Izzy and The Black Trees - Trust No One

Izzy and The Black Trees - Trust No One

Access / Antena Krzyku - April 2020

Alternative, indie, punk, stoner

Rated: ****

Following their debut EP in 2018, Polish alt rockers Izzy and The Black Trees make an outstanding impression with their first full length Trust No One. Blending punk, folk, psych, stoner, and a bevy of other influences, Izzy and co. put together an ambitious LP of singular style and impressive scope. The title track's biting post-punk energy opens up the record with jagged, razor-tone guitar by way of Gang of Four over insistent drums. Square in the spotlight are the vocals of Izzy herself, deep and sneering but able to easily convey a haunting melancholy when needed. Her style is reminiscent of The Kills' and The Dead Weather's Alison Mosshart, raw and arresting with more than a little threat lying beneath. The energy builds further with the thrumming, Rapture-style bass line of "Picasso's Octopuss", undeniably danceable while a growling guitar pushes ever forward. As the tracks progress through Trust No One, the initial pissed off energy slowly transitions to more subdued moments, as seen in highlight and penultimate cut "Strangers Allow". The deft drumming patters under a dark, swaying beat that's jazzy even without the excellent saxophone. The buildup's payoff is even sweeter, as pounding drums and muscular guitar burst out with frantic and solos from axe and sax alike. Trust No One is an ambitious, heartfelt record that runs a wide range of styles, and Izzy and The Black Trees mold them to their own sound with a confidence and ability that would suggest this is a fifth LP rather than a first.

(Written by Shasta Beast)

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