The Boss Mustangs - S/T

Lost along the top margin, printed in tiny block letters, are the words "File Under: The Boss Mustangs - Rock and Roll."

Hell yeah!

I mean, HELL YEAH!

The Boss Mustangs come raging from outta where ever it is that they come from sounding like the kinky bastard sex child of the Sonics and the MC5 or the bloody aftermath of an epic night of Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, a case of whiskey, a fist full of uppers,  and some unknown substance to be identified by the science lab later.

File Under: Rock, indeed.

Revved up, amped up, frantic old school garage rock is the name of the game here and the Boss Mustangs bring it on full throttle, raw and full of badass '60's attitude.  Imagine an illegal drag race on the mean streets of Detroit circa 1969, beer and oil spewing, speed and bennies flying, girls lurching and churning, men angry and throwing fists, as big motored muscle cars tear the shit outta the asphalt.  Yep, that's the Boss Mustangs.

From their too-cool-for-words matching Nero jackets to the authentic fuzz of their dual-guitar assault, The Boss Mustangs don't miss a trick.  So let's dig in shall we?  First, did I say fuzz?  I meant it.  Whereas, Dave Davies famously took a razor to his amp to produce that fuzz tone for "You Really Got Me," The Boss Mustangs took a freaking chainsaw.  Thick slabs of distorto guitar cranking through 3-chord rave-ups of the first order and guitar solos serious enough to show that these guys got real chops.  Not a lost note here, just crunchy spewed out garage guitar nirvana.

The singer?  Well, I wouldn't want to be an epithelial cell on his vocal chords.  When this dude wants to rave, he can reach down and screech with the best of em.  Serious vocal chord shredding loss of abandon like the best moments of those crazy Sonics songs like "Psycho."  And when he's not letting it loose, the guy can actually sing.  Soft or loud, we got that covered.

So that leaves just one thing.  The songs.  From the first moment that big guitar comes in after the high hat intro to "Turn On"  I was sold.  Toss in a fertile scream, set the rhythm section loose like a pack of angry attack dogs and we got one of the damn best garage-punk songs I've heard in ages.  I mean this song has it all. Wailing guitars, big hooks, and a beat that'd drive the Go-Go dancers crazy, shaking that frilly stuff covering their hips and asses in an orgasmic frenzy.  No matter what anybody else says, this should be the party anthem for pool parties the nation over. 

And The Boss Mustangs aren't one-trick ponies.  "Mrs. McKee" b/w "Hazel Holly (Please Come Back) was the bands first 7" and both cuts are included here.  The first being a pounding retro-60's beast of burden with more fuzz than an orchard of peaches, while the later brings in some sweet songwriting dynamics before launching into that crushing riff and mayhem that follow.  Both cuts got big melodies and serious garage chops.

Then there's "New York Francine."  Damn, I know I've heard this song before.  It was at that speed party in the basement underground club.  1969?  Detroit?  Chi-town?  Don't remember.  Too many dead brain cells but the booze was flowing, the girls were loose, and . . . well, I'll never tell.   Needless to say, "New York Francine" brings out all the best of Motor City madness.

The Boss Mustangs call what they do Powergarage RocknRoll.  Yep.  They say they nail the sound of heavy post psychedelic-era Detroit and London.  Check.  Raw and ragged, high energy, oil can smashed to the face, garage rock stompers.  I'm there.  Liked the album so much I immediately ran out and bought the 7"  vinyl.  You should too.

File Under: The Boss Mustangs - Rock and Roll.

--Racer

www.thebossmustangs.com/

Fuzz Manta - Opus II

Heavy, hippie hard rock. Right on.

There are a lot of great female-fronted rock bands emerging from the underground lately and one of my favorites is Denmark's Fuzz Manta, who add plenty of heavy blues and 70s psychedelia into the mix.

If Opus II hasn't been covered at the Ripple Effect already, then I apologize. First, it's a spectacular hard rock album by a solid band, and second, it was released early last year and Fuzz Manta already have a new one out. Hey, I can only work with what I have.

Now that I do have a promotional copy, it's time to finally show some love. On Opus II, Fuzz Manta promptly deliver eight tracks and 45 minutes of excellent hard rock goods.

"Motumann" kicks things off with fuzzy riffs and a hip-shaking groove. Sultry vocals. About halfway through the band break down into the psychedelic realm of rock before a blistering solo. Much of "Man With No Face" is up-tempo, with a Deep Purple feel, thanks to some well placed organ riffs, and the acoustic "Quiet Monday" immediately brings to mind ELP, and perhaps Led Zeppelin. This is one of my favorites, even though it's the most mellow.

It's too bad that "Lithia's Box" is only available on the cd and download versions. Not only is it one of the longest songs on Opus II, but it has some one of the heaviest, bluesy-ass riffs and I think it's one of the band's best, with killer breakdowns about five minutes in. I had thought about getting the vinyl but without this song...I don't know.

"Turn Around" just might be 'the one' for me, though. Super-heavy riffage here, man. I think Fuzz Manta bring it with best of them.

I've included a live performance of the last track, "Let Me Walk", so you can get a sense of the electricity generated by this band. The sounds quality isn't the greatest, but you can still feel the buzz throughout. I know I can.

Lene (vocals) has a captivating stage presence and reminds me of a young Grace Slick or Janis Joplin. She's as sexy as her voice, too.  Pelle (drums) doesn't even use his sticks during part of his incredible solo, about four minutes into the song. Check it out. He lays them down for a few and just uses his bare hands. Awesome. Freddy (guitar), sporting his YES shirt, and Morten (bass), with his hair flying all over, both give spectacular performances.

After the live video, listen to a few more tracks from Opus II here: http://soundcloud.com/fuzzmanta/sets/opus-ii-promo/ Or check out the band's website and Facebook page. Then get your cd or vinyl copy from Kozmik Artifactz, if you don't already have it. I sure hope to be writing about the latest release by Fuzz Manta in the near future.

Peace and love.

--Heddbuzz



http://www.fuzzmanta.com/

https://www.facebook.com/fuzzmanta

http://www.kozmik-artifactz.com/

Sahara Surfers - Sonar Pilot

An emotional female voice layered over heavy rock music really does it for me. It always has. So I was feeling more than a little coolaphonic when I downloaded and listened to the latest offering from the Austrian stoner/psych band, Sahara Surfers. I got their debut full-length not long after that.

