Roadburn

Roadburn

Saturday at 10:00 CET there were once again enough people around the world behind their devilish computer-screens to sell out the sixteenth edition of the Roadburn Festival in about 15 minutes. This time not because the Dutch government is planning to tax ticket-prices next year making every festival twenty or something Euro’s more expensive. No; this was just because the presale started at that exact time. Fifteen minutes. It’s gonna be a grand edition once again! Maybe the last at the chosen location? Cause the venue is about to rip at the seams…

Homepage

The Machine – Drie

The Machine – Drie
Elektrohasch – 2010
Rock/Stoner/Psychedelica
Waardering: ****

Without pausing for a moment’s rest the Dutch trio of The Machine who have been steaming through the psychedelic musical landscape since 2006; truck on. The first album Shadow Of The Machine was released in 2007 and Solar Corona made the top albums list of 2009. At that time the gentlemen already professed they would release a third album in 2010. The third album called ‘Drie’ (Dutch for three/third) has now hit the stores and a fourth is in the making for 2011. Spectacular form guys! This is the way to go; back to that seventies mentality. Create, produce; let the good times roll. Especially when the quality of the songwriting is this freakin good. And not just the mentality goes back to the glorious years; so does the music. We can still hear the Jimi and Zeppelin flag flying high and Blue Cheer and Colour Haze being absolute heroes or the three amigos; with this time around a few more nods towards Kyuss. Psychedelic fuzz, whirling jams, tight stoner and acidic riffing. Incredible record; and with such a quality curve the 2011 record will definitely near perfection!

Homepage

Fill Bloom – All Things Go By

Fill Bloom – All Things Go By
Self released – 2010
Rock/Stoner
Waardering: **

The five headed monster from Alkmaar, Netherlands is called Fill Bloom and released their demo ep No Kings last year which is now followed by the four songs counting All Things Go By. The numbers are right dead center of everything affiliated with stonerrock. It isn’t really original; but it floats and drives with massive speed on ramshackle drums and nifty riffs. Founded in 2008 by members of Carp. and Trunksleeve the bands sounds mostly like Fu Manchu, Queens of The Stone Age and Soundgarden who are just jamming around for fun. The top quality of those bands is never reached; but they will probably be topshelf on their next full-size album. You can hear that in superb songs like Beauty Seduces!

Homepage

Ortega – 1634

Ortega – 1634
Self Released – 2010
Metal/Post/Doom
Waardering: ****

The four gentlemen from Groningen calling them selves Ortega are offering their record 1634 for free as a download. I hope people take a lot of advantage of this; cause it’s a kinghell of a record. Atmospherical pieces and slow dragging riffs are mixed with dreamy waves and a pounding musical storm. Comparisons with greatness like Neurosis or Isis are just and the seaworthy voyage adventure concept of the record tells a truly compelling story. Hottdamn; and only now does the quarter drop. I first discovered Capt. Ortega's logbook in a monastery overlooking the ocean. On The morning of February 13, 1634, Capt. Ortega anchored his ship behind a barrier reef… Enfin, the rest is an insane tale about tiny underwater creatures not even bigger then a thumb and a Tooter which not many people will ever believe… But you know there's something about Capt. Otega's story. That makes me believe it’s true… Let’s hope that our Groningen friends keep enjoying many; many adventures…

Myspace

Triggerfinger – All This Dancin Around

Triggerfinger – All This Dancin Around
Excelsior – 2010
Rock/Stoner/Blues
Waardering: *****

On their third studio-album All This Dancin Around, our Belgian Triggerfinger friends show once again that my above-board adoration for the gentlemen is absolutely well founded. The spectacularly tight drum-work of Goossens, the silent bass-strength of Bruystegem and the masterful tones, incredible voice and pure charisma of Block make the record vibrate with intense heat from the first to the last second. Recorded in the Sound City Studios in Los Angeles with the guidance of Greg Gordon (Slayer, Wolfmother) who listened with his mouth wide open to the powerful blues created by the guys; the album is one of absolute world-class level. His justified favorites All Night Long and Baby’s Got A Gun; fire out of the speakers. And the other nine songs are right up there with them. The entire record is even more ingenious and better constructed the their earlier ones. Intense, fierce, dangerous, horny and above all gruesomely good!

