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***Celebrating 17 years of a great idea, Monkeywrench returns with a new studio album, their first since 2000's Electric Children. Putting together the progenitors of the modern underground--Mark Arm and Steve Turner of Mudhoney fame, Tim Kerr (Poison 13, King Sound Quartet, The Big Boys), Gas Huffer's Tom Price, and Martin Bland (Lubricated Goat)-- Monkeywrench is nothing less than a punk/grunge supergroup. . The band kicks out the same glorious, fuzz-laden mess that characterizes Mudhoney's work, but there are notable differences here: Monkeywrench has a twisted take on everything from country to psychedelic and offers impressive bluesy guitar playing. There is a Texas roots taste spread through the tracks and the rhythm section lays down a fast and furious groove (Turner's bass playing is outstanding) while dueling guitars engage in a race to the finish line. Then there's Arm's influential rasp--an unkempt, sneering yowl. It's comforting to know these gents haven't settled down. 30-second MP3 excerpts: Low on Air
Pray Til You Sweat
That's What You Get
Gabriel's Horn
Sunnyland
Crystal Brown Vibrations
Levitation
Black Plastic Tarp
Flashy New Dance Steps
Echo Canyon Express
Gabriel's Horn (Slight Return)
He Stopped Loving Her Today
On Your Arrival |