I'm so stoked I got Sonar Pilot, released late last year. It's hella swick (sweet + sick). I'd say the tunage is Kyuss and Fu Manchu-inspired and the vocals remind me of Drain STH (remember them?). A lot of the album can be kinda chillaxin', too.

The riffs on the opening instrumental, "Intro", take me out to the impact zone, where I catch a gnarly swell and rise up to feel the wind and sun on my face. I'm hanging-ten to the tasty grooves - cruisin' - and it's happy days again. I know this is gonna be mad, 'cause the waves are juicy and heavy, brah. I'm going deep.

"Underline" can be punishing, and I feel like I'm in the pocket, or the steepest and most powerful part of the wave, just hoping I don't get stuffed and rag-dolled. I still get pounded by some pumping sets, though. Am I still alive? You betcha, I'm no poser.

Sahara Surfers give a solid performance throughout this record, but I think "Mass Crashing" is another righteous tune with a killer stoner-rock knockout punch. Friggin' stellar.

The nice, solid nugg, "Fold Over", is a little more mellow during the first half, but later gives way to to plenty of fuzz. The riffs get hugangus (very, very big) and slammin'.

I really don't think I should have to go through each of the 9 songs to get my point across, but the title track and "Aenor" also stand out as mondo moments to me. I think they're a couple more spiffy fuzz/psych masterpieces. So tight.

Today, I've given a few more listens to Sonar Pilot and I'm full-on noodled. Right-on, dude and dudettes! This is a free, rad party wave we can all catch. Get some!

You can download Sonar Pilot here http://www.soundzero.net/sahara_surfers_sonar_pilot.zip.

If you want to buy a physical copy, hit the Sound Zero link below. There you can also download a free digital copy of the Sahara Surfers' debut, Space Trip On A Paper Plane, if you don't already have it.

--Heddbuzz

http://www.soundzero.net/

The Heavy Company - The Heavy (Please Tune In . . .)

It's Sunday morning. Third cup of coffee is already drained but the desired caffeine effect is evading my brain. Hiding from my cortex as if I was a movie slasher and it was my prey.  Details are hazy, but I remember last night something about some Gin.  And some Bourbon.  There may me more to the story, but until pictures appear on Facebook or an embarrassing video on YouTube breaks 1,000,000 hits, I'll deny it.

Just setting the stage here.  Giving you a peek into my brain as I plop down at my Ripple desk.  There's submissions to go through, reviews to write, and the ever present threat of needing to catch up with the Record Label accounting.  I need some music to get my brain moving. Something heavy but not damaging.  Something with enough energy to clear the cobwebs and kick that caffeine into effect, but not enough to make my eardrums shudder.  I want it slightly dark, definitely psychedelic.  I want some bleeding guitar effects to swirl through the clouds in my mind but enough of an edge to cut through that haze like a ray of sunlight blitzing down from the heavens.  I want it to light up my brain.

I want The Heavy Company.

Metaphysical psychedelia is the name of the game here and The Heavy Company do it just about as well as anybody out there.  First and foremost is the understated, yet always effective guitar work of Ian Gerber.  Psychedelic rock of this irk has a tough fence to straddle.  Somehow, the guitarist has to find a way to evoke the hallucinogenic dreamscapes that he sees in his mind, layering his tone with effects and variety, yet never lose himself up his own ass.  Too much masturbation and the music become boring.  Not enough variety and it feels empty.  Ian finds that place.  Each note seems perfectly chosen; not necessarily planned--because that would lose it's spontaneity--but felt perfectly in time with the music and the flow.

Behind Ian, Jeff Kaleth on drums and Ryan Strawsma on bass propel the compositions forward, filling in the spaces between the strobe-light guitars and smoky haze.  Again, no over playing here.  No bass lines trying to compete for attention.  It all just flows into one seamless swirling flow.  One kaleidoscopic river, currents of sound and colors, smells and visions.  A mushroom trip of music.  Perfect.

I suck again at my empty coffee mug.  Nothing but air.  Yet, I'm feeling better.  Somewhere within the six songs of this free EP, I've started to revive.   "Please Tune In . . ." opened the doors for me slowly, an introductory opium den of gentle drums and cloud-puffs of guitar.  Nothing too harsh, just an invitation for what's to follow.  Then somewhere during "The Heavy," my brain starts to awake.  Slowly, nothing jolting.  Ian's guitar reminds me of passages of Colour Haze or My Sleeping Karma.  Spartan and clear, tracing out a delicate harmony.  Vocals are a bit buried in the mix, but by the time they come in, something new is hinted at.  Maybe it's because the boys come from Lafayette, Indiana, but there's a definite earthiness to the song.  A lone cowboy riding the prairie feel.  Western-tinged, rootsy, yet still defiantly psychedelic.  That's not a mix I'd heard too often and lays claim for new territory.  Like a prospector staking out a claim, The Heavy Company have declared their piece of land.  Midwest psychedelia.

"Black Tuesday," adds a touch of classic 60's-70's rock to the mix.  I hear a touch of Bad Company in the main riff, while the bass percolates behind, before the song wanders into pure jam territory.  Bring that harmonica in, let the riff dirty up a bit, pick up the pace.  Yep, I'm feeling stronger now.  Maybe I'll actually be able to face the day.   "Wormweed," brings in even more muscle to the tone, effectively toughening up the sound, getting my heart beating just a bit, pumping that long-awaited caffeine to my limbic system.  It's all been a perfect progression from the haze to the rock, as if the whole EP tells one singular story.   "Monsignor Charlie Bird," brings the sky down, the requisite coolness, before the final cut "Caged Bird," kicks my mind back into regular time.  A chugging guitar riff, still earthy and classic.  Good stuff.

The Heavy Company find that rare balance for many psychedelic bands, effect-laden and THC-adled, yet still focused and rocking.  I dig the rootsy-vibe under the fuzz, it keeps the album rooted in terra firma even as they float off and explore.  The riffs are driving enough to keep the song moving, the jamming is spontaneous and extended enough to fuel the imagination synapses.  Dig into this album for your own hangover, or make it the focus of your future hangover to be.  Heck, get the hangover out of the way completely, just dig into this album.  If you're a fan of the Elektrohasch label brand of darkened spectrum psychedelia, this album will hit your sweet spot.

