TWITTER: https://twitter.com/heavyamerica
Written
by Bradley Johnson, posted by blog admin
When it comes
to stoned age rock, Massachusetts’ warriors Heavy America don’t reinvent the
wheel but they are darn good at what they do.
They are still running on the Flintstone’s brand tire; stony grooves
from another era, reverberating guitars pared down on the distortion and
leathery rhythms the likes of which will bring any bar full of bikers to its
knees. All of this is apparent from the
very first track “Proud Shame” and its brazen retro glory riffs trading shots
with the bleary-eyed grunge of forgotten legends Love Battery and TAD. A slightly less heavy TAD might actually be
the most accurate comparison to make when reflecting on Heavy America’s
style. They’ve got that woodsy, weirdo
feel in spades.
That’s not to
say that this trio isn’t capable of writing more anthemic fare, balancing
rousing vocal mantras with flaming head on riffs and folky accoutrements that are
pop enough to inspire sing-a-longs yet tough enough to instill fear (“Bleed
Mary” and the lengthy, expansive “Casting Stones” being prime examples of this
side of Heavy America’s songbook).
Sometimes the modest, head-kicking rockers prove to be a band’s best
friend when executed properly and these guys are ready, willing and able to let
dynamics take a backseat to a good beating on the steadfast thump of “Pray for
Me,” the lumbering “Goliath” and endnote “Achilles Fail’s” reliance on feral,
staccato riffing. “Sweet Kisses” and
“Heavy Eyes” are a showcase for the band’s careful hand at threading together
songs that rock sweetly and swim with Mike Seguin’s high-powered vocals. These tracks are bathed in blues, rinsed in
muddy river water and plenty inviting like a homemade apple pie on a window
ledge. “I Can Take It” on the other hand
is completely different than anything else on the record; being a formless,
psychedelic visage of fuzzy, mouth-watering 70s rock that uses repetition of
riffs, weird decaying signal frequencies and heavily processed
delay/reverb/phasing washes akin to the heyday of Man’s Ruin Records and that
label’s many quirky hard rock heroes.
…Now is Heavy
America’s first long-playing record; the band stepping out of the shadow of
shorter single releases and an equally excellent EP. There is no shortage of good tuneage to be
had on this one. Heavy America only
falters in the sense that those looking for a completely cohesive experience
might not get exactly that. Though the
songs are all rooted in old school influences, the number of structurally
different tunes create more of a collection than a full-fledged seamless
experience (with one or two tracks not quite fitting along with the rest), but
overall you can’t ask for a much better debut.
No comments:
Post a Comment