7th Level Music

The winner of Most Intriguing Album Cover of the year might go to Clutch‘s new release – Book of Bad Decisions.  The cover doesn’t feature a book at all, just a painting of a bald eagle on a branch either looking at something off to its right or looking back at us with perhaps apathy or vigilance.  Then there’s the title.  What bad decisions make up this book?  Does it refer to a certain as-yet unnamed book?  Let’s not forget the bald eagle is a symbol of the United States, and that symbol has turned its back on us.  Has it done so because of our bad decisions in recent times?  Is Clutch, who are lovers of history, warning us through a simple image that we are at risk of losing what makes this country great?

The album opens with a tale from the history of the band – “Gimme the Keys.”  It’s the story of one of their earliest gigs when they played a small summer festival / large party in the middle of Corn Field Nowhere, USA, and were accused of stealing a microphone from another band and / or the party’s coordinators.  It opens with fuzzy feedback and then turns into a blistering fire that only Clutch seems to know how to unleash.  One of the best parts is hearing Neil Fallon re-enacting his words to the band’s accusers.  Tim Sult‘s guitar moves back and forth between metal and psychedelia with ease.

“Spirit of ’76” is another history lesson from the band, possibly referring to 1776, the political landscape of 1976 (in which Fallon mentions a “farmer with peanuts in his hand” – Jimmy Carter?), or even the 1975 album of the same name by Spirit.  Knowing Clutch’s catalogue like I do, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s all three.  Jean-Paul Gaster‘s beats on this will have you doing bass drum kicks under your desk before you realize it.  The title track opens with almost drone-metal bass from Dan Maines and talks of dark clouds and leads to killer shredding by Sult.

“How to Shake Hands” has Gaster going bonkers while Fallon takes on elections and political campaigning.  Fallon claims he’s going to release all information about UFO’s and “put Jimi Hendrix on the twenty-dollar bill and Bill Hicks on the five note” once he’s President.  He could probably win on those three promises alone.  “In Walks Barbarella” brings in a horn section as Fallon sings about his childhood love of science fiction, “weaponized funk,” and hot women.  In other words, Clutch has written a tune about yours truly.

Jerry Lee Lewis-like piano runs through “Vision Quest.”  The nearly backward opening drums on “Weird Times” are appropriate, and Gaster’s cowbell was probably begging for mercy by the time he was done laying down the drum tracks.  I like the music box-like underlying sounds of “Emily Dickinson.”  It has a great swagger to it as well that probably flattens crowds when played live.  “Sonic Counselor” has a dirty fuzz to it that makes you feel a bit mean, and it probably should be on your newest workout playlist.

“A Good Fire” starts with bluesy drums as Fallon sings about the joys of bonfires in autumn and the whole band is soon burning up behind him.  “Ghoul Wrangler,” apart from having a cool title, takes off like a dragstrip racer off the line and doesn’t look back.  As much as it rocks, “H.B. Is in Control” rocks even harder (which almost seems impossible).  Gaster sounds like he’s having the time of his life behind his kit and Maines’ groove is so solid that you could build a skyscraper atop it.

“Hot Bottom Feeder,” believe it or not is Neil Fallon’s recipe for crab cakes.  Seriously.  The only thing better than the fact that Clutch put a recipe song on their new album is how damn good the song is.  It’s one of their best blues-laced rockers in a long while, full of Sult’s hot guitar licks and the band’s humor.  “Paper & Strife” sizzles past you at the speed of an out-of-control train engine, and the closer, “Lorelei,” practically has Fallon yelling to the heavens about the murmuring rock of legend in Germany that has possibly lured many ships to a watery grave.

Book of Bad Decisions is another good rocker from Clutch, who never swing and miss.  Historical themes are nothing new to Clutch records, but they’ve woven them into this album with more subtlety and cleverness than usual.  They’ve warned us to always keep history in mind, because, well, you know what happens when you forget it.

Keep your mind open.

[In walks you to the subscription box…right?]