Download it all free here

--Racer

Jupiter Zeus - Green Mosquito

You know I'm always on the hunt for fresh, original new rock awesomeness. Well you should also know that honesty is my policy and here's the truth: it's been a long time since a band struck a chord this deep in me. Considering Jupiter Zeus did it with just 4 songs from their new ep, Green Mosquito, I think that's saying a lot.

When I read the name Jupiter Zeus in Racer's email I expected something huge and this 4-piece group from Perth, Australia, didn't disappoint me at all. Their music is "psychedelic space rock", according to the band, but I"ll just call it great tunes with some massive riffs, celestial vocals and impressive melodies. Or some of the best songs I've heard in a while.

"Our musical influences are vast, but we especially love the 60s/70s pop rock period. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Simon & Garfunkle and Black Sabbath to name a few. We're also influenced by more modern bands such as Monster Magnet and Kyuss," primary songwriter Simon Staltari (vocals, guitar) says.

Bassist Jeremy Graham must be the comedian of the group. Here's how he described the band: "Jupiter Zeus is an electric traveling sound." I guess that's one way of putting it cause Green Mosquito sure took me on a cosmic trip.

But let's get one thing straight. Jupiter Zeus mates Staltari, Graham, Aidrian Vudrag (drums) and Michael Lawson (guitar), aren't rock newbies at all and I can sure tell by listening to Green Mosquito. This band knows exactly who they are and where they want to go. They know the sound they want and they've found it, by hell. The founding members have been playing together for decades, Lawson told me.

"I've been friends with the other guys in the band since the early 90s when I was in a ridiculously fast and heavy thrash/punk band called Moth and we were always doing gigs with Nebula - as they where called back then. They all became good friends of mine and Aidrian had been bugging me for years to come and jam with them and I never really got around to it," the veteran guitarist said.

Years later, Australia's Nebula ended due to the American band with the same name and its record contract. "But Simon, Adrian and Jeremy continued songwriting - not really worrying about playing live very much. After a while they had written some really good tunes - which were in a vastly different direction to what they were doing as Nebula - and started doing gigs around Perth as a 3-piece," Lawson said. "Simon sent me some free tickets to one of their shows along with a burnt CD of their new songs they had a demo of. When I listened to the demo it blew me away. I thought it was awesome new music - really Black Sabbath-type heavy, but with lots of colour and shade and really original and unique. I thought Simon's lyric writing was awesome as well. So I went along to their show, checked them out and saw that they stood out from all the other bands that night and were really original. I thought that if I was playing guitar with them as well I could make it a lot fatter and add a lot more muscle to their sound. So I learned all the songs and lined up a jam with them, and have been doing it ever since.."

Green Mosquito was released Sept. 11 and sounds friggin' majestic. It was recorded in Fremantle, a suburb of Perth, known for being where Bon Scott grew up and is buried, Lawson added. "The AC/DC song 'Highway to Hell' was supposedly written about Canning Highway - the road the studio is on where we recorded Green Mosquito. The studio is called 'Poons Head' and has one of the largest collections of vintage valve equipment in the world. They have compressors which where used by Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, so it's a very nostalgic place. The producer and studio owner is a complete eccentric - Rob Grant. For some reason he's befriended patients of a local mental institution who always dropped in when we where recording, which added to the already crazy atmosphere. We basically told Rob what we where looking for with the sound and he did what he thought would suit. He was a complete slave-driver and we still joke about having to play the song "Green Mosquito" 50 times in a row to get it right."

Way to go Rob. You pushed Jupiter Zeus and produced excellence with Green Mosquito. All the songs are about 3 minutes long and I could hear any of them playing on my local rock radio station. The first track, "From Womb", emerges with a raucous swagger and let's me know I'm in for a psychedelic rock treat.

"I...wanna sing the perfect tune," Staltari declares on the title track and ya know what? I believe he just did. I included a link for it 'cause I couldn't find a video anywhere for my favorite Green Mosquito song, "Forbidden Planet". Trust me when I say that it's SO unbelievably heavy. And "Whirlwind" is exactly like the title suggests - it's a fun, thrilling ride.

The band has plans for a full-length album - possibly early next year, Lawson said, and they're practicing in a unique place. "Simon has a lemon and mandarin orchard which has a huge shed we rehearse in. I personally think the fact that the songs are written in a big shed have influenced the sound we have at the moment due to having to blast the amps to ridiculous volumes to get a good sound."

That's one full-length release I'm anticipating with excitement, but I'm good with Green Mosquito for now and I'm sure I'll be listening to Jupiter Zeus for years to come.

--Heddbuzz

http://www.reverbnation.com/artist/artist_songs/443290
http://www.jupiterzeus.com/
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001988918020#!/jupiterzeusrock?sk=info

Bowery Beasts- Heavy You

When I was in my senior years in a small pathetic excuse of a high school, I fell into the “rejects” group. Being in the rejects group meant  that you didn't like pop music, football, remaining tanked for the entire weekend, shooting random marsupials and when you dated someone it was for longer than a week.

Not liking pop music meant that everyone in the group had differing opinions on what was great, and a few collective favourites. As the new kid on the block I was given a heap of music almost daily and quizzed about it twenty four hours later... If I didn't like the right bands I was ridiculed and mocked. This pressure made me hate music a bit as I was being pushed and pulled in every direction and not left alone to figure it out. It was only after resisting them that I found my feet and I can really appreciate music and really love it. I wish they would have left me alone to start with...

BUT!

On the other hand now that I have my own tastes and opinions I wish I could get those days back. Conversations about bands could last days DAYS and with my new found confidence in what I like and what is good it would be nice to argue with someone about it.

I had this yearning not that long ago after locating in my music library some un-reviewed brilliance. Bowery Beasts was a bit of a surprise for me, not only because I didn't know they were there but because it is like a shining two dollar coin on the footpath of music.

Heavy You is the Bowery Beasts debut EP and I hope there is more to come. This LA band plays really good rock 'n roll. I was quite surprised because whenever I heard the phrase “rock 'n roll” I was transported to some distant childhood memory of my dad's music... But now, I am thrown into the modern era that holds the smooth, sexy sounds that the genre is known for.

Its not just the guitar riffs that catch me, it is the lyrics, vocals, drums the whole set up makes you want to listen to more. The five songs in Heavy You just aren't enough.

I don't have a favourite song this album, which is rare for me, because I think they are all awesome.

