So where do I sign up for one of my two favorite desert/stoner rock instrumental bands partnering with the legendary guitarist from one of the innovators of the scene? Well apparently, Heavy Psych Sounds has me covered with the awesome team up of these two beasts of the genres. Yawning Man never disappoints, and Bob and his band Fu Manchu are untouchable, so this must be great, right? Also given what Bob does when he guests or partners with other bands (see his out of this world solo and overall guitar work of Big Scenic Nowhere’s album from last year) Yawning Balch (love the name) probably can’t miss.
Well turns out it is pretty f-ing awesome, and of course it is. The aptly named Volume One comes from five hours of Bob and YM jamming at Joshua Tree (of course it does) and the results are the three tracks on One and another full length to come. How do I get my hands on the full five hours, because this is killer. These guys meld naturally together on the first track, Dreaming With Eyes Open. The guitar work on Cemetery Glitter is a chill desert psych freak out that has Bob’s skills on full display. Where he rocked more on the epic work on the aforementioned BSN record, he is more psych leaning and deliberate with Yawning Man, in the best possible way.
The guys take their time, focusing on the space and time around them, creating a soundscape that you just want to drop right int and live in for the rest of time. Saying you get more of the same simplifies how great the third track, Low Pressure Valley, but I say this in the most positive way. I could have this album in the background all day and all night and would not get sick of it. In fact, it is a kind of therapy to get me feeling right.
So yes, give me all five hours of the Yawning Balch jam session. I am here for it because it is awesome. The instrumental album of the year so far along side of the amazing Clouds Taste Satanic record. I know I am being greedy wanting it all, but for now I will live with Volume One and have it be one of my soundtracks to the summer. 9/10
The Far Outs - The Far Outs (Rebel Waves)
So, Ripple Music’s offshoot label Rebel Waves is putting out a 60s style garage rock band from Australia that has members of Grand Atlantic? Yes please. There are a lot of bands that claim they are playing this style and mostly it sounds like The Black Keys. The Far Outs are the real deal. From the production, the playing, the lyrics, it’s all the real deal time machine stuff you want those other bands to be. Let’s party!
Right off the bat, Last Night is here in all its garage rock fury, with organ! It sounds so very authentic without sounding at all like they are posing with their early Kinks albums or a Nuggets compilation. Bad News For You reminds me of what The White Stripes were going for early on before they decided to put money into their production. While I love albums that have 18-minute tracks, it’s always fun to pick up a record like The Far Outs, where you have these two-to-three-minute blasts of garage rock fun. Keep Away sounds like it was written in 1966 in all the best ways.
So yes, give me all five hours of the Yawning Balch jam session. I am here for it because it is awesome. The instrumental album of the year so far along side of the amazing Clouds Taste Satanic record. I know I am being greedy wanting it all, but for now I will live with Volume One and have it be one of my soundtracks to the summer. 9/10
The Far Outs - The Far Outs (Rebel Waves)
So, Ripple Music’s offshoot label Rebel Waves is putting out a 60s style garage rock band from Australia that has members of Grand Atlantic? Yes please. There are a lot of bands that claim they are playing this style and mostly it sounds like The Black Keys. The Far Outs are the real deal. From the production, the playing, the lyrics, it’s all the real deal time machine stuff you want those other bands to be. Let’s party!
Right off the bat, Last Night is here in all its garage rock fury, with organ! It sounds so very authentic without sounding at all like they are posing with their early Kinks albums or a Nuggets compilation. Bad News For You reminds me of what The White Stripes were going for early on before they decided to put money into their production. While I love albums that have 18-minute tracks, it’s always fun to pick up a record like The Far Outs, where you have these two-to-three-minute blasts of garage rock fun. Keep Away sounds like it was written in 1966 in all the best ways.
Get Off Of My Shroud is a fun instrumental track that does pay some homage to the (very) early Stones stuff while also reminding me of a track from a spaghetti western somehow. Miss Me is my favorite track, which has the best of what a garage rock band should have, pop sensibilities, a crunch, some edge and throw in some organ and we have the perfect formula for me. Freight Train will get the kids hopping (and screaming) and you get The Far Out’s theme song (I am anointing this to them) the very retro in the best way instrumental El Diablo Del Mar. Love the guitar work on this one, which I like to call sloppy excellence. There is not a stinker in the bunch here…these are ten killer fun tracks of garage rock goodness.
So not only does Ripple rarely, if ever miss, but Todd is also spot on with his upstart psych/garage upstart too, because The Far Outs rock. Ripple doesn’t only do stoner doom people. Get on The Far Outs for some garage freak out fun. And no, this doesn’t sound like the Black Keys (thank goodness). 8/10
Mystical P*rn Heroes - Mystical P*rn Heroes (Go Down Records)
Italy’s Mystical P*rn Heroes debut EP is three tracks of very cool stoner/psych/garage goodness that will leave this listener wanting more for sure. The veteran musicians of this new trio bring lots of experience to the table and you can hear a very mature for a debut sound from a band who has not been together for all that long.
