Richard Turgeon refers to his latest release “Fire Drill” as a “slacker-rock single,” but he’s hardly been a slacker when it comes to making music.
Since 2017, the San Francisco Bay area-based singer, songwriter and mercurial instrumentalist has issued four full-length studio albums, two collections of cover tunes, an EP and a batch of download singles.
Turgeon dubs “Fire Drill” as such, simply because of the genre the track celebrates. The ’90s were the era of “slacker rock” with bands like Pavement, Nirvana and Dinosaur Jr. proudly flying the flag. Richard Turgeon was weaned on these sounds, and “Fire Drill” files in as a cool homage.
Indeed, all the apt aspects presented on the cut are bolted firmly in place to qualify as slacker rock. Spurred by lolling rhythms and Turgeon’s sleepy drawl, “Fire Drill” is shrouded in a hazy mist of loose-limbed licks, sauntering hooks and clanking drums.
Grungy and fuzzy, the song contains contrasting light and dark textures, as a patch of wispiness and a blast of squealing guitars are part of the equation. “Fire Drill” also fittingly features rather lo-fi production values.
Richard Turgeon has again recorded another solid offering, and one that strolls a bit outside his noted dualistic styling of roots rock and power pop.
