Black Nite Crash

At it for nearly two decades, these classic Seattle shoegazers keep digging in their JaMC, RIDE (they're named after Ride's 1996 single), BRMC, and Stone Roses hard 'n' swirly style with aplomb, delivering an even more expansive sound now that Loose Wing guitarist Claire Tucker has joined. Adding in a trace of 1988 House of Love on "Waiting for Her," these four songs pick up from last year's devilish Conflict of Disinterest, led by the gnarly, gritty Madchester-esque "She"and MBV-ish howl of "Colony Drive"-both so good they could hardly be better if Jim Reid or Kevin Shields vocalized them instead of Jim Biggs. Complete with Tucker's icy keyboard-sounding guitar twirling in the other reverbed guitars in its awesome instrumental bridge, the former grans hold like a Venus flytrap with an update on the Stooges "Loose" riff, while kaleidoscopic colors flashing your synapses as you're dragged into its maelstrom. When played with this kind of passion and harsh, bursting beauty, this time-honored sound does somersaults in your sensory system. (Jack Rabid) - The Big Takeover

...a solid set of dark shoegazer psych-rock with fuzzy, squalling guitars, driving rhythms, half-buried vocals, and hypnotic song hooks - KEXP

Speaking of pervasive watching eyes, Black Nite Crash describe “Wrong” as “a simple yet scathing indictment of the surveillance state and a government that, even then, did not speak for the people, and has only worsened in that regard over the ensuing years.” These modern critiques are cloaked in a classic sound, as the Colony Drive EP calls to mind the proto-shoegaze of the late 1980s with noisy riffs smeared in a layer of spaced-out psychedelia. - Honey on the Knife

Black Nite Crash are perhaps right when introducing themselves, perhaps a bit dramatic, as "Overlooked and Underrated since 2002". And it's worth changing, the current occasion for this is the new album released by Neon Sigh - Conflict of Disinterest.

I admit, I didn't know them either although they have already four albums released. And the music from the band led by Jim Biggs surprises with its catchiness and the overall quality. The post-punk-like vocal made me think of another Jim, Ried of The Jesus and Mary Chain. But unlikely the Scots, the Americans play thicker, multidimensional shoegaze. Even in the catchiest tracks (Heart of Stone or Here It Comes) the music is not left in the background.

Actually each of the album's songs could as well be a part of one of the milestone albums by TJAMC and no one would find it odd. But still, Conflict of Disinterest doesn't feel like a cover compilation, there's too much fresh things like the psychedelia in All the Times I Never Slept, or the massiveness of the sound in This Is Mine. - labandzi

32 Black Nite Crash
Conflict of Disinterest
(Neon Sigh)
Though late to the 90's shoegaze party, that Seattle is humming with it nowadays is partly due to the effort of these vets (named for a 1996 Ride song) since 2002- see Dirty Sidewalks, whose Evan Foster mixed some of this, [The] Purrs, new Age Healers, Black Planes, Guest Directors, etc., who've followed BNC's more bashing, gnarly, heavy intensity as opposed to the dainty, floating dreampop strain... Jim Biggs and Co. have just grown even harsher and jam-packed maliciously laying distortion on the punishing psych edge of the Dandy Warhols-like "All the Times I Never Slept," and bringing echoing echoes of Sisters of Mercy, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Velvet Underground, and, well, a barreling steam train on the nasty "Somebody Kill Me." Conflict is familiar, nasty, and breathtaking at the same time. - The Big Takeover

Cercare di catalogare in maniera specifica l’ultimo album dei Black Nite Crash sarebbe veramente un peccato. La band di Seattle con il nuovo lavoro in studio “Conflict of Disinterest” sale a quota quattro full leight e lo fa in maniera egregia. Una miscela di Shoegaze saturato da quella vena di Psychedelic Rock ma piena zeppa di contaminazioni Alternative rock che riescono veramente a dare un valore aggiunto al tutto.
Il disco è una vera e propria prova di dinamica tra melodie sognanti e muri di chitarre impazzite che fischiano quasi all’unisono . Un’atmosfera satura di Fuzz vecchio stile e che ricorda band come The Jesus & Mary Chain , a tratti The Pixes assieme ai nostri New Candys. E se il muro generato dalle stesse distorsioni impazzite vi spaventa, non preoccupatevi, le varie chitarre in gioco si intrecciano abilmente senza mai rubarsi il posto l’una con l’altra. La voce baritonale, leggera e poco marcata, funge da legante alla pasta perfetta di suoni che incanta dal primo all’ultimo secondo e che risulta sempre perfettamente bilanciata.

