This week I offer up a diverse helping of tunes. We’ve got a
little rock, blues, country, grunge, psychedelic and even some good old fashion
spaghetti western. Let me know what floats your boat.
PHANTOM HOUND – MOUNTAIN
PASS
These Oakland
boys just took me by storm on this debut album. Combining the bluesy licks of
yesteryear with grungy harmony and crunchy tone. The title track is an anthem
loaded with an infectious chorus summoning a sense of nostalgia while also
adding a modern progressive edge you can’t help but fall for. Excited to get to
know these dudes more.
LASSE REINSTROEM – MAZA WAKAN
I found myself wearing this one out in my wishlist this last
week. How come I’d never heard of this band before? Probably because its rather
obscure like almost all the stuff I seem to listen to. However, this one just
has that IT factor for me. Bringing an abstract injection of vocal chants
teaming with female vocals and an extremely sick groove through and through.
Merging psychedelic rock with hard stoner punk and heavy blues for a very
diverse and unique output. This one completely blows my mind. I
RAINBOWS ARE FREE – WAVES AHEAD OF THE OCEAN
These guys never cease to amaze me, and they put their
digital discography up for Name Your Price this last week. Although they’re not
a new band to me, they may be to you, this was their last album released back
in 2014 and it’s a monumental display of proto-doom and psychedelic blues. The
vocals are quirky, yet infectious and the riffs and groove are out of this
world. They released one of the best albums of the year in Head Pains last
year, where you can still find copies of the vinyl for sale. I suggest you snag
up everything you can on Bandcamp right now. You won’t be disappointed.
FIRE IN THE RADIO – MONUMENTS
Gotta stay diverse I keep telling myself. This one has a
modern take on that post-punk popular in the late 80’s and 90’s. I’m definitely
no expert on the genre, but I know enough to say that this was a welcome change
of pace for my listening pallet. Reminds me of a more pop-punk The Cure. Very melodic
and crunchy with big hooks and suave chorus lines.
THE DHAZE – DEAF DUMB BLIND
Just take a moment and let the sweeping groove wash over you
on Deaf Dumb Blind. Wasn’t sure what to expect when these guys sent in their
material to the Doom Charts, but boy was I impressed upon a full listen.
There’s a lot going on here and its all killer, no filler. This is driven by a
nostalgic tone of grunge, harmonious layers of metal, kaleidoscopic blues, and
big fat gritty vocals. That bass tone is sharp and melodic too.
LITTLE ALBERT – SWAMP KING
I’m at a loss for words with my thoughts about this album.
It’s remarkable on all fronts. Progressive, heavy, trippy, and hits all the
tender zones of a hard rocking, blues fiending, psychedelic searching music
aficionado. Listen for yourself.
GODS & PUNKS – DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS (THE QUARANTINE
SESSIONS) - EP
Incredible effort for a good cause by a band I rank as top
of the South American heavy underground scene. These guys never cease to amaze
me. One of the best acoustic offerings I've heard in a long time. Well done
gents, well done.
WHITE CACTUS – HIGH TIDE AT MEAT COVE
This one, oddly enough came across my desk via a sponsored
add on social media and I couldn’t help but check it out. The title was
hilarious, the tags screamed rad, and I was almost sold before I even hit play.
Once I hit play all expectations were confirmed. This is a super fun, groove
laden, cosmic wave of riffs and groove.
NIKKI & THE PHANTOM CALLERS – EVERYBODY’S GOING TO HELL
(BUT YOU AND ME)
Another recommendation from the bandcamp feed by following
certain genres that seem to attract my attention. This time tags like dark
country, Americana,
country rock, honky tonk, etc….
From the PR wire. “Nikki & the Phantom Callers’ new LP
was recorded in late 2018 at Maze Studios in Atlanta. To record the album, Speake enlisted
Ben Etter (Deerhunter, Cate Le Bon, Hazel English) as lead engineer and brought
on Bronson Tew at Dial Back Sound (Drive-By Truckers) to master the record. The
result is a crisp, expansive record with as much sonic depth as emotional
resonance and an unmistakable Southern rock swagger.”
THE DETRO – WITCH DOCTOR STRANGE
This short 6 songer caught my ear for a handful of listens
this last week. A simple yet effective cover with dark colors and intriguing
tags. I’ve been pretty into the harder garage rock bands out of Southern California and across the world really. The
Detro bring it on home with jagged riffs, and rawtone and thick rhythm.
FAMILIARS – ALL IN GOOD TIME
In a perfect world we'd all be familiar with Familiars. All
In Good Time catapults itself straight to the top of most glorious debut LPs
released in 2020. The tones are atmospheric and fuzz-laden, polished with
shoegaze and a driving sense of tranquility.
-The Huntsman
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