Post by thesoundmonitor on Feb 1, 2004 7:31:13 GMT -5
ORQUESTA DEL DESIERTO
Dos
(MeteorCity) MCY-032
The European version of this album, sporting a somewhat different song selection and released on the Stone Circle label, has been out for a month or so. Finally, deprived (yes, that is an "i") North Americans can sink our teeth into this savory slice of desert goodness, and its not a minute too soon. Orquestra del Desierto continue to push the limits of what we consider "stoner" rock to be, and in the process they've found a new maturity to add to the mix. I can easily picture them performing this music in 20 or 30 years time, and digging it just as much as they do now.
For one thing, there's a real synergy in songwriting and performance going on here. They're still everything you remember from the first album, but far more refined and - to be blunt about it - better. I imagine that the energy pouring off of these desert
community notables, such as Goatsnake and Earthlings?' singer Pete Stahl, Fatso Jetson's Mario Lalli, Mark Engel (who sometimes channels the spirit of Syd Barrett, heh heh), and Earthlings?' drummer Adam "The Meters Rule!" Maples, could power an electrical substation all on its own. There's creativity galore, a controlled chaos that somehow forms lots of accessible, even radio-friendly songs with a left-handed spiritual vibe, the kind that often surfaces with desert brother Chris Goss and Masters of
Reality. That's the type of thing that happens at the recording venue, Rancho de la Luna, 'cause its a place where its easy to plug into the spirit of exploration. And while we're at it, lets not forget to note the overwhelming contribution of songwriter Dandy Brown.
This project is largely his vision.
Of course you know by now not to expect Sabbathy doom or stoneriffic goodness a la Dozer from the Orquestra. Despite the pedigrees of the above-referenced musos, the music on Dos is more like some left-field AM desert radio station in 1971: You'll hear mariachi horns, blues, latin beats, and ensemble acoustic guitars. It all gels into something that hooks you in and rocks out like the first day of summer. It’s mellow and fun, but its not throw-away or trivial. From a rock perspective, everyone throws in their .02, even if its not the .02 you're accustomed to. But if you're down with 60s psych such as Pink Floyd's Gilmour in '68, Zeppelin unplugged, rockabilly swing, Los Lobos, Neil Young, the Beatles, or Mark Lanegan on an overdose of serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, then you'll dig this. This one blurs genres as it pushes your happy buttons, all the while floating by like a summer breeze. I always thought Brant Bjork's Jalamanta was the leader in that realm, but its time to add another classic album to that very short list. I know its only January, but these timeless tunes will certainly end up on many a top 10 list in a year's time. Cue it up and have a dose of warm desert air while the arctic wind blows outside.
Review by Kevin McHugh
Dos
(MeteorCity) MCY-032
The European version of this album, sporting a somewhat different song selection and released on the Stone Circle label, has been out for a month or so. Finally, deprived (yes, that is an "i") North Americans can sink our teeth into this savory slice of desert goodness, and its not a minute too soon. Orquestra del Desierto continue to push the limits of what we consider "stoner" rock to be, and in the process they've found a new maturity to add to the mix. I can easily picture them performing this music in 20 or 30 years time, and digging it just as much as they do now.
For one thing, there's a real synergy in songwriting and performance going on here. They're still everything you remember from the first album, but far more refined and - to be blunt about it - better. I imagine that the energy pouring off of these desert
community notables, such as Goatsnake and Earthlings?' singer Pete Stahl, Fatso Jetson's Mario Lalli, Mark Engel (who sometimes channels the spirit of Syd Barrett, heh heh), and Earthlings?' drummer Adam "The Meters Rule!" Maples, could power an electrical substation all on its own. There's creativity galore, a controlled chaos that somehow forms lots of accessible, even radio-friendly songs with a left-handed spiritual vibe, the kind that often surfaces with desert brother Chris Goss and Masters of
Reality. That's the type of thing that happens at the recording venue, Rancho de la Luna, 'cause its a place where its easy to plug into the spirit of exploration. And while we're at it, lets not forget to note the overwhelming contribution of songwriter Dandy Brown.
This project is largely his vision.
Of course you know by now not to expect Sabbathy doom or stoneriffic goodness a la Dozer from the Orquestra. Despite the pedigrees of the above-referenced musos, the music on Dos is more like some left-field AM desert radio station in 1971: You'll hear mariachi horns, blues, latin beats, and ensemble acoustic guitars. It all gels into something that hooks you in and rocks out like the first day of summer. It’s mellow and fun, but its not throw-away or trivial. From a rock perspective, everyone throws in their .02, even if its not the .02 you're accustomed to. But if you're down with 60s psych such as Pink Floyd's Gilmour in '68, Zeppelin unplugged, rockabilly swing, Los Lobos, Neil Young, the Beatles, or Mark Lanegan on an overdose of serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, then you'll dig this. This one blurs genres as it pushes your happy buttons, all the while floating by like a summer breeze. I always thought Brant Bjork's Jalamanta was the leader in that realm, but its time to add another classic album to that very short list. I know its only January, but these timeless tunes will certainly end up on many a top 10 list in a year's time. Cue it up and have a dose of warm desert air while the arctic wind blows outside.
Review by Kevin McHugh