Topeka Kansas is the home to this trio of desert rockers. Comprising of Steve Moss on vox and guitar, Brandong Burghart on drums and Mike Boyne providing the four fat strings, these boys offer 11 dirty bluesy numbers via Napalm Records.
This is the bands third full length having spat out a self titled, self released opus in 2010 and 2012’s Buffalo via Karate Body Records (great name – do they mean Batfinks buddy).
This band offer balls, fuzzy rock reminiscent of Fu Manchu and Red Fang. Moss has an abrasive vocal style relying on a rasping throat rather than a hearty bellow. This allows the music to take centre stage rather than the usual baritone heavy mic crushers associated with many Clutch worshippers.
Instrumental opener “ Along the Chasm” gives way to “Gladstone “ which brings with it a rumbling bass line which trips along with the drums and a gloriously girthsome guitar sound. When Moss roars “I’ll be the one who makes you cry!” you believe him!
B.C. Trucker starts with the kind of riff that needs a car chase happening around it. Maybe a pick up truck, an 18 wheeler and Dale Earnhart’s NASCAR beast duelling it out in some unholy dust bowl. The drums pound like they belong on a Roman Galley. The Midnight Ghost Train offer plenty of top end to go with the bluesy groove and rumble which keeps an All American rock feel to proceedings.
There is a real Southern swagger running throughout the album and Delta Blues is obviously a love of these guys as evident on “Arvonia” in particular. It starts with a bass sound that reminded me of early Steve Harris or Hawkwind (the spacey noises in the background leaned towards the latter) then they were off in their super charged V8 again. All the time while I am listening to this I am thinking “this is nothing new, be cynical, don’t let it get in your head or feet”. Yeah OK so there is a plethora of bearded tattooed guys and gals who offer their take on whiskey soaked or weed stenched blues rawk. BUT , and it is a big chequered flag tattooed BUTT these guys can play and know when to slow things down and when to whip that nag and get the fuck outta Dodge.
“One Last Shelter” gets a groove going early doors before an almost lo-fi riff kicks in and then the rhythm section kick the fuck out of my ears with a pair of square toed monogrammed boots before changing to “The Canfield” which is a Fallonesque Blues number. Heaaaaavvvvvvvy Bluuuuuuuuuues of course.
This Ghost Train knows when to speed things up again. Following a couple more bluesy numbers “No. 227” bursts out. This reminded me of Nashville Pussy with more guts or Motorhead with a slower chorus. Great stuff. To add light and shade “The Little Sparrow” see’s Moss in Nick Cave / Tom Waits form as he narrates a tale of woe with just a bassline to accompany him. It sounds like a cover but I cannot find any reference. It is executed superbly and is quite a brave move for a band in relative infancy. “Twin Souls” follows and adds some pace to things but still keeps a melancholy air. It has finally hit me who these guys also bring to mind. The Aussie blokes Cruel Sea. Something about the swagger and the laid back air of the songs .
In a saturated market of hirsute fuzzed out minstrels these boys are holding their own and offer something for any cat that likes their riffs heavy and their bass lines turbo charged.
(7.5/10 Matt Mason)
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