From a quick straw poll amongst friends and friends of friends, I believe I am not the only one who had has issues with the recent output of Clutch. Whilst no one seems to doubt their live credentials, the last two or three have found varying degrees of dissatisfaction. Always mavericks, always endearingly eccentric and possessed of a way with words like no one else they appeared to have become a little lost and, indeed, the strange cousins from the West. Almost like the strange homeless guy talking to the pigeons outside the off license but not drinking, not bothering anyone.
Well, with Earth Rocker, Clutch have not ‘returned to form’ they have just dropped the shabby coat and with an Alan Moore-like gleam in their eyes transformed into the rockin’ bastard super heroes they always were. And still as barking mad as you want them to be.
They open up with the title track and a Doors gone stoner melody that just thumps down into a straight down the line rocker: Neil Fallon’s voice on perfect form and rhythm barking out those lyrics that just make more sense the more you listen. It is a bit obvious for Clutch (well apart from the insane evil laughs…) but it is a helluva statement. One that Crucial Velocity just powers up into overdrive. With a beginning that is very Robot Hive Exodus but the chorus just hits like an indie car at full tilt. This is the stuff that pits are made of and fuck if I don’t spontaneously sprout a beard and just lose it. This rockin’ 88 just floors it and…
Jeez.
Of course they can’t keep this up.
Wanna bet?
Mr Freedom. The kind of..ahem.. Pure Rock Fury that sounds like a blues madman with a groove the depth of the Grand Canyon and lyrics that just gnaw at your rational brain until you see the light. And DC Sound Attack is just… Fuck even by this point I have utterly lost it. When they howl “I’m warmonger baby, I got blood in my eyes. And I’m looking at you…” my bones shake right down my spine. This is hard as nails blues rock with a stoner vibe and added harmonica that shakes your spine so fucking hard bone dice drop out your tush. Unto The Breach? Utter blues metal bludgeon that Orange Goblin would be proud of but taken further. The band is as loose as a writhing, thrashing python but with just that amazing musical touch that rides it perfectly, intuitively. Shit if they do that lot live in a row the crowd would be like boneless rag dolls.
Thank the goddess for Gone Cold. Slow, downbeat, semi-acoustic chill out and chilling at the same time. The resonance of the vocals, the perfect bass and guitar plucking every ounce of emotion and loss from the song.
They even bring is back up slowly with The Face, another song about ragged rabble rousers in polyester trousers (sic) that smoulders with frustration and regret and opposition to the electric preachers. And then the rising thunder of Book, Saddle & Go which brings back the Canned Heat boogie like no other. And how could anyone resist a song called Cyborg Bette (she has a cold ass, you know, but she runs hot. And the song does too, heads down headbanging hot). Superior firepower indeed.
Honestly if you are foolish enough to hit pause you find yourself grinning and shaking in the presence of a band that is a damned ironclad, a bloody battleship of blues and metal and stoner that hits you with volley after volley that just keeps you rockin back on your heels.
Then when you think they’ve already hit their peak they load up Oh, Isabella and blow the entire goddamned fleet out of the goddamned water. This is just about the finest Clutch song I have ever heard. This is lyrically, musically and emotionally pounding, mad, rockin nirvana.
They close with just a fine end of set rocker in The Wolf Man Kindly Requests, which is just the perfect comedown, a solid, fine, catchy blues boogie gently (ish) escorting you to the door.
So. Not one duff song. Not one filler. Not even fucking close. The album kicks like a mule with personal space issues and there is no way, NO WAY, that a band as old as Clutch should possibly return to form with an album this bloody awesome. Honestly? Lyrically and musically this is what I always wanted Clutch to be. This is, frankly, brilliant.
Oh please let them bring this to the UK. Please. I will be there.
(9.5/10 Gizmo)
25/03/2013 at 3:27 pm
This review bodes well for my soon to arrive pre-order. Last time I saw them live was on a bizarre bill in Glasgow with Clutch; let me second you on hopes for a full UK tour with a decent line up!