It opens with “He Was Your First Tattoo” and instantly reminds me a little of Them Crooked Vultures-  has more rock than roll. Team this legendary sound with lyrics like-

“He was your first tattoo,
Never seen eyes so true
The was the first you knew
Never met a girl like you”

And you have a winner!

“White Diamond Babe” definitely pulls together the silky rock sound to create something really special. It is worth noting that when you are singing along to this music (as one does) you not only sing the lyrics you sing the riffs too...

“Today I saw my angel smile, (duh duh duh dummm dummm dummm)
It made me want to try. (duh duh duh dummm dummm dummm)
Today I saw my angel cry (duh duh duh dummm dummm dummm)
I could see you waiting right there, out on the sand, under the sun.
Twisting her hair, I could see her.”

I was really happy cruising around in my modern day rock 'n roll feeling, then “Young Rockers” took me back to my childhood and took Heavy You up another notch, which I thought was impossible. I think the change in sound comes because this song has more haze around it.

“Amulet” is completely different to any of the other songs, starting off with acoustic sounds and slowly building towards a peak of velvety riffs. Beautiful.

“Rock and Roll Queen” is the neat package at the end of the EP. Tying together all of the sounds of Heavy You, being sweet and having a quick line like-
“I want to roll a Rolling Stone”

My parents live 1300km (808 miles) away from me and I held the phone up to the speaker for 20 minutes because I thought this band was that great. They did too! Bowery Beasts bridges generation gaps with their smooth, beautiful sound. Heavy You is definitely an EP to get and they are a band to watch.

 --Koala

Buy here mp3: Heavy You

Hypnos 69 – Legacy

Simply put . . . I am not worthy. I am not worthy of the exquisite sounds, the illustrious tones, the magnificent melodic overtures that make up the songs of Legacy, the latest release from Belgium’s Hypnos 69. I’m not worthy of the monumental high and emotional thrill ride that this music takes me on. I’m not worthy of having this epic piece of music in my collection. I am but a mere mortal in possession of a gift from the Immortals.

Legacy is an epicurean journey of the mind set to the beat of off-time music and explorative musical tones and chord progressions. Hypnos 69, from what I can tell from listening to this recording, is a band that’s influenced by the progressive flourishes of Pink Floyd, the dooming crunch of Black Sabbath, the compositional intrigue of Camel, and the heavy tones and melodies of Deep Purple. All of these sounds are in plain sight throughout the album, and I’m sure that for the more experienced music listener who is deeply rooted in the sounds of the early to mid 70’s, there’s even more to digest. The album is absolutely that rich in sound . . . progressively heavy psychedelic, brimming with incredible musicianship and overflowing with infectious melodies. This is a definite Top 10 for 2010!

The album starts off with a near eighteen minute sprawling opus that never feels like it’s more than five minutes long. There is so much going on in this one song that I could probably write a thousand words on it. “Requiem (For a Dying Creed)” blasts out of the speakers with these great Hammond organ passages that are accompanied by a fantastic guitar run from both the six string and four string variety  . . . the sounds are immediate and chaotic, but never so all over the place that the music doesn’t flow. No, my friends, the musical intro of the first minute and a half to two minutes is the stuff of legend. The howl of the Hammond immediately brings to mind those fabulous days of Deep Purple’s most glorious moments. In fact, the vocals of Steve Houtmeyers have a little bit of that bluesy Ian Gillian grit. They’re rough, but rich in texture. Then there’s the melodic theme that runs through the entire length of this track! Crom! It’s one of those melodies that you’ll find yourself humming throughout the day. And, like all good eighteen minute epics, this song breaks into a luxuriously mellow passage about five minutes in, capturing those extra elements of emotion and intrigue, before the song returns to the main theme and rocks us into the ether. Oh . . . here’s a new wrinkle for you . . . Hypnos 69 utilize a lot of wind instruments, both in brass and wood, and they work the instruments to perfection. They’re never overused and when they make an appearance, it’s of a grand scale such as the jazzed out break at the 7:30 minute mark of this track. As far as extended prog-rock fair goes, “Requiem (For a Dying Creed)” is perfection!

Waveriders, let me put it to you this way . . . I don’t want to play any other album right now. I have a stack of discs that I’m supposed to be listening to for future review and I just don’t wanna’. Legacy ranks right up there with Stone Axe II and Les Discrets’ Septembre Et Ses Dernières Pensées in albums that call to me like a haunted voice in the night. By the end of the first track, the music takes an uplifting quality of hope and success over challenges faced. Stunningly moving!

“An Aerial Architect” follows the lead track and doesn’t let up in intensity. Opening with a massive attack of saxophone that lends a weight to the riff, this song evolves (or devolves, depending on your perspective) into a grooving off-time Sabbath inspired riff. What I dig about this track is how the band work the horns into the riff . . . the guitars almost have the feel that they’re complimenting the other instruments instead of the other way around. Check out the great synth work going on at the midpoint of the song and how they act as an interesting transition to the softer passage of the song. The guitar work in this break, though really subtle, has a ton of flavor . . . and then as the music transitions once again, the guitars explode with aggression, trading licks with the saxophone to create a conversation of various tones.

“My Journey To The Stars” as of the writing of this review is my favorite tune on the album. There’s an inherent creepy groove in this song that makes me think of some of the quieter moments that a band like Opeth works into their oppressive sound. This one is a fairly laid back number, leaving a lot of space between notes and is propelled by Houtmeyers’ voice. The mixture of the understated guitars and synths makes this song a psychedelic standard, taking the listener on the same journey to the stars, but it’s the flute and/or woodwinds that make this song a masterpiece. Now, add in the searing Gilmour-esque guitar solo the morphs into a heavy rhythm in the last half of the track, and I hope that you all strapped yourselves in for this cosmic flight. This is the kind of prog-rock that I can get behind! Hypnos 69 write a great song and use their technical and virtuosic talents to expand on the ideas. They make sure that the song has substance before they garnish the hell out of it.

“The Sad Destiny We Lament” is another softer song, at least on the outset. Powered by infectious melody over a softly strumming acoustic guitar and the ebbing and flowing hum of synths, the vocals tell tale of personal challenge and torment. “The Empty Hourglass” brings back the heaviness with the thunderous pounding of a bass drum and the distorted throes of the guitars and Hammond organ . . . damn, this song is near eleven minutes of outright bliss! Heavy, yet tasteful. Listen to the break just after the three minute mark . . . straight up Brubeck off-time stuff akin to “Take Five” or “Blue Rondo A La Turk”. Throughout this review, I’ve yet to mention the drum work, so let it be known now . . . the drums are phenomenal and this song is one of drummer Dave Houtmeyers’ standout performances. Psychedelic genius!

