Release
date: January 15th
2016. Label: Ripple Music Released. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Live Over Freak Valley – Tracklisting
Hallucination
Lunar
Master
Cosmic
Rain
Serpents
Throne
Tamu
Massif
City
Lights
Win
or Lose
Band
Members:
Kelley
Juett- Guitars/Vox
Kyle
Juett- Bass/Vox
Judge
Smith- Drums
Review:
Mothership
have perhaps become one of the best known bands from the Ripple Music
label. After releasing two acclaimed albums in 2012 and 2015 with ‘I’
and ‘II’ respectively, the guys are back with a live album.
Perhaps one of the hardest things for a band to release is a Live
Album to show the world what you can do on the live stage. Some Live
Albums are considered classics whilst others have failed
dramatically. So what do you get with Mothership’s new live record
– Live Over Freak Valley.
Live
Over Freak Valley was recorded during Mothership’s joint tour with
fellow Texan riffsters – Wo Fat on the Texas Takeover European
Tour. Freak Valley Festival was one of the destinations the tour hit.
Wo Fat released their excellent live album from Freak Valley earlier
this year with Live JuJu. Now it’s Mothership to join the party
with their performance. So is it any good….
Well
if you’re a fan of Live Albums and Mothership this is a must-have
album. Mothership play a mixture of old songs from their first album
– ‘I’ and new songs from at the time their soon to be released
new album – ‘II’. The album opens with – Hallucination –
from their debut album. It’s a great song to open the album with as
Mothership lay down their trademark fast-paced riffs with a few
spaced out noises to get the enthusiastic crowd in the mood.
Kyle,
Kelley and Judge are on fire through out the 45 minute set as the
atmosphere of the album will snare you in its trap. Why would you
want to escape from a live album such as this. I know some people
will complain about the sound of the album that it’s very raw at
times. True, it is raw especially on second track – Lunar Master –
where the vocals could have done with more oomph. Though to be fair I
think this is an accurate reflection on how Mothership sounded that
day. It’s a live album. A live album should always give you the
feeling of being in the front row and experiencing this show for
yourself.
When
third track – Cosmic Rain – appears you will be in the mood just
to rock out with the guys as Mothership slay the Freak Valley
audience in attendance. This is one of the best songs on the album
and I urge you to play this loud.
The
interaction between Mothership and the audience is fantastic as the
guys come across as sincerely genuine and have a warm appreciation
for their fans and anyone who attends their gigs. I’ve met the guys
in person when they played in London back in May 2014 on the same
European Tour. And they’re awesome guys who always have time for
their fans. So go speak to them the next time their in your
home-town.
Fourth
track – Serpents Throne – is a track from their second album -
‘II’. It’s good to hear the live version of this track as it
sounds better than the studio version. It’s raw, loud and angry as
hell.
The
remaining three tracks – Tamu Massif, City Nights and Win or Lose –
is a collection of songs from both of their excellent albums. And
with Serpents Throne, the live versions sounds so much better than
the studio versions. As this gives Mothership the chance to try
different things to the original versions. Some riffs sound different
as Mothership go for a jam-based approach.
There’s
a great element of FUZZ on Mothership’s live performances which the
studio albums just cannot capture. You may think I’m dissing
Mothership’s studio output. Far from it as I’ve reviewed both
albums in the past and rated them very highly. It’s just in my
view, the best way to experience Mothership is on the live stage and
this album proves that point as it allows their music to breathe and
expand with whoever is in attendance that night.
Live
Over Freak Valley proves Mothership were born to perform on the stage
as they’ve created an electrifying live album that can be ranked
alongside with Wo Fat’s Live JuJu as one of the best live albums of
the year.
Kudos,
once again to Ripple Music who are releasing this record and proving
why I think they’re the best Classic/Hard Rock/Stoner Rock label
currently out there. Live Over Freak Valley is a classic live album
in every sense of the word.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Richard at Sheltered Life PR for the promo. Live Over Freak Valley
will be released on CD/DD/Vinyl from 15th January 2016 via Ripple Music.
