Baroness - Yellow and Green

 

A double album in 2012? Who the hell has that much money for studio time? Who has an hour and fifteen minutes to devote to listening to one artist? Oh wait, Baroness has put out a double album? Alright, for them I'll make an exception. Baroness is a band that works hard on their music and it's not surprising to me at all that they've pushed themselves to try their hand at the double album gonzo.

2009's Blue Album had a strong Wishbone Ash influence. Yellow And Green does, too, but has a greatly expanded range of influences on the songwriting, musicianship and production. Baroness started life as a heavy band but, like Mastodon, has gone through considerable changes. They've lost some of their original audience but have probably picked up a diverse crew of young musicians, weirdos into prog rock and some indie rock kids. There's a lot to learn from the guitar team of John Baizley (who does most of the singing, as well as playing bass on the album) and Pete Adams. There's definitely some heavy riffing but the majority of their playing is melodic and offers lots of intriguing turns of phrase. Drummer Allen Blickle has a lot of ability but is never show offy or intrusive.

It's hard to pick any one particular song as a stand out on either the Yellow or Green records. Breaking the album into halves is the way to go if you're trying to get into this thing. I listened to the first half a few times and then left it alone to check out the second half. Listening to it that way almost reminded me of getting a mix tape from a friend who's into a lot of stuff that I don't know much about. There are definite Wishbone Ash influenced songs but then others that bear the mark of Eno's work with Robert Fripp or Peter Gabriel (who also used Fripp). The variety of crazy effects on the guitar solos helps keep things from ever sounding too redundant. They must have spent a shitload of time mixing this record.

Overall a very solid and interesting listen. People half my age will probably compare it to Radiohead and Queens Of The Stone Age, but what do they know about obscure 70's rock? Take it from an old man. Try it, you'll like it. A double CD for ten bucks with killer art work is excellent value in today's marketplace.

--Woody

Black Sleep Of Kali – Our Slow Decay

Life is too short for intros. I like how the first song “There Is Nothing” just comes crashing in. Full band with vocals and totally pissed off sounding. Perfect when you need to annoy the neighbors RIGHT NOW! Black Sleep Of Kali is a loud 4 piece from Denver that play in a vein similar to Torche or Baroness but with a bit more aggro. The riffs are intense but very catchy and there are some vocal parts for everyone to scream along to.

For a band that’s only been around for about 2 years these guys are very tight. The songs are mainly mid tempo-ish but contain plenty of left hand turns to keep your interest. Killer drum fills abound and the guitar/bass tones are massive. Lyrically they keep it pretty lean and mean. With sonnets like “we will all be forgotten in the end” (from “The Great Destroyer”) you don’t need to say much more than that. Faster ones like “The Crow and The Snake” really pummel the senses and would sound great blasting in the car as you drive off a cliff. Once they dig up your body they can play “Eulogy” at your funeral.

If you like it loud, negative and heavy then Our Slow Decay is right up your alley. And with a cool sleeve from everyone’s favorite tall Australian artist Seldon Hunt you can’t go wrong.

--Woody

www.myspace.com/blacksleepofkali

Buy here: Our Slow Decay
Buy here mp3: Our Slow Decay

Buy here: Small Stone

Baroness – Blue Record

Someone in this band has been listening to Wishbone Ash. That’s the first thing that popped into my mind after giving the new Baroness a spin. It’s not surprising since Baroness has always brought in traditional classic rock influences as well as some psychedelic stylings to their brand of metal. 2007’s Red Album (nice Grand Funk reference) was one of the better albums of that year, but Blue Record is a big improvement.

This year has seen real breakthrough albums from Mastodon and Kylesa and anticipation was high for this album. Baroness is definitely keeping pace with these bands without sounding anything like them. What the hell is going on in Georgia these days? Someone must be giving all these bands a steady supply of magic mushrooms and Mahavishnu Orchestra albums or something.

Trippy opener “Bullhead’s Psalm” is a short instrumental sounds like Robert Fripp sitting in with the Moody Blues. That doesn’t last long before they launch into a Mastodon/Neurosis stomper called “The Sweetest Curse.” Fans of heavier music will love this one and other ragers like “A Horse Called Golgotha” and “War, Wisdom & Rhyme.” Fans of more progressive styles will bug out to “Ogeechee Hymnal” and “Swollen and Halo.” The real overt Wishbone Ash influence shows up on “Jake Leg” and “Steel That Sleeps The Eye,” which bears a strong resemblance to Argus album opener “Time Was. There’s even something for the bluegrass fans out there on the acoustic picker “The Gnashing.”

The production on this album is outstanding. The tones are huge and there’s a lot of variety in the sound. The guitars crush when they need to but are also smooth and creamy when the song calls for it. The bass booms and special mention must be made for the drums. In the past, I feel that Baroness records suffered from over-active Stewart Copeland type drumming. Blue Record has greatly improved on that, probably because it’s a different drummer. The grooves are much more in the pocket and don’t distract from the song.

In a lot of ways, Baroness reminds me of Blue Oyster Cult around the time of Secret Treaties in the way they’re blending heavy metal with progressive leanings. The songs never venture into Yes territory and they’re not competing to be the heaviest band out there. And it made me reach for my copy of Argus by Wishbone Ash which is always a good thing. On tour in the USA November & December with Earthless and US Christmas.

--Woody

Buy here: Blue Record



www.myspace.com/yourbaroness