Il disco non perde un colpo in questi 45 minuti scarsi, al contrario sale incessantemente fino alla prova finale “Bring it Down” superata brillantemente. E anche se nel complesso il songwriting non è freschissimo il tutto viene bilanciato da una produzione ruvida, graffiante e veramente di livello che riesce a rendere meno banale quel mid-tempo ricorrente e molto caratteristico. Veramente stupendo assistere all’evoluzione di gruppi del genere che, anche se esperti in materia, non finiscono mai di stupire.
Ci lascia a bocca aperta questo nuovo disco dei Black Nite Crash, un ottimo lavoro che riesce a condensare alla perfezione ciò di raccolto nel sottobosco dell’ Alt Rock, “Conflict of Disinterest “ infatti è un viaggio importante, qualcosa che ricorda un’esperienza straordinaria ed inusuale, come se in un giorno di pioggia uscisse il sole ma continuasse a piovere violentemente . - Indie for Bunnies

Seattle's Black Nite Crash have just issued a sweet tab of neo-psychedelia and nu-gaze rock titled Drawn Out Days on the upstart Neon Sigh label. If the instantly infectious heart-pounder "Baby It's You" isn't a hit single by year's end, I'll slowly shake my head in disbelief.
-Dave Segal - The Stranger

The follow-up to their first LP, Array, Drawn Out Days won't shock you with innovation, but it is packed with very good songs that push those warm-and-fuzzy shoegaze and psych-rock buttons. Fans of Brian Jonestown Massacre, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and My Bloody Valentine will crush on the upliftingly melancholy melodies, turquoise and burgundy guitar swaths, and Deb Googe–like bass revving. Black Nite Crash execute all 10 tracks here with understated grace and artful dynamics, resulting in the veteran band's best work to date.
-Dave Segal - The Stranger

The follow-up to their first LP, Array, Drawn Out Days won't shock you with innovation, but it is packed with very good songs that push those warm-and-fuzzy shoegaze and psych-rock buttons. Fans of Brian Jonestown Massacre, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and My Bloody Valentine will crush on the upliftingly melancholy melodies, turquoise and burgundy guitar swaths, and Deb Googe–like bass revving. Black Nite Crash execute all 10 tracks here with understated grace and artful dynamics, resulting in the veteran band's best work to date.
-Dave Segal - The Stranger

Equal parts '90s alt-rock and contemporary indie rock (is there even a difference anymore?) a la The Big Pink. These guys pull it off with charm.
-Chris Kornelis - seattleweekly.com

“Baby It’s You,” from the June 2012 release, is worth the wait, enticing as it is with its high energy groove that channels Spiritualized’s more spirited numbers, but with more of the churning guitar, determination and swagger of The Jesus & Mary Chains’ chainsaw blues.
-Jim Beckmann
- kexp.org

Black Nite Crash’s music fits right into this picture; their opalescent yet dark blend of psychedelic rock and shoegaze creates an arcane atmosphere that grabs your psyche right from the start, you get caught up in their wall-of-sound maelstrom of fuzzy riffs, tingly noise injections and seductive melodies. Add Jim Biggs’ nonchalant, charismatic vocals, a crackling production and a varied face – you got everything from gritty uptempo rockets like “Silent Town” to atmospheric ballads (“Atmopshere”, including female guest vocalist Amber Bergstrom). If you imagine The Jesus And Mary Chain (listen to “Baby It’s You” and “Delusion Blues”), The Church, My Bloody Valentine and Pixies jamming together in a room at night and dig this idea, I recommend you check this album out. 8/10 - Clank for Breakfast

"On its full-length debut, Array, Seattle’s post-punk revivalist quintet Black Nite Crash takes a similar noisy and dark path to that of Jesus and Mary Chain on Psychocandy (1985), Ride’s Nowhere (1990) and Earth, Sun, Moon (1987) from Love and Rockets. They may be one of the top 10 best unknowns of 2008."
JEFF MAISEY in Tidewater's Portfolio Weekly, 10/21/08 - Portfolio Weekly