Released on the Elektrohasch label, Legacy is my first foray with the label and after perusing their coffers, I’m very, very intrigued by what I see. Back to Hypnos 69, these guys have apparently been around since 1995 and have released a bunch of stuff since 2000, even a split 10” with Ripple favorites Colour Haze. Oh goody . . . it also appears that Legacy has been released on double vinyl just for my pleasure! Seriously, Waveriders . . . if you like the sounds of heavy psychedelic progressive rock from the 70’s, Hypnos 69 are the band that you must investigate further. These guys do it right. Their compositional skill is first and foremost and they expand on the music from there, not the other way around so that it all sounds like senseless noodling. The solos are impassioned expressions of the individual performers much like one might find on a jazz recording from the late 50’s or early 60’s. In all, Legacy makes me feel good.  For the past three weeks, I haven’t wanted to listen to much else . . . sure, I’ve forced myself to, but I keep running back to this album, trying to find any excuse to put this in front of everything else in its way. Thank you, Universe. Thank you.

Pope

http://users.skynet.be/sb158053/

http://www.myspace.com/hypnos69

Black Bombaim - Saturdays and Space Travels

I don’t think I’ve ever heard a band from Portugal before checking out the new one from Black Bombaim. If there’s more shit like this going on there I may have a new vacation destination. These guys give Tia Carrera a run for their money in the mega-tripped out Jimidelic jam department. Equal parts Band Of Gypsys and Experience, Black Bombaim have an outstanding rhythmic groove that prevents the session from getting stale.

There are only 2 songs on the LP – “Side A” and “Side B,” both about 20 minutes long and recorded totally live. “Side A” starts off with some hellish feedback before settling into an almost Cactus-like boogie then morphs into a “Dirt” Stooges groove. “Side B” is faster and crazier. They must have re-upped during a break and decided to really let loose.

For a 3-piece they have a very full sound. “Acid Guitar Dropper” Ricardo’s tortured Strat howls and shrieks in the best way possible. “Bass Driver” Tojo and “Drum Smasher” Senra protect the beat but are fluid enough to maintain an ever expanding hydroponic groove. Chances are these guys have smoked a lot of dope and listened to Fela more than once.

There are only 300 copies of this LP, so track one down pronto. You can listen to the whole thing on their myspace page, but it’s totally lame listening to this kind of music through a computer. Shell out some bucks and do it up the right way.

--Woody

http://www.myspace.com/blackbombaim

Ripple Music Crashes the Charts with First Hit Song! - Sky Parade Breaks into the Indy Top 20

KEXP Top 20 song, “I Should be Coming Up (But I Keep Coming Down) by Sky Parade featured with Grand Atlantic on this split 7” of psychedelic pop perfection.
                                      
Just in time for their World tour in support of their Top 20 KEXP song, the heady, trance-inducing psychedelic pop of Sky Parade is on full display with their highly infectious tune, “I Should Be Coming Up (But I Keep Coming Down)”.  Produced by the Dandy Warhol’s Courtney Taylor and released in hot anticipation of their upcoming World Tour, "I Should Be Coming Up (But I Keep Coming Down)" has been lighting up the switchboard where the single has already climbed to number 20 on the KEXP Radio Chart and the Top 10 on KKBB.  

Check out the video and hear the song that’s tearing up the LA clubs right now.




The split single will be available world-wide from the bands on tour and through www.ripple-music.com



"A joyride of dense, churning guitars that sounds like Primal Scream getting Spiritualized!" – L.A. Times

"Sky Parade have found Psych-rock's sweet spot" -- Buzz Bands LA

"Hook-laden genius" -- 90.3 FM

"KKBB Top 10 single!" -- KKBB

"Quite simply, this is a prime slice of psychedelic pop that you can dance to." Terrascope UK

Ripple News - Guitar Legends JPT Scare Band Tearing it Up with New Release

Hot on the heels of their blistering new release "Acid Blues is the White Man's Burden," JPT Scare Band have been tearing through vinyl sales with abandon.  Perhaps it's that glorious two-tone, psychedelic vinyl?  Perhaps it's the gatefold cover and trippy artwork? Nah, it's the intense, legendary guitar-work of Terry Swope and the crushing rhythm section of Paul Grigsby and Jeff Litrell.

But rather than have us toot the band's horn, we thought we'd let others lead the JPT parade.

JPT Scare Band "Acid Blues is the White Man's Burden."

"Each track sizzles with nostalgia, with fuzzy guitars, gritty vocals, and extended jam sessions that instantly transport you to what feels like a Hendrix concert. Everything grooves in its own right. . .  will undoubtedly dazzle fans of classic blues rock. Terry Swope has got to be one of the world's most underrated guitarists!

If you miss the glory days of Cream, Deep Purple, and Jimi Hendrix, you have to check out these uncovered gems from JPT Scare Band."  -- Bill's Music Forum and the Rock and Roll Report.

 "The trio veers between Cream and Grand Funk Railroad." -- Tom Harrison, Quick Spins, The Province Newspaper

"Acid Blues Is the White Man's Burden, seven lengthy psychedelic bluesy rock stompers (nine of the vinyl version) that come howling out of the speakers. This is Classic Rock from the Golden Age! Holds its own against their famous niche sharers, such as Cream, Ten Years After, Rory Gallagher and the mighty Led Zeppelin. Singer Swope has the swagger and the chops, and the rhythm tandem of Jeff Littrel and Grigsby are solid and smooth. It just goes to show that it's never too late to be recognized as an interesting chapter in the Big Book of Rawk." -- Here Comes the Flood

"A Gem to treasure.  Let the hypnotic music swirl around you.  For anyone who wishes to delve into the heritage of the current crop of stoner bands, this is an unmissible compilation.  Terry Swope rivals some of the day's greats including Clapton and Hendrix.   JPT Scare band are the unsung heroes of the cult rock scene and now they have decided to remind the world of their phenomenal abilities. "Long Day," is fresh, a great introduction to the band.  Centerpiece "Stone House Blues" recalls the excellent Led Zeppelin at the BBC disc with it's loose and thundering bass.  "I've Been Waiting" has a riff so heavy it could be encased in lead.  Sits comfortably along side Black Sabbath."  -- Sonic Abuse

