There are few bands in this world that you can 100% count on for delivering a great album every time they release something. It is an exclusive club that only the very best of bands can belong to and one of its most celebrated members has to be Sons Of Otis. Ever since the 1996 album 'Spacejumbofudge' the band have been on a roll. Sure you can argue some albums have been better than others but they have always delivered a top-shelf product with each recording. Their new album 'Seismic' has arrived three years since their last but it is hard to believe it has been that long.
The band might have gone through almost a dozen drummers since they first formed 20 years ago but even that never seems to slow them down. This new album arrives with a very Fu Manchu-ish looking album cover and there is more of a nod to the big riffing days of the early stoner/desert rock scene compared with some of their earlier releases but make no mistake about it, this is a pure Sons Of Otis album that remains loyal to the template they created on albums like 'Templeball.'
There is a lot to be said for how bands place their songs in the playing order on albums and this release is a classic example of a band getting it right. This album flows so wonderfully well from start to finish that it often ends up sounding like a short and concise EP, and not a 50+ minute full length album. Kicking off with 'Far From Fine' and 'Lessons,' the band do indeed give the listener a lesson in how fuzzed out, amp-destroying stoner, psychedelic doom should be handled. These two songs are the most simple out of the albums 7 tracks and the shortest even though they both catapult the senses into the cosmos for around 6 minutes each. The psychedelic, spaced-out sound that the band are famous for (at least in the underground) is still here but these two tracks are very catchy by Sons Of Otis standards and dare I say, might just be the two most commercially driven songs the band have ever recorded (I use that term loosely of course). The songs are made so infectious by memorable vocal hooks and captivating riffage, the like of which reminded me of Matt Pike and High On Fire at their very best.
However with all albums that this great band releases, there are detours in sound, style and in sheer experimental noise and approach and that first happens in the third track 'Alone' which is a psychedelic freak-out jam. Sons Of Otis have always had a bluesy backbone and that is evident in this track and also in the closing track 'Cosmic Jam' that has one foot in 70's hard rock with the other foot in solid, crushing psychedelic doom that is loaded with feeling. 'Cosmic Jam' seems to built around a variation on the main riff from Led Zeppelin’s ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and then building that into another freak-out jam. The band is a near flawless example of what "downer-rock" is and that depression and pain is truly felt in a track called 'Guilt.' Although I think this is the albums only less than mind-blowing track, it can still wipe the floor with most other bands that are messing with downer-rock themes, musically and otherwise.
The almost totally instrumental mind-fuck that is 'PK' highlights the bands ability at creating disturbing but insanely catchy grooves and is a major high-point in the album. The bass and guitar swirls around the room and the overwhelming echo effect that is used only makes this an even more dizzying experience for the listener. As I mentioned earlier, the album art hints that this might be more of a 70's influenced album compared with other Sons Of Otis releases and it is made even more that way with an excellent take on the Mountain classic track 'Never In My Life.' Covering Mountain is nothing new for the band, they recorded 'Mississippi Queen' for the 'Templeball' album. In many respects, Sons Of Otis are the modern-day stonerized, doomified version of the Leslie West trio so covering them seems almost essential.
'Seismic' is the sound of seasoned professionals doing what they do best, sheer stonerized psychedelic doom jams. To quote Wikipedia - "Seismic waves are waves of energy that travel through the Earth, and are a result of an earthquake, explosion, or a volcano that imparts low-frequency acoustic energy." That almost sums up this album, buy it....9.5/10.
Facebook
Small Stone Records
The band might have gone through almost a dozen drummers since they first formed 20 years ago but even that never seems to slow them down. This new album arrives with a very Fu Manchu-ish looking album cover and there is more of a nod to the big riffing days of the early stoner/desert rock scene compared with some of their earlier releases but make no mistake about it, this is a pure Sons Of Otis album that remains loyal to the template they created on albums like 'Templeball.'
There is a lot to be said for how bands place their songs in the playing order on albums and this release is a classic example of a band getting it right. This album flows so wonderfully well from start to finish that it often ends up sounding like a short and concise EP, and not a 50+ minute full length album. Kicking off with 'Far From Fine' and 'Lessons,' the band do indeed give the listener a lesson in how fuzzed out, amp-destroying stoner, psychedelic doom should be handled. These two songs are the most simple out of the albums 7 tracks and the shortest even though they both catapult the senses into the cosmos for around 6 minutes each. The psychedelic, spaced-out sound that the band are famous for (at least in the underground) is still here but these two tracks are very catchy by Sons Of Otis standards and dare I say, might just be the two most commercially driven songs the band have ever recorded (I use that term loosely of course). The songs are made so infectious by memorable vocal hooks and captivating riffage, the like of which reminded me of Matt Pike and High On Fire at their very best.
However with all albums that this great band releases, there are detours in sound, style and in sheer experimental noise and approach and that first happens in the third track 'Alone' which is a psychedelic freak-out jam. Sons Of Otis have always had a bluesy backbone and that is evident in this track and also in the closing track 'Cosmic Jam' that has one foot in 70's hard rock with the other foot in solid, crushing psychedelic doom that is loaded with feeling. 'Cosmic Jam' seems to built around a variation on the main riff from Led Zeppelin’s ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and then building that into another freak-out jam. The band is a near flawless example of what "downer-rock" is and that depression and pain is truly felt in a track called 'Guilt.' Although I think this is the albums only less than mind-blowing track, it can still wipe the floor with most other bands that are messing with downer-rock themes, musically and otherwise.
The almost totally instrumental mind-fuck that is 'PK' highlights the bands ability at creating disturbing but insanely catchy grooves and is a major high-point in the album. The bass and guitar swirls around the room and the overwhelming echo effect that is used only makes this an even more dizzying experience for the listener. As I mentioned earlier, the album art hints that this might be more of a 70's influenced album compared with other Sons Of Otis releases and it is made even more that way with an excellent take on the Mountain classic track 'Never In My Life.' Covering Mountain is nothing new for the band, they recorded 'Mississippi Queen' for the 'Templeball' album. In many respects, Sons Of Otis are the modern-day stonerized, doomified version of the Leslie West trio so covering them seems almost essential.
'Seismic' is the sound of seasoned professionals doing what they do best, sheer stonerized psychedelic doom jams. To quote Wikipedia - "Seismic waves are waves of energy that travel through the Earth, and are a result of an earthquake, explosion, or a volcano that imparts low-frequency acoustic energy." That almost sums up this album, buy it....9.5/10.
Small Stone Records
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Clik here to view.
