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Brant Bjork and The Low Desert Punk Band-Black Power Flower
Artist : Brant Bjork and The Low Desert Punk Band
Album : Black Power Flower
Label : Napalm Records
Year : 2014
Genre : Rock Source : CDDA
Encoder : FLAC 1.2.1 Bitrate : 1004kbps
Playtime : 49:37 Size : 356.66 MB
Tracks:
01 Controllers Destroyed 05:11
02 We Don't Serve Their Kind 04:15
03 Stokely Up Now 05:06
04 Buddha Time (Everything Fine) 03:23
05 Soldier Of Love 05:42
06 Boogie Woogie On Your Brain 03:28
07 Ain't No Runnin' 03:00
08 That's A Fact, Jack 05:20
09 Hustler's Blues 05:59
10 Where You From, Man? 08:13
Notes:
Only a few months after completing a world tour with
Vista Chino (ex-Kyuss Lives!), Brant Bjork unexpectedly
returned to the stage with some friends under the new
moniker, The Low Desert Punk Band. Even though nobody
expected any new solo material this year, he started
teasing the crowds with several fresh tunes. Then,
without much hype, landed his hardest hitting album
yet, Black Power Flower.
Mixing his trademark cannabis soaked rock 'n' rol'e
with copious amounts of hard rock this time, Brant
churned a multitude of chunky riffs and packed them
into one cohesive unit. He always had a penchant for
heavy grooves, but often toned them down with spaced
out jams. However, on Black Power Flower the man cranks
his amps up to eleven and lets the good times roll. His
tenure in Vista Chino must have ambitioned him to add a
whole new layer of distortion to the songs and it works
wonders. Cuts like 'Stokely Up Now' and 'Buddha Time
(Everything Fine)' are murky monsters that kick harder
than anything on previous records. The fuzzy grooves
are at a crossroad between melodic and dissonant,
whereas screeching solos are wandering all over the
place. 'Controller Destroyed' and 'We Don't Serve Their
Kind' share punk influences, boasting some infectious
melodies and some of that cool swag we all love to hear
from the guy. For this album, even the vocal delivery
has been switched from the usual prophetic tone to
shouts. It is a very appropriate move, as the songs ask
for urgency, a feature you wouldn't correlate with
Brant Bjork.
'Soldier Of Love' and 'That's A Fact, Jack' are closer
to the laid back, stoned jams, yet the Low Desert Punks
wrapped them in a layer of fuzz too, turning them into
dirty rockers. Plus, the funky wahs and imposing vocals
work their magic over the rather simple, but downright
catchy chord progressions. The tension breaks towards
the end of the record, where 'Hustler's Blues' and
'Where You From, Man?' bring out the hazy side
portrayed best on Jalamanta or Saved By Magic. The
former feels like a night drive through the desert with
its smoky bass lines and guitar licks, before bursting
into an explosive finale. The latter is the soundtrack
to the ride back home, where a main riff is looped for
over eight minutes. It gradually loses steam and Brant
adds only some echoed effects, a few spoken vocals and
solos, leaving enough room for jamming. It will most
probably become a live favorite.
In the end, no matter what trends arise, Brant Bjork is
one of the most comfortable artists and doesn't wish to
step outside of his universe. In a genre he helped
define and refine over years, he still delivers some of
the most basic and yet compelling riffs all by himself.
Whether you hand him a fuzz pedal and a wall of
cabinets or just an acoustic guitar, the man will never
fail to offer you a slick tune. There are dozens of
acts that thrive on his legacy, still, if you want the
real deal you need to come back to the godfather of
stoner rock. Black Power Flower doesn't aim to break
boundaries, it just maintains the high standards that
everyone should seek. Roll up a fat one and enjoy.