Stoner rock was a product of the 1990s. Here we hark back to those acid-driven times with “Odile”, the second release from this Swiss six-piece.
What we get is ten decent, unpretentious and varied rock songs. My initial reaction on listening to opening track “Run Your Course Crazy Star” was that the energy outweighed the quality. But this isn’t music that needs to be or should be produced to the nth degree. “Run Your Course Crazy Star” is grainy and rough at the edges. It’s roaring and loud. The vocals are not refined but it’s forceful and everything smacks of attitude and energy. There’s a slight post-modern twist, but it’s all quite retro. “Welcome to The Core” has an Oasis-type swagger behind the pounding beat but I sense that Das Röckt’s home is where “Totentanz” is: bluesy, psychedelic, no finesse but old-fashioned rock n roll. After “Bureau Amour”, another old school fuzzy rock song, comes my favourite “(Where’s the) Acid Party”. It’s a sophisticated song with nice patterns and structure, combining all the ingredients into a typically coherent song. The hard-hitting depth and dinginess are reinforced on “My Meat Car”. It’s followed by the crunchy “Steady As She Goes” whose rock riff and off-the-wall sound reminded me of something I might have heard on “The Old Grey Whistle Test” all those years ago. The riff continues into “1981” but this expands interestingly in a hippie-stonerish kind of way. The singer doesn’t scream, and it would be unfitting if he did, but his vocals are sufficiently strong to support the punchy instrumental line. There’s an intriguing vocal-guitar combo on “Georgia O’Keeffe”, without doubt one of the most imaginative tracks on the album and I imagine in honour of the American artist of the same name. “Spin Glass” closes the album, and makes sure it ends on a high note with all the usual retro ingredients but also great progression and atmosphere. This is a very good band.
“Odile” comes from the centre for classic old school hard rock, but it’s not without a few imaginative twists. Its style is not my personal preference but Das Röckt work it in different and interesting ways. The songs and the passion for playing them are good, making this an accomplished and enjoyable album.
(7.5/10 Andrew Doherty)
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