Mushroom River Band-'Simsalabim'

[Father_Doom]

Band: Mushroom River Band
Album: Simsalabim
Format: CD
Label: MeteorCity
Time: 43 minutes
Year: 2002
Track list:

Simsalabim
Bugs
Make it Happen
Change It
My Vote is Blank
Tree of No Hope
Proud of Being Cool
Time-Laps
The Big Stick Machine
Run, Run, Run

Band Site and Cover Photo: www.stonerrock.com/mushroom/

‘Simsalibim’ is Sweden’s  Mushroom River Band’s sophomore release; the U.S. issue follows the European and Japanese versions by several months. Evidently the European release was pushed ahead to correspond with a band tour.  If you love stoner rock, The Mushies give you all of what you’ve been craving, and then some.

The tuneage on this album is mostly uptempo, just right for head bobbing and horns throwing.  Vocalist Spice delivers his alienated, socially critical lyrics in his distinctive melodic scream, which occasionally veers into a more “metal” direction on songs like the eponymous album opener.  Its easy to tell why he’s perhaps Sweden’s most charismatic frontman, at least in the world of heavy music (and after all, what other music world is worth a shit? ha ha) .  Guitarist Anders Lunusson throws down short, blistering leads left and right, and the rhythm section is what great rock is all about – tight and energetic.  The songs form a consistent, infectious groove: standouts include ‘The Big Stik Machine’ with its dueling guitar and harmonica and ‘Change It’ with its short acoustic break.

The Mushroom River Band brings it on straightforward and soulful, with a passion few others can match.  If you’re into hard, driving music such as Orange Goblin, Unida, or the Awesome Machine, then spark up on a bong marathon and groove on what The Mushies have to tell you.

Kevin McHugh

[FGM]

Cool review Father_Doom.  These guys have just been touring with Pawnshop and The Awesome Machine...

Sounds like one for the stoners!

[Father_Doom]

Sounds like a killer bill!  Rumor has it that the Mushies may hit North America before the end of the year.  Maybe Australia won't be far behind? ;D

[F_Rock]

We can only wish and hope.

I don't think this MRB are just for the stoners at all - probably more 'rock' than Spiritual Beggars and from what I've heard so far of the new one, more metal than Ad Astra - which I thought had a fairly heavy metal element to it. This is definately a good thing cause it produces a new sound and style, unique to MRB. I really hope the Spiritual guys get a new vocalist and keep going, cause I loved them - but I think everyone should check out MRB - I heard them on a metal radio show a little while back and they fitted in quite nicely.

[Writhe]

yeah i love the first album, havent really gotten into the second one yet

[mrkyuss]

FUCKING COOL CD....

AS FAR AS I SEE IT, ITS LIKE AD ASTRA 2

[goo]

I'm not so sure about this one, the title track offers so much promise, but the rest of album doesn't really deliver. Maybe it's a creeper and I need a few more listens, but everytime I've spun it I've tuned out not long after track one, as the songs become almost indistinguishable from one another. I loved Ad Astra, so I'm a little surprised at the comparison because I feel Ad Astra has more variety or moods, while Simsalabim is more one dimensional.

[mush]

Yeah I agree with goo.
No doubt that this album is heavier and more metal than "music for the world beyond", but I'm finding it rather 'same-y'. Hopefully the Beggars can continue on without Spice, I heard the new is due out Sep-Oct.
Apparently it's a departure from Ad Astra and Mantra III(Too bad, I think they're great albums!!)