For five dollars, this CD is a steal. It’s cheaper than most cover charges, yet the sound you get is akin to being in some dank club watching the opener before the opener. One of those bands that you’ve never heard before, and you came early just to get a seat at the bar, one of three other people watching the band (this includes the bartender, doorman, and sound guy).
Don’t get me wrong — Erode + Disappear isn’t a bad album, and the rawness of it actually works it in its favor. If it was a polished and well-produced album, the inconsistencies and weakness might overpower the experience. As it stands, Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties have created an album that definitely sounds original. Nothing about it is hackneyed or overdone. Definitely a keeper.