Davenport Cabinet

Nostalgia In Stereo

[2/5]

Davenport Cabinet is the nom de rock of Coheed And Cambria guitarist Travis Stever channeling his Southern-rock impulses. Despite fleeting ’80s metal moments (the title track), the Cabinet offers shelves stocked with inspiration from bands like Alabama and Lynyrd Skynyrd. ("Milk Foot" bears more than a passing resemblance to the Confederate flag-waving Southern-rock greats.) Stever graces the material with enough guitar gymnastics to please Coheed fans, incorporating banjo and acoustic guitar into his six-string arsenal. “Rusty Knives” stands out with oodles of Southern-fried riffs and Billy Gibbons-esque leads. Stever’s singing, on the other hand, displays why he is not the chief vocalist in his day job. His range fluctuates between a raspy Axl Rose wail to a more leaden, smoky murmur (which graces the folksy songs that dominate the second half of the album). Though he impresses with undeniable instrumental prowess, Stever’s songwriting chops need sharpening. (EQUAL VISION) Casey Boland