All three tracks range from really good to great. Starting with Tura, you get a subtle slow burn riff with some cool/creepy vocals before the track kicks in and starts to kick ass. These guys make a lot of noise for a trio and remind me a bit of the latest JIRM album which combined the best of the stoner and psych genre. All three musicians are top notch, as you can tell from all the tracks, including Carnal, that has quite the swagger to it. The guitar work is killer on this instrumental rocker. Titana is a bit more psych than stoner and I love the fuzzy crunch, killer riff, and echoed vocals. Good stuff.
Mystical P*rn Heroes EP is worth of your time and will leave you wanting more. I am looking forward to new material and a full length in the not-too-distant future. I may have gone higher if there was some more to review, but do not hesitate to check this out. 7/10
All For Metal - Legends (AFM Records)
A band called All For Metal can go one of two ways. They could be like Man-o-war cheesy goodness or the other type of cheese, the one with the mold that no one wants to eat and should be thrown away as soon as possible. Well from the first note the new album from All For Metal, Legends, is the latter. Not only that, but it was also one of the most difficult albums I have had to listen to all year. Getting to the end was nearly impossible, but I am a professional, and I am here to serve the public, no matter how terrible an album is.
There is nothing not secondhand embarrassing about Legends. The vocals, especially when the Viking dude with the low voice pipes in. I am cool with cheesy lyrics, but All For Metal are way out there, and they seem to not be in on the joke. Try the title track and tell me if I am wrong. The lead singer can obviously sing, check out Goddess Of War, but his talents are wasted with the material here. Lots of posing going on here too, with exhibits A, B, and C being Born In Valhalla, Hear The Drum, and Fury Of The Gods. It’s like a neutered Amon Amarth. I think All For Metal is mocking me, given the production is so slick it is triggering me. I cannot confirm that the music was not computer generated. Don’t get me started on the spoken word on Prophecy Of Hope. The only track I can get behind is Run, mostly for the solo, but the lower voice telling me I better run is making me do just that.
This was one of, if not the hardest album to listen to all year, and I had to review the Def Leppard symphonic album. I hate writing negative reviews but All For Metal is hitting on all my trigger points on Legends. Not for me for sure, be wary of false Vikings. 1/10
So not only does Ripple rarely, if ever miss, but Todd is also spot on with his upstart psych/garage upstart too, because The Far Outs rock. Ripple doesn’t only do stoner doom people. Get on The Far Outs for some garage freak out fun. And no, this doesn’t sound like the Black Keys (thank goodness). 8/10
Mystical P*rn Heroes - Mystical P*rn Heroes (Go Down Records)
Italy’s Mystical P*rn Heroes debut EP is three tracks of very cool stoner/psych/garage goodness that will leave this listener wanting more for sure. The veteran musicians of this new trio bring lots of experience to the table and you can hear a very mature for a debut sound from a band who has not been together for all that long.
All three tracks range from really good to great. Starting with Tura, you get a subtle slow burn riff with some cool/creepy vocals before the track kicks in and starts to kick ass. These guys make a lot of noise for a trio and remind me a bit of the latest JIRM album which combined the best of the stoner and psych genre. All three musicians are top notch, as you can tell from all the tracks, including Carnal, that has quite the swagger to it. The guitar work is killer on this instrumental rocker. Titana is a bit more psych than stoner and I love the fuzzy crunch, killer riff, and echoed vocals. Good stuff.
Mystical P*rn Heroes EP is worth of your time and will leave you wanting more. I am looking forward to new material and a full length in the not-too-distant future. I may have gone higher if there was some more to review, but do not hesitate to check this out. 7/10
All For Metal - Legends (AFM Records)
A band called All For Metal can go one of two ways. They could be like Man-o-war cheesy goodness or the other type of cheese, the one with the mold that no one wants to eat and should be thrown away as soon as possible. Well from the first note the new album from All For Metal, Legends, is the latter. Not only that, but it was also one of the most difficult albums I have had to listen to all year. Getting to the end was nearly impossible, but I am a professional, and I am here to serve the public, no matter how terrible an album is.
There is nothing not secondhand embarrassing about Legends. The vocals, especially when the Viking dude with the low voice pipes in. I am cool with cheesy lyrics, but All For Metal are way out there, and they seem to not be in on the joke. Try the title track and tell me if I am wrong. The lead singer can obviously sing, check out Goddess Of War, but his talents are wasted with the material here. Lots of posing going on here too, with exhibits A, B, and C being Born In Valhalla, Hear The Drum, and Fury Of The Gods. It’s like a neutered Amon Amarth. I think All For Metal is mocking me, given the production is so slick it is triggering me. I cannot confirm that the music was not computer generated. Don’t get me started on the spoken word on Prophecy Of Hope. The only track I can get behind is Run, mostly for the solo, but the lower voice telling me I better run is making me do just that.
This was one of, if not the hardest album to listen to all year, and I had to review the Def Leppard symphonic album. I hate writing negative reviews but All For Metal is hitting on all my trigger points on Legends. Not for me for sure, be wary of false Vikings. 1/10
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