the band by following them on Instagram and liking them on Facebook.
Check out Episode 151 of Look At My Records!, which features an extensive interview with Will Marsh!
