Mos Generator : "Shadowlands"

Not unlike the last Atomic Bitchwax album, there is a sense that another stoner rock band is growing up to want to be the Foo-fighters. The difference between this album an Atomic Bitchwax is admitted in the lyrics to the title track that opens the album where they sing "my heart is not too strong" so obviously these guys are not doing cocaine like Atomic Bitchwax. This makes their sound not as upbeat. But the 70s Thin Lizzy vibe is present amid the Grohlism. There is a more metallic tension to  "the Destroyer". The chorus doesn't have the arena rock hook power. But the rest of the song is there, was just anticipating something more FM. There is more of a proto -metal swagger to "Drowning In Your Loving Cup". I don't even drink and it makes me want to shotgun a beer in a Camaro. The guitar solo is fucking awesome. I don't even listen for guitar solos but this makes me want to shotgun one in a Camaro.

"Stolen Ages" must refer to the fact they just stole the riff from the previous song. The rest of the band did not get this memo and got really stoned instead and are just going to jam if you are cool with that. They almost go off into some Allman Brothers, but decide to rock out on that riff again. "Gamma Hydra" is too angular and happy for me. It almost sounds like King's X, though without all the Beatles harmonies. While is very driving, it doesn't feel like there is really much to "the Blasting Concept" though it is better than the song before it. The bass player really gets it before they go off into more of a jam. "Woman Song" is a little more upbeat in mood not pace . It's more of a boogie that leaves me waiting to see how big the chorus and it doesn't hit. There is a little shade of Sabbath, but it is not as heavy. There is a more melodic break where the melody changes that I like.

They really jam out the second half of "Wild & Gentle Dogs" . The guitar playing on this one has echoes of Pink Floyd at times.

Mos Generator : " Abyssinia"

This Washington based band is pumping out fun rock n roll. There is metal influence and I have seen these guys mentioned as a doom band, perhaps they once were and then they discovered Clutch, but this is my first time giving them a spin so I am going off of what I hear here. The lose some of their partying hard momentum on the second song that just doesn't pack as much of a punch. Granted "Catspaw" doesn't rock like the first song, but it is very well written. In some ways these guys are like Kyuss on less drugs. They are less metal in their attack than Kyuss as well. "Easy Evil" glides along a stoner groove, and is a cool jam that I am sure would work well live, while listening to it on my computer, it kinda becomes background music.The singer who stays in a somewhat smoky mid range, begins to make all the songs sound the same with his very straightforward delivery that came across as being a little more soulful on the opening song.


The band's twin guitar work makes it clear that they are obviously influenced by Thin Lizzy. They go for a little grittier guitar tone on " As Above So Below" . It lumbers with a heavier foot step, but unless you are going to call Mountain's "Mississppi Queen" doom then this song isn't either. I do like the melodic middle section that adds dynamics that have been needed. They pick up the pace into more of a boogie on " Red Canyons". The first stab at metal comes with "Theres No Return From Nowhere". This carries a sludge like stomp, until everything drops out for a Pink Floyd vocal passage. There is more of a 70s prog rock feel to " Time and Other Thieves". These guys are not shabby musicians at all, I just think they could use a little more balls. But instead what we get is to be floated out by the mellow Pink Floyd worship of "the Outlander".

I think they are trying a little hard to be psychedelic and that is not what I am feeling from these guys. So I will give this album a 7.5. They can play the intervals Pink Floyd does, but I think there is a more surreal and atmospheric way to capture that sound that would have proved to be more effective. This album does have it's moments it is just a little too middle of the road to me and the prog passages are great , but set against a heavier dynamic might have held my attention more.