"Album of the Day!" -  Roadburn.com

"Acid Blues is the White Man’s Burden is without question one of the most natural sounding and charismatic records I’ve heard this year. At once celebrating what they were and what they are in a way few bands can actually pull off convincingly. Littrell, Grigsby and Swope show remarkable chemistry. Swope’s leads are not to be understated. The soul in what he does is so up front it’ll bring a tear to your eye. JPT Scare Band are able to harness what made heavy ‘70s rock so influential without sounding like they’re ripping anyone off, including themselves.  If you’re not moved by the way these three players work together in the jammed-out last minutes of “I’ve Been Waiting,” you’re just not getting the point. Acid Blues is the White Man’s Burden might be a sleeper, but for those who discover it, it’s treasure." -- The Obelisk

"Compiled from studio outtakes spanning over 35 years, that this album hangs together so coherently and is wall to wall with the highest quality tuneage is a testament to just how incredible this band really is. An orgasmic display of sonic abuse from guitarist Terry Swope. Fuck me, this guy is a lost gem!!! Blazing with a technique that would make most big haired 80's shredders shit their pants but grooving with a feel that would make Billy Gibbons weep, Swope lays on note after note of pure class. This is certainly no one man band though, bassist Paul Grigsby lays down such a filthy groove that you want to take a shower afterwards and drummer Jeff Litrell swings like an aging virgin's nut sack!!!  The charm of JPT Scare Band...it's passion that is both seductive and enthralling and a passion that seems unabated by years in the undergrowth."  -- Sleeping Shaman

Buy here: www.ripple-music.com 




 

A Sunday Conversation with the Dolly Rocker Movement

Blissed out, T-Rex inspired, psychedelic pop.  That's what The Dolly Rocker Movement brings to the table and that's what caught us by the Ripple ears and spun us around like a heady case of vertigo.  Joining us today on the red leather interview couch is head Dolly, Daniel Darling to open up our minds to what makes The Dolly Rocker Movement tick.

When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.

What have been your musical epiphany moments?

When I was seven or eight my brother and I found some old cassettes in the family house and I remember we had a Best of The Sweet tape. I played that tape till it finally snapped. It was the wildest thing i had ever heard. I was rocking so hard to "Hellraiser" I fell off my bed and broke my collar bone. The next phase was probably when the whole grunge thing came along. Finally there was new music that divided a generation. Most parents hated that shit. Funny cause now I actually dislike allot of that nineties rock too. But it was fun at the time. Then came the sixties obsession. It seemed to go hand in hand with experimentation on all levels. While the jocks at my school were digging hardcore skate punk and Metallica, I would waltz into class glazed eyed grooving to The Monkees. It was a rebellious time. I loved being an outcast and 60's music was the perfect way of saying to everyone "you don't know shit".

Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?

Generally it comes from simple chord progressions. I pretty much use the same chord progressions over and over. Thats what rock n roll is. Repitition and familiarity. But the way the songs take on their own personality is adding melody. That comes next. Melody is the most important thing to me. It's the thing that people remember.  I also rely on the beat to give me direction. Beat is very important to me aswell. Thats what gets people moving. whether it be slow and swaying or down right jiving. I have a beat in my head and that gets things moving. If you marry a good melody to a sweet beat you can't go wrong. It seems like a very simple idea which to me it comes easy. But without an understanding and appreciation of simple music you'll be scratching your head in wonder.

 Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?

New inspiration can be found anywhere it's all about exploration. I'v had so many alter egos and personal adventures in my life it's hard to keep track of who i am sometimes. But thats where the songs are coming from. thats why I had to move to the United States. I need movement in my life at all times. I need to change my look, my personality, the way i think and talk constantly. Thats why no-one can guess my age. I refuse to fall into the trap of "oh this is me, i have to deal with it" Fuck that! At the moment i'm alreading changing into something else. I'm like 100% sober now. And ideas are falling from the sky. It's crazy. I'm all about looking ahead. My past albums when i listen to them are sung by someone else. I can't reach that person anymore. I'm far away. Thats why now I'm Daniel Darling. I must remain interested in myself before I take it to the streets.

Genre's are so misleading and such a way to pigeonhole bands. Without resorting to labels, how would you describe your music?

I have a signature way of doing things. Even though I change my personality I have a formula. I'm an outsider when it comes to scenes. Its Iike dressing in drag & walking into a bar then ordering an ice water and a newspaper to read. It kinda makes sense but theres something a little different about it that makes it stand alone. That's the way I look at my music. I'v dealt into many different genres. I'v played the copycat before aswell. To me it's just pop music.

What is you musical intention? What are you trying to express or get your audience to feel?

My intention is write catchy tunes. My last album "our days mind the tyme" is the showcase of what is to come. The next Dolly album is going to be something else. I write tunes to make me feel good. If other people can jive on that feeling too which i know they can then great! this is the entertainment business and it's my job to make the people dance.

In songwriting, how do you bring the song together? What do you look for in terms of complexity? Simplicity? Time changes?

It's all spontanious. i never like anything too "staged" it has to come naturally. Straight off the bat. Sometimes complex lines work, sometimes simple lines work. it's all about taste. Taste is everything.

The business of music is a brutal place. Changes in technology have made it easier than ever for bands to get their music out, but harder than ever to make a living? What are your plans to move the band forward? How do you stay motivated in this brutal business?

For years I put the business side on the back burner. Sure I had a great time but I wasn't going anywhere. I still don't fully understand the business side of the industry. Thats why I have an amazing manager now who is guiding that aspect for me and the band. Having other people believe in what you do is extremely motivating and comforting. The best thing I can do to stay afloat is play my role. Do my Job. And that job is being an entertainer. Whether i'm living on my mac n cheese or dining out I have to write tunes and perform them. The industry requires product and I produce it in the only way I can. 

Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?

Our bass player Jimmy plans to be slayed with an axe after performing "A Sound For Two". His boots will be taped to his knees so he resembles a dwarf. It's going to be wild!

What makes a great song?

 Your drivin in your car and you reach your destination but you have do  another round of the block because the song you were listening to on the stereo hadn't finished yet.

Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?

It was by my own group called The Dazzling Doodles. I played the lego box by hitting it with chopsticks. And i sung about how the Dazzling Doodles had the greatest hit's in the world "na na na na"

What piece of your music are particularly proud of?