Homepage

Mini Mansions – Mini Mansions

Mini Mansions – Mini Mansions
Rekords Rekords / Ipecac – 2010
Rock / Pop / Psychedelica
Waardering: ***

One of the two last added (and less appreciated) members of Queens of The Stone age has also founded a little hobby-group; and his is called: Mini Mansions. We are of course referring to Michael Shuman who at one point in time also played with Wires Of Fire and Jubilee. When Qotsa decided to take a break to find some new inspiration; Troy van Leeuwen went on to do his Sweethead thing and Josh Homme started with his fabled Them Crooked Vultures. And of course Shuman knew that idle hands are the devils playthings; so he founded together with two childhood friends his to the Beatles and Beach Boys referring band Mini Mansions. With help from Josh and his Pink Duck studio they recorded their self-titled album and blended the desert psychedelics with that of the sixties. The result is a worthy record that uses all the psychedelic colors of the rainbow to pain its songs with hooks and precision. Suddenly; you start viewing Mr. Shuman from an entirely different angle…

Homepage

Shaking Godspeed – Awe

Shaking Godspeed – Awe
Suburban / Quadrofoon – 2010
Rock/Garage/Blues/Stoner/Psychedelica
Waardering: *****

With their five songs counting ep Shaking Godspeed released at the beginning of 2010 we could already feel the earth shaking beneath the rockfirmament. What an incredibly righteous band was the conclusion made by one and all. Now that the band has released their first official full-size album the expectations are pretty damn high. But without any hesitation or doubt the guys deliver. With Paul Dierssen replacing Pieter Holkenborg, who wanted to continue on with his own band Automatic Sam, the threesome bring forth their pure rock taking to their perfect extremes. In the base their blues, garage and jamband related music has been intelligently composed and very excitingly colored in by raw excess and deranged drumfills and bassditties. For ten songs on end the band drags you along on a righteous rock-adventure after which they leave you tired but completely satisfied to catch yer breath. Shaking Godspeed; in awe and full wonderment!

Homepage

Gram Rabbit – Miracles & Metaphors

Gram Rabbit – Miracles & Metaphors
Cobraside – 2010
Electro/Pop/Rock/Psychedelica
Waardering: *****

How silently can a majestic album be unleashed upon the world? The fourth full-length album called Miracles & Metaphors of the Palm Desert / Joshua Tree pyscho-electropop formation Gram Rabbit has appeared a few weeks ago without any press whatsoever. (Or as they like to call the music themselves: desert-space-rock-tronica.) Without any doubt Miracles & Metaphors is their best album yet; and their earlier ones were already pretty damn incredible. What is that magic that that little part of the desert seems to do? Every band hailing from that little place in the world or at one point recorded an album out there; seems to carry a part of that experience with them forever and they also carry it out. On Miracles & Metaphors you can again hear that capricious, mystical and spacious sound. Josh Homme and Chris Goss would be extremely proud of the gentlemen and their frontwoman Jessika von Rabbit. It grates, shaves and bumps but it is also extremely sexy, sensual and other worldly. It’s enough to give you red red bunny ears!

Homepage

Floodstain – Slave To The Self Feeding Machine

Floodstain – Slave To The Self Feeding Machine
BadMoonMan Records – 2010
Stoner/Metal/Sludge
Waardering: ****

Our Dutch friends of the band Floodstain hailing from the beautiful village of; kuchkuch, Hellevloetsluis have delivered their fourth album named Slave To The Self Feeding Machine. Their second with BadMoonMan Records; the label of those crazy Russian freaks who know where to put the vodka! They also know where to find the righteous stoner, metal, sludge en powerful rock! The record starts out heavy, soggy and juicy after which they explore most every corner of the different genres. Even though it has been recorded with limited means; the album’s production sounds great, rough and ferocious. The only true way for Floodstain to sound. Let’s head to the big stages with these guys and Slave To The Self Feeding Machine might just be the right vehicle to get there!

