reax music magazine :: music + culture » Reviews » Medford's Black Record Collection - Eccentricity NOS

The Knoxville, Tennessee-based Medford's Black Record Collection have returned with sophomore effort Eccentricity NOS. Whereas their debut album, The Flattville Murder Album, was a concept album telling a clear and distinct story, the band decided to paint with broader strokes on Eccentricity. Along the way, they also decided to add a drummer and a bassist in Derek Whitaker and Clint Mullican, giving the band more depth to their sound.

While Flattville started out as an idea which grew into a song that spawned 19 more, Eccentricity was born from a grouping of songs with no clear plan. Fear not, though, Eccentricity still features the same character-driven storytelling style so well displayed on Flattville, and while there is no central story to Eccentricity, there is still an overall theme of tortured darkness among the album's characters. Musically, they are still that Appalachian, new-grass, folk rock outfit, only now they have a rhythm section. – Bryan Childs