I have a new song called "The Holy Son". It's going to be a hit on the next album. Also I really like the way "A Sound For Two" came out on our last album. It was never intended to have that Baroque feel, it just happened and I was like wow!

Who today, writes great songs? Why?

My favourite artist from the past decade would have to be Alison Goldfrapp. She is amazing. She's everything Madonna should be. I would love to colaborate with her in the future. Electro glam rock seems like a natural progression for me. But in her case she has done it & nailed it so well. Who can top a song like "Strict Machine" ?  I flip everytime i hear it.

Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?

Vinyl for sure. I don't buy cd's anymore. I love my I-pod too. Having and Mp3 player is like your own little weapon. Bake to your favourite tunes while riding the bus. It's so radical. Our last record just came out on vinyl which i'm so happy about. To have the artwork blown up to that size made me feel like i'd really produced something. It's so classic. They should print all albums on vinyl. Keep that spirit alive.

We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. When we come to your town, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?

Ahhhh in my current town (Los Angeles) I haven't had much of an oppourtunity to go record shopping as I'm pretty much broke. I'v borrowed a heap of records from friends. Ameoba Records is like the mecca record store, I'v been in there a couple of times and you can get lost in there for sure. You'd be best off ordering of Bomp! records. They have sooo much cool stuff. Depends on your taste really. In Australia you can't beat "Red eye Records" in Sydney & "Off The Hip" in Melbourne.

Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?

Keep Cool & Stay Warm Out There Waveriders!

Cosmic Dust – A Ripple Journey Through Space and Time – Featuring Causa Sui and Schleusolz

Causa Sui – Summer Sessions Vol. 1-3

I’ve been told that Andromeda is the closest spiral galaxy to us and Alpha Centauri is the closest star.  Sorry, but I’m here to tell you that scientists have got that wrong on both counts.  Stoner/Psych label Elektrohasch, with it’s ever expanding constellation of blessed out heavy psych bands is definitely the closest galaxy and their latest release, Vol 1-3 by mind-expanding, space explorers Causa Sui is without a doubt their brightest star.

Following up on their 2005 debut and their 2007 follow-up, Free Ride, Causa Sui have crafted the universe’s most infinitely listenable cosmic adventure that even with the naked eye (ear?) shines more luminous than our sun.  Over the last two years, the band has lost itself in its own universe of jamming and recording, leaving vocals behind and fusing saxophone into their heady mix of heavy psych, jazz and krautrock.  What was born from the big blast of these sessions is about as mind-blowing as the concepts of space travel.

Spread out over 3 CD’s (or three vinyl LP’s) we get a zero gravity journey through realms of ambient rock, repetitive groovy heavy dynamic cycles, blurring time structures, space rock reverb, and jazz rock jams.  The first song on disc 1.  Names like Can, Hawkwind, Pink Floyd and Hendrix get bandied about when describing these guys, but I wouldn’t hesitate to drop a big nod to Elektrohasch’s own label mates, Colour Haze, with it’s looping, intense guitar based grooves, and My Sleeping Karma with it’s search for spiritual relevance.  Simply put this album is a stunner.

“Visions of Summer,” sets the lift off pad perfectly.  Lost within it’s 24 minute groove, we get tripped out keys, mind-melting, hypnotic, looping guitar riffs, blessed-out ambient breaks, deeply funky bass, and some of the best krautrock drumming you’ve heard since Can.  The song grooves, wildly and passionately, barely contained with it’s structure, weaving and bobbing as it leaves the stratosphere in search of extra-terrestrial life.  Brown drawfs shoot by to the left, black holes to the right, and still the song keeps on delving deeper on its cosmic journey.  This isn’t background music, its far too compelling for that.  Even through it’s quietest passages it demands attention, insists you let loose of gravity and soar.    By the time the guitar really explodes in an afterburner of fire, twenty minutes into the song, it’s impossible to know which galaxy is approaching next. Give the video below a play and prepare to be transported.  Give the song time to develop, let it breathe easy before you make up your mind.

Each song has it’s own heart, it’s own flavor, no matter which space route it takes.  The songs that bring in the sax really fly off, adding a whole new, experimental jazz power to the flight.  If you’re a fan of space rock, psychedelic explorations, stoner jams or any of the bands mentioned earlier, this is not one to miss.  One of the more stunning releases of the year.

buy here:  Summer Sessions, Vol. 1
               Summer Sessions, Vol. 2
               Summer Sessions, Vol. 3

or buy the box set at: Elektrohash Records


Schleusolz - The Weinheim Experiment

Apparently, Galaxy Causa Sui isn’t the only neighboring star system.  Close by, but clearer farther out there (way farther!) we approach the spiraling, spinning mass of cosmic frivolity that is Schleusolz and their latest release The Weinheim Experiment.  Combining banks and bank of synths, beats, and melodies that seem to come from a manical, demented intergalactic carnival, The Weinheim Experiment is a futuristic, trippy journey through space rock electronica, dark rock, cosmic disco, classical composition, and a strangely retro feeling to create  . . . I’m not sure what they created, but it’s one freaky, avante garde ride that’s for sure.

Originally earth-born in Germany, Schleusolz is the mad scientific creation of studio wizards Worsel Strauss and Schani Wolf.  Not content to remain gravity bound on terra firm for long, they launched their Schleusolz spaceship in 2009 with their debut Running Out of time.   I never heard that one, but when this one crossed my desk, I was intrigue.  Recently, I’d been on a Henry Mancini kick.  After all, he is one of the greatest film composers of all time ("Pink Panther", "Peter Gunn", and the stunning "Romeo and Juliet Theme.") plus he’s totally retro-swingin’ sixties cool.  So when I saw this disc described as “Henry Mancini on Acid,” well, I just had to hitch a ride.

The Weinheim Experiment bounces around between whimsical, carnivalesque compositions (each of which seems to have been performed by a drug-adled clown) and darker, more intense, quasi-industrial dirges.  For me, the industrial-tinged pieces work best, like the frightening dancefloor intensity of “Sid Goes Dancing,” with it’s spit out, throat-garbled German vocals, or “The Numberer,” with it’s looping bass and grinding guitar intro.  “The Shepard’s Dream,” is a terrifying dark classical journey into the messed-up recesses of these cats collective mind, clearly not a happy place to be.   But this darkness is countered with the catchy, bouncy pop of “She Became a Toy,” or the retro-wartime, cigarette smoky club, cabaret excursion that is “Superboy.”