"Black Nite Crash are the total package, not only excelling in evoking a guitar drenched melancholy sound, they have the songs to go with it. Drenched in blue light up on the Chop Suey stage, the band seemed to exhude a cool confidence. Songs like Soft Focus and Perfect Blue show off their English pop sensibilities while Wanna Die and Revalator just plain out rock."
TOBY at finestkiss, 11/1/08 - Finest Kiss

Black Nite Crash's… latest release Array proves a fine edition to the burgeoning neo-shoegaze scene, tossing in enough psychedelic fuzz and flair of their own to make for a superb listen.
MARILYN ROXIE afutureinnoise.com 5/15/09
- afutureinnoise.com

If you haven’t heard of this group yet, you should…
KEXPblog on KEXP.org 7/3/09
- kexp.org

Seattle’s Black Nite Crash dazzle with their heavy melodic sound, which blends together an ‘array’ of influences ranging from 1960s psych rock to classic UK post-punk and shoegaze… opener “Revelator” instantly draws you in with its soulful Stooges vibe, building up to an extended Ron Asheton-like guitar wigout at the end… “Soft Focus” [brings] to mind Ride’s infectious Going Blank Again gem “Twisteralla”… Perhaps the best song of all though is the lush closer “Perfect Blue,” which recalls the majesty of The Church with its trance-inducing layered guitar sounds and… seductive vocals.
BEN SZPORLUK on rocknrollrunner.blogspot.com 7/2/09
- rocknrollrunner.blogspot.com

Black Nite Crash; "EP" {8.3} {excellent ~ amazing!}
” MY SOCKS WERE BLOWN STRAIGHT OFF! … In all of it's star-spangled, shoe-gazing glory, Black Nite Crash's "EP" is most suitable for the ‘album repeat’ function on your stereo. .. ‘Distant Hit’ …(is) an arousing opener establishing the EP's palpably sensual tone… Black Nite Crash's debut erupted in my ears and soaked my consciousness. Keep those guitars sounding so deliciously seedy...”
LEE @ www.threeimaginarygirls.com
- threeimaginarygirls.com

Black Nite Crash; "EP" {8.3} {excellent ~ amazing!}
” MY SOCKS WERE BLOWN STRAIGHT OFF! … In all of it's star-spangled, shoe-gazing glory, Black Nite Crash's "EP" is most suitable for the ‘album repeat’ function on your stereo. .. ‘Distant Hit’ …(is) an arousing opener establishing the EP's palpably sensual tone… Black Nite Crash's debut erupted in my ears and soaked my consciousness. Keep those guitars sounding so deliciously seedy...”
LEE @ www.threeimaginarygirls.com
- threeimaginarygirls.com

“Black Nite Crash is one of the city's finest [shoegaze]offerings, featuring impenetrable layers of guitar effects, bombastic drumming and vocals that sound as if they were screamed down through the communication system of the faulty Mars rover. This gives the band a gritty edge and frightening intensity, unlike some of their more melodious and dreamy peers.”
TIZZY ASHER in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
- Seattle P-I

“Black Nite Crash is one of the city's finest [shoegaze]offerings, featuring impenetrable layers of guitar effects, bombastic drumming and vocals that sound as if they were screamed down through the communication system of the faulty Mars rover. This gives the band a gritty edge and frightening intensity, unlike some of their more melodious and dreamy peers.”
TIZZY ASHER in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
- Seattle P-I

“Black Nite Crash boast a sleek, slightly smoothed take on the garage tradition, tough songs with hanging-tough lyrics, studied cool menace in the singing, guitar noise for ambience… served on a bed of crisp snare pops. “ – Andrew Hamlin, The Stranger - The Stranger

"Black Nite Crash get down and dirty with the shades accessorised strut of the hip grinding ‘Falling Down’"
MARK BARTON, Losing Today - Losing Today

"Black Nite Crash get down and dirty with the shades accessorised strut of the hip grinding ‘Falling Down’"
MARK BARTON, Losing Today - Losing Today

A strong emphasis on the vocals places Black Nite Crash further into the alternative realm than most shoegaze bands dare to venture, but the band emerge from the haze with successful clever songwriting and infectiously slow building grooves and breaks. Their debut album Array is a gorgeous trip through dense and inspired guitar manipulation and controlled sonic chaos.
Dan Goldin/Exploding in Sound 3/1/10 - explodinginsound.com