Words by Jonathan Stout
When not doing freelance writing, Jonathan Stout is heavily involved in the NKY and Cincinnati music scenes as the Marketing Manager for Kentucky based venue The Southgate House Revival and founder of DIY Recording label Lo Fi City Recordings. He’s also an active musician, performing and recording with Sleepy Drums, Mutt Fuzz, Burnt Cabins and gewgaw.
Bitchin Bajas– Isle Peaks (Drag City)
Bitchin Bajas continue to hypnotize listeners on their newest EP, Isle Peaks with two long playing tracks that take separate sonic journeys – each one touching on heady, cosmic terrain. Beginning in a place very far from where it ends, the EP’s first track, “Ajami”, undulates and fluctuates like a flowing river, with swaths of different synth textures washing over the listener, augmented throughout by ambient guitar feedback, saxophone and more. Meandering through dense soundscapes, the track then builds into frantic white rapids, only to land the ship in calm, meditative terrain- the point at which title track Isle Peaks takes over. A gorgeous, 10 minute long composition, the second song evokes a sense of peace and calm stillness that serenely envelopes listeners with a mysterious feeling of hope. Wow! What a fun listen this was!
Elephant Stone – ASHA (Elephants on Parade)
After focusing a bit more on poppier elements on their previous release, Elephants Stone’s newest, ASHA dials things back into pulsing, ominous, hard psych territory, making for a fantastically focused piece of work that celebrates all the great aspects of the genre. Although psych rock lyricism often focuses on abstractions and existential concepts, ASHA takes the anxiety of modern day living head on with the fuzzed out glam punk ripper “Everything Evil” and the thundering, scathing takedown of insidious politicians on “Fascists Killed Yer Rock ‘N’ Roll.” Sonically, it’s a very stimulating record, carefully filled with textures and expertly taking advantage of stereo mixing, with sounds flowing back and forth between speakers and instruments carefully panned to give a great sense of space and depth. With that being said – this record will rip on a set of speakers – but strap on some headphones to really take it all in.
Mastodon– Marrow Deep (Loma Vista Recording Company)
I’ll admit it – I was initially skeptical of the new Mastodon album. Although all of the members’ contributions are important, Brent Hinds’ lead guitar work was a major factor that set the band’s sound apart from their peers. Although shredding is a well-honed skillset, it’s not a strict indicator of talent. If you don’t add any unique inflection to it, you just become another big hair flexer, trying to fit as many notes per second as possible. To put it simply – it gets masturbatory very quickly. That’s how Hinds was different – he had overt shredding capability but constantly turned things on their head – incorporating unexpected modes, scales, tempos and genres, to the point where it often seemed like his abilities were endless. Was I confident that they could find a skilled guitarist for the job? Yes, of course. Confident that they’d land a uniquely talented guitarist? Not so sure.
With their newest, Marrow Deep, the verdict is still out, but replacement guitarist Nick Johnston is no lightweight and seems up to the task. If you squint (your ears?!) or don’t pay full attention, you may not even notice a difference, as it’s oftentimes subtle. The lineup change aside – this album rips with the kind of energy that the band hasn’t exhibited in the last few album cycles. Although there are still some heavy themes of loss and existential longing, it doesn’t wallow quite as deeply in sadness as the previous, Hushed and Grim, and instead feels musically energized. The new members Johnston (guitar) and João Nogueira (synth/keyboards) are allowed space to show off fresh ideas multiple times (especially on album closer “The Three Fates”) that feel a lot more like vital contributions and less like the subtle ambiance of hired guns.
Another presence that has been missing from the mix since Hushed and Grim is Neurosis’ Scott Kelly, who retired from music in 2022 after admitting to abusive behavior against his family. But they make up for it, in spades, with an all star list of guest appearances, including Randy Blythe (Lamb of God), Josh Homme (QOTSA), Neil Fallon (Clutch), Nate Newton (Converge) and more. But my favorite appearance is that of Geezer Butler (BLACK SABBATH!) who plays bass on “The Vanishing”, a song that mixes the heady space psych of Crack the Skye with the meandering trippy vibe of Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan.”
Overall, what’s endearing about seeing all of these heavy hitters contribute to Marrow Deep is that it’s almost like the upper echelon of modern metal came together, realizing that the mighty Mastodon had been weakened, and made a group decision to help them get back up and once again rise to greatness. And Marrow Deep does just that – it succeeds in once again feeling like a Mastodon album, especially in the way that it improves with every listen.
After spending his last couple releases infusing more laid back, classic rock vibes into his sound, Ty Segall returned recently with Chrome, a record that sees him returning to the fierceness of some of his early grungy fuzzed out punk metal material. Never one to fully repeat himself, however, he subverts things once again by infusing his newer, groovier, classic rock tendencies into his scuzzy, detuned riffs from the days of old. The results can be thrilling – such as on “Running to Nowhere” which begins with a heavy thickly distorted punk riff, recalling the edge of Slaughterhouse, which then takes a turn into emotive folk rock, and proceeds to alternate between the two styles for the duration. Or on the title track album closer, Chrome, which blends high octane spastic punk with confidently charging biker rock, serving as the ultimate example of the spirit of Segall’s current phase of classic rock punk. It’s rousing to see an artist as prolific as Segall clearly return to his own material for inspiration, but instead of repeating it, finding new ways of rearranging and presenting it.
Further Recommended Listening:
Spirit Mother – Thistle (Sound of Liberation Records)
Jim James – Wowed Out (ATO Records)
Allah-Las – Sirenas (Mexican Summer)