“Sell Your Soul,” attacks with a barbaric synthesizer force a la Cabaret Voltare.  But perhaps the album’s true highlight is the darkest, most sinister cover version ever of a Cat Stevens song.  “Father and Son,” unfolds at a funeral pace, layered with black synths and crawling vocals.   A full out, wild psychotic ride no matter where you get on.

-- Racer

Buy here: The Weinheim Experiment

Proto metal Report - Judas Priest – Rocka Rolla

Anytime that Racer and I get together and sit down for a meal, the safe bet is that a good two hours will pass with us talking about music. In fact, the last time we met up, I’d say we spent . . . carry the one . . . find the lowest common denominator . . . about ten hours discussing all that is music. And one of the bands that frequented many of those conversations was Judas Priest, which then got me thinking about the band’s first album. Rocka Rolla, for some reason or another, is the red headed bastard child of the Priest catalog, and I’m not totally certain why. I know that when trying to compare it to anything post-British Steel is near impossible simply because the sound and musical direction had changed so much. In actuality, the band’s sound really took the most drastic turn with Hell Bent For Leather. Up to that point, Sad Wings of Destiny and Sin After Sin held fairly close in the pattern set with Rocka Rolla’s fuzzed out, blues-based psychedelia.

So, here it is . . . 1974 and this wee little band out of Birmingham, England releases their debut album and it doesn’t even remotely sound like the style that they would become famous for. Rocka Rolla has more in common with bands such as Poobah, or Sir Lord Baltimore, or Leaf Hound than what we’ve all come to know and love as Judas Priest. But folks . . . that’s not a bad thing! Bob Halford (as he was referred to back then) and his stratospheric pipes, K.K. Downing and Glen (that’s right . . . one ‘n’) Tipton’s dual guitar attack seamlessly shifting from rhythm to lead, Ian Hill’s no frills, played-in-pocket low end, and John Hinch’s steady hand steering the ship, Rocka Rolla is a precursor to the pre-Hell Bent For Leather releases from the Priest. Maybe a little primitive in sound, but when you sit back and listen to the groove and soul to the music, it’s easier to see that this is an overlooked gem.

The title track has long been a favorite tune of mine. The opening guitar riff is laced with those elements that would later make up that classic Priest guitar sound, as my fearless brethren, Racer, has often stated, a tone that actually sounds like metal. Capturing the essence of all that rock that became popular in the early to mid 70’s, “Rocka Rolla” is the most commercial track on the album and has a string of lyrics that I’ve found myself singing when I hadn’t listened to the song in years. Downing and Tipton shine. Between the heavy blues riffage, these ax men whip out some great lead work and give us a glimpse of the great things that would later erupt from their fingers. Halford’s voice borders on crooning lounge singer as he emits this sultry bluesy thing, gruff when he needs to be, but all around smooth. We even get some sneak previews of the higher pitched screams that became the man’s bread and butter. Of special note, check out the harmonica work. Yeah . . . not what one would expect with Judas Priest, but then again, back in 1974, we didn’t know what to expect.

“Never Satisfied” is a bruiser. Every time I hear this, I try to imagine what it would have been like to hear this for the first time in ’74. Sure, at that point, heavy rock wasn’t totally new. Zeppelin had released the Brown Bomber and Sabbath, well . . . was there anything heavier than Sabbath at the time? But, the point is, the guitar tones, the heavy groovin’ rhythms, the smoky whiskey drenched blues voice all worked in tandem to create a menacing sound that taken apart from Priests’ peers would have be otherworldly. Co-penned by the bands original singer, Alan Atkins, “Never Satisfied” has a certain blues-y factor to it, what with the chord progressions and lyrical content, but there’s also this underlying attitude to it that I think bares a semblance to latter day Priest and the metal that they would eventually forge. The guitar solos from on this one are doozies, as well. Soaring and ear splitting, Downing and Tipton were kismet from day one!

The thing with early Judas Priest that really shook my foundations and I found unnerving was their slowed down, psychedelic material; going back to tracks like “Dreamer Deceiver” and “Epitaph” from Sad Wings, and “Last Rose of Summer” from Sin After Sin. By the time I heard the chilled out psyche sounds of “Run of the Mill” and the space-y Winter Medley, I was pretty numb to Judas Priest of old. Now listening to this stuff, it’s a hundred times cooler than ever! “Run of the Mill” is packed with these great emotional interludes and dynamic shifts of metal that make the song a quasi-epic. The mini jam section in the middle of the song is laced with LSD as the guitar notes seem to waft through the air like so much pot smoke. All the while, the rhythm section is just humming along in the background, doing what a world class rhythm section is supposed to do. Slowed down tracks like these are, in my opinion, when Halford shines the brightest. Dude has a voice that can melt glaciers!

Rounding out the album with a hard rocking edge is “Dying to Meet You,” a song that initially slithers out of the speakers rather than leaping out like so many rockers. The slow distorted riff is as imposing as any out there, and then when the dual guitarists kick their rigs into a clean tone and Halford’s Sinatra-like vocals croon . . . phew! “Dying to Meet You” reflects the tumultuous times well with lyrics that paint a dark and vivid image of the psychosis of those going to war. Then, the song bursts into a galloping rhythmic beast, kicked into overdrive by a guitar solo that will kick your ass into orbit around the moon. Halford’s vocals switch up with the change in mood of the latter half of the tune and we hear the makings of classic Priest. Heavy, driving, dark and imposing, yet tasteful with a touch of classical headiness.

I could never with a straight face say that Rocka Rolla is my favorite Priest album, but I’m sure I could create some bizarre category where it would rest comfortably in the top five. Maybe, the “best 70’s psyche blues that no one talks about” list . . . anyway, most fans of Judas Priest don’t pay too much attention to the band prior to British Steel, and even fewer before Hell Bent For Leather or Stained Class. Rocka Rolla isn’t the leather clad metal militia that the band became in the 80’s. In fact, the band comes across as star crossed hippies who were dissatisfied with all of the peaceniks of the day and then experimented with hallucinogens to further their musical vision. Where Rocka Rolla stands in comparison with the heavy fussed out, acid blues rock of the same time period is beyond me, and nor do I really care. I hear a collection of songs that have a good groove, a warm though imposing tone, and melodies that I can’t help but sing to every time that I hear them.  -  Pope JTE

Buy here:  Rocka Rolla

www.judaspriest.com