Atlantic Fadeout's debut, Better Run of Bad Luck, plays like a weathered book of short stories. It's packed with tear-stained details, well-constructed jabs, hopeful dreams, and colorful battle cries. Abigail Henderson powers through every song with an intense vigor that most performers would envy. Amy Farrand, Chris Meck and Dutch Humphrey back Henderson's voice with polished, bluesy ballads and amped-up power anthems. The album's first track, "Making Out With Strangers," beckons the listener to pull up a bar stool and take in a brew, while the album's title track, "Better Run of Bad Luck," tells subtly sassy stories about the Kansas City scene, hellhole bars and friends. The band roars into "Tra La La" and then weaves soul into "Break Your Heart." Better Run of Bad Luck has a slight tinge of darkness, but it doesn't stifle the powerful stories that Atlantic Fadeout tells.
