Clutch
From Beale Street to Oblivion
DRT
Bang bang bang bang! iVamanos vamanos!
Over the last few years, Clutch have been gradually shedding their stoner roots in favor of a style befitting a band at Bonnaroo instead of Ozzfest, evident on Blast Tyrant’s fantabulous jam “WYSIWYG,” and 2005’s blooze-drenched Robot Hive/Exodus, but at the root of every Clutch disc was that undeniable muscle that refused to atrophy, from “The Mob Goes Wild” to the rampaging “Burning Beard.” Well, consider the transition complete, as the Maryland boys have journeyed southeastward to Memphis’ famous Beale Street, imbuing their already Southern-drenched sound with a strong helping of blues and soul, that stoner sound diminishing in the rearview mirror.
Power chords have been eschewed in favor of lithe boogie/blues licks, as Tim Sult sounds more in his element than ever before, given the freedom to venture into non-metallic directions, channeling ZZ Top and Foghat on the lively “When Vegans Attack” and the raucous “Child of the City.” “You Can’t Stop Progress” is the disc’s one propulsive rocker, but even there the distortion is downplayed, allowing Mick Schauer’s expressive Hammond B3 and electric piano to offset Sult’s riffs. Underrated drummer Jean-Paul Gaster brings his authoritative, punchy live sound to the new record, permitting tunes like “Power Player” and “The Devil and Me” to swing with a swagger few are capable of pulling off. The inimitable Neil Fallon, meanwhile, continues to bring more range to his charismatic holler, but his trademark lyrical cheekiness is toned down just enough to give his mates equal share of the spotlight, making for arguably the most complete, not to mention satisfying Clutch album yet. —Adrien Begrand
