In the 1990s, British progressive rockers Grey Lady Down released a few very enjoyable discs. Their second album, ‘Forces’, is one of the best cult releases of the era, chock full of fine music. With his slightly warbly vocal style, Martin Wilson often found himself in the “acquired taste” category, but if nothing else, his performances always made GLD’s work instantly recognisable.
ARCADIAN – Fault Line EP
From Christchurch, New Zealand, Arcadian are a six piece alternative metal band with some really serious chops. On their 2015 EP ‘Fault Line’ they bring six tunes that are guaranteed to impress anyone who loves their metal with an alternative slant that’s heavily downtuned with aggressive vocals, but most importantly of all, brings a frightening array of sledgehammer riffs.
TREVOR AND THE JONESES – There Was Lightning
Las Vegas based quartet Trevor and The Joneses care not for fashion. Parts of ‘There Was Lightning’ – their debut LP from 2012 – could have been recorded at the same time as The Stooges’ ‘Fun House’, while also showcasing material that’s clearly channelling a lo-fi equivalent of Neil Young’s ‘Zuma’ with occasional nods to the underground of the late 80s. In theory, this sounds like a disjointed mess…and true enough, it doesn’t sound so special the first time you hear it. After allowing the tunes time to mature and to properly sink in, however, you’ll discover an album celebrates retro rock styles in a huge fashion. …And although the material is varied – drawing influence as it does from over three decades of rock – the band have developed a surprisingly confident style.
THE NAKED SUN – Pickled Hearts
At the end of the first quarter of 2013, underground Americana band The Naked Sun dropped their first studio EP, ‘Space, Place and Time’, a brilliant mix of sounds that borrowed heavily from Neil Young and Wilco, with passing nods to the quieter strains of The Great Affairs and The Grateful Dead. In terms of blending classic Americana sounds with a little psych and a pinch of rock, it provided a great – if all too short – listen. Two years on, ‘Pickled Hearts’ picks up where the first EP left off, and for those who enjoyed their previous slice of slow-burning Americana, it will not disappoint. In fact, there are a couple of numbers where the band shows an increased confidence in their abilities; thankfully, though, any improvements are not made on a sonic level. Recorded live in the studio, ‘Pickled Hearts’ provides another brilliant glimpse of the band’s warts ‘n’ all style.
New video from stoner rock trio Vodun
London-based stoner rock band Vodun have unleashed a new animated video for their track ‘Minos Army’, which you can watch in full below. The track is also available for digital download.