Ketchup Vol. 9
Another 10 recently-released records I can’t give the full attention they deserve.
All Them Witches – Our Mother Electricity (Elektrohasch)
Coming out of a thriving Nashville rock scene, ATW represents the stoner rock contingent. Riff-happy but not to the point of overload, the trio develops strong melodies beyond simple power chords, allowing a folky side to peak out – not to mention a lot of heart. Picks to click: “The Urn,” “Right Hand”
Colour Haze – She Said (Elektrohasch)
Elektrohasch mainstay Colour Haze (with label head Stefan Koglek pulling rank in the band as well) has been a steady provider of colorful psychedelic grunge for years. This double CD is the trio’s most ambitious set yet, with double-digit tracks and an almost fanatical devotion to riff-soaked guitar freakouts. Picks to click: “Transformation,” “Grace”
Eight Bells – The Captain’s Daughter (Seventh Rule)
Formerly trading under the name SubArachnoid Space, guitarist Melynda Jackson keeps her psychedelic prog metal in full thunder with her new project. Mixing quiet, meditative sounds into the acid-fried shredding and adding occasional mutter-to-shriek vocals, Jackson cannily works the midpoint between tuneful composition and wild-eyed technique. Picks to click: “The Captain’s Daughter,” “Yellowed Wallpaper”
Gliss – Langdom Dans (Modern Outsider)
Dialing back (but not eliminating) noise, adding some groove and upping the melody quotient evolves this Danish/American trio beyond its shoegaze roots. Somehow both poppier and trippier, the band’s third LP goes down sweet. Picks to click: “Hunting,” “Kite in the Sky”
Good For You – Life is Too Short Not to Hold a Grudge (SST)
It’s no wonder Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn picked skateboarder Mike Vallely to front his new outfit: the guy sounds a hell of a lot like Flag-era Henry Rollins. GFY stays faithful, for better or worse, to the Flag’s mid-period mix of punk and 70s metal, too. Picks to click: “I’d Rather Die,” “It’s Just Business”
Hollis Brown – Ride On the Train (Alive)
Brooklyn’s Hollis Brown is part of the new trend of bands that play straight-up rock & roll, no hyphens required – think Blitzen Trapper with a more overt C&W influence but without the psychedelia. The songwriting’s a bit uneven, but when it works, it’s really nice. Picks to click: “Down On Your Luck,” “Gypsy Black Cat”
Hot Lunch – s/t (Tee Pee)
Eric Shea used to lead Mover and Parchman Farm, and fans of those bands will know to expect a mix of 70s blues rock and the sound of Detroit. Hot Lunch adds a streak of mystical psychedelia, giving Shea’s firebrand punk & roll a sense of the epic, like the Stooges covering The Yes Album. Picks to click: “Lady of the Lake,” “Monks On the Moon”
Kinski – Cosy Moments (Kill Rock Stars)
Not being familiar with this Seattle troop’s catalog, I can’t say if Cosy Moments is a good Kinski record. I can say that I find this LP’s noisy-yet-tuneful psychedelia, poppy postpunk and hard-driving Krautrock very satisfying. Picks to click: “Long Term Exit Strategy,” “Throw It Up”
Under the Psycamore – I(7d Media)
This Stockholm duo is part of the post-*Porcupine Tree* generation of atmospheric, melancholy prog rock bands with metallic tendencies. Interestingly, the group’s harmonies sound inspired by Alice in Chains, giving the album a brooding, therapist-on-speed-dial feel. Picks to click: “Amalthea,” “Beyond the Fire II”
Dustin Welch – Tijuana Bible (self-released)
Singer/songwriter Dustin shares a similar storytelling sense with his father Kevin, but his vision includes aggression in his folk rock. Subtle Celtic and sea shanty flavorings carve space away from not only his father, but the Austin music scene in general. Picks to click: “Across the Rubicon,” “Jolly Johnny Junker”
