The Kings of Frog Island - III

This sounds like the album I’ve always wanted Queens Of The Stone Age to make. And that means it sounds like Wishbone Ash and The Groundhogs playing a festival on the island where the 1973 movie The Wicker Man takes place. The Kings of Frog Island are a collaboration between guitarist and producer Mark Buteux, R. "Doj" Watson and Mat Bethancourt, of the awesome band Josiah (R.I.P.). III is the third and final installment in a trilogy that began in 2005. I never heard the first two records but am now motivated to investigate them further.

I can just imagine Christopher Lee prancing around as Lord Summerisle to the opening song “In Memoriam” as tribal drums pound and a list of the deceased is read. Britt Ekland could also do her lascivious fertility dance to tempt the inspector to this song, too. “Glebe Street Whores” is in complete contrast to the opener with a Groundhogs boogie jam and distorted vocals. Nice one-two punch to start this thing.

“Bride Of Suicide” and “The Keeper Of…” are more in the Queens Of The Stone Age vein but a bit more psychedelic. Nice fuzzed out tones and swirly backwards guitar parts are held down to earth by hypnotic bass lines. “Dark On You” and “Ode To Baby Jane” are doomy but not Sabbathy. Depressing is probably a better description.

There’s probably a storyline here that I haven’t been able to figure out. Maybe if I get the first 2 volumes I’ll put the effort into figuring it all out but for right now I’m too busy blasting this one. I’m just glad The Ripple Boss gave me this one because this sounds like the type of thing that Pope and Racer would play at dawn on one of their epic California road trips. What do you say you fly me out west and we give it a test spin together?

-- Woody


Buy here: Kings

http://www.myspace.com/thekingsoffrogisland

Josiah - Procession

UK mid tempo heavy rockers Josiah broke up after almost 10 years of service to the boogie rock community and Procession is their swan song release. Comprised of 5 studio and 5 live songs recorded between 2006 and 2008, this is sort of like their version of ZZ Top’s Fandango album. If there were no credits on this album, I would swear that this was another one of the vintage 1972 proto metal bands that I love so much.

Josiah has a strong Black Sabbath influence but combine it with a speedy Motorhead attack which separates them from the run of the mill stoner rock. “Broken Doll” brings to mind Bomber-era Motorhead and Sir Lord Baltimore at the same time. “Dying Day” swipes Rush’s “Working Man” riff. If you told me this song or “Procession” were unreleased outtakes from Buffalo’s Volcanic Rock sessions I’d believe you.

The live songs were captured hot n nasty on tour in Sweden, but where’s the crowd noise? The songs kick ass but could benefit from an insane crowd cheering them on. “Looking At The Mountain” sounds like Mountain at their heaviest. “Time To Kill” is a frenzied rewrite of Sir Lord Baltimore’s “Hard Rain Fallin” that really smokes. “Silas Brainchild” has plenty of cowbell and wah wah to thrill fans of Dust and Hard Stuff. “Malpaso” is a James Gang groover and “I Can’t Seem To Find It” has a great Captain Beyond feel to it with some nice Stooges guitar freakage.

If you’re into belligerent, loud power trio rock chances are you already love these guys. Too bad I got to the party too late, but Procession is a great gateway drug album that’s gonna make me check out the older albums and guitarist Mat Bethancourt’s new bands Cherry Choke and The Kings Of Frog Island.

--Woody

Buy here: http://www.allthatisheavy.com/info.asp?item_num=ATH-7123

http://www.myspace.com/josiahukrockers