Homepage

Asylum On The Hill – Passage To The Puzzle Factory

Asylum On The Hill – Passage To The Puzzle Factory
Mine’s Bigger Than Yours / Suburban – 2010
Rock/Stoner
Waardering: *****

Shamelessly praising a record all the way up to heaven is my forte; honoring my heroes my only goal. Even so; I will still always mention if the record is in fact as good as I claim it to be. Now that the album Passage To The Puzzle Factory of hero Dave Angstrom’s new band Asylum On The Hill has finally arrived; I can state without any sweat of my sack that it is even better then I had dared to dream! The humor and sheer fun of making the record crackles right through the speakers; nowhere do they take themselves too serious and it is obvious the guys are here to rock as hard as they can. Counting interludes and hidden tracks they do this rockin for eighteen songs on end. Danko ‘The Mango Kid’ Jones also drops by to do a soft little ditty on the song Last Ride and there are two calmer moments to enjoy. But otherwise we have an album that has logically been filled with grinding, steaming stonerrock, odd breaks, massive riffing, incredible drumwork and Dave’s versatile, emotional and overwhelming voice! You would almost start hoping that Hermano is now a thing of the past…

Homepage

Tricorn – Tricorn

Tricorn – Tricorn
Self released – 2009
Stoner
Waardering: ****

You have to attend a show performed by the band originating from Portsmouth England called Tricorn for a lesson in how to bring pure stoner with an awesome groove. Recorded in sunny Greece, their self titled debut album sounds like a true ode to how it all got started. The foursome have already made a name for themselves in the earlier named Greece and also Germany with their explosive mix of old school stoner, interlaced with some grunge and metal influences. Think Fu Manchu, Kyuss and of course Sabbath. A dash of Alice in Chains and an occasional reminder of Orange Goblin. Think raw, smokey and smelling of whisky and beer type vocals over aggressive riffing and a driving force. Crunchy, tasty and the absolute right choice for any begin of a memorable night. Let’s hope these guys come our way real fast… Or perhaps are invited to perform at Roadburn 2010? Grin!

Homepage

Gozu – Locust Season

Gozu – Locust Season
Small Stone / Bertus – 2010
Stoner
Waardering: ****

Well; we can be short and sweet about this one: Gozu is incredible! Okay, let’s add a little bit of information then. The American born Gozu treated us to a wonderful piece of music back in 2008, but with their new album Locust Season we can write home to mommy or Santa Claus if that tickles yer fancy more. Testosterone stoner of the top shelf, a slightly less ingenious version of early Queens of The Stone Age, but not slightly less tasty. The straightforward muscle rock is unforgiving and rough. Add to this the powerful and diverse throat of singer Marc Gaffney and you are ready for a hardy kick under your Gozu!

Myspace

Nosfell – Nosfell

Nosfell – Nosfell
Polydor/V2 – 2009
Rock/Alternative/Folk/African/Arabic/Scat/Beatbox
Waardering: ****

Strange creatures; those guys that hide behind the name Nosfell. Cause it is not only the name of the Frenchy who besides Nosell also refers to himself as Labyala Fela Da Jawid Fel; which means something along the lines of ‘The Man Who Walks And Heals’. It is also the name of the trio comprised of a cellist; a drummer and multi-instrumentalist Nosfell himself. But this is not the only reason we can call these guys strange or maybe weird; cause they also claim to hail from the planet Klokochazia. That’s why most of the lyrics are of course sung in Klokobetz; the mother tongue. Well, enough with all the silliness; let’s leave that on some stool somewhere or maybe a dressoir. Produced by Alain Johannes their third self titled record in a wonderful piece of music. Different, diverse and enthralling. Besides Alain we also hear Josh Homme and Brody Dalle doing a little ditty; in a song reminiscent of something Waits called Bargain Healers; which by a matter of fact is the first song in which husband and wife both do a first voice bit. We get pulled down the waterfall of musical emotion that sounds like pure rock, inspires with jumpy funk and captivates the soul with folkballads. Tres gracieux!

Homepage