Tuesday 31 January 2017

Mothership - High Strangeness (Album Review)


Release date: March 17th 2017. Label: Ripple Music (USA) / Heavy Psych Sounds (Europe). Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

High Strangeness – Tracklisting

1.) High Strangeness
2.) Ride the Sun
3.) Midnight Express
4.) Crown of Lies
5.) Helter Skelter
6.) Eternal Trip
7.) Wise Man
8.) Speed Dealer

Band Members

Kelley Juett- Guitars/Vox
Kyle Juett- Bass/Vox
Judge Smith- Drums

Review

Greetings all,

This time around we are heading out on a fuzzed out intergalactic space ride with Texas Mothership. Their new album is entitled High Strangeness. It is an, albeit brief, but rocking excursion. Those unfamiliar with Mothership may not realize that they were abducted sometime in the mid-70's, they show up intermittently to drop these heavy ass, fuzzed out tunes for out consumption. Mothership is heavily influenced by ZZ Top, Mountain, Sabbath and the like. They do take a bit of a modern spin on these classic masters.

On to the tracks. The record opens up with the quiet to fuzzed out instrumental title track, High Strangeness. The band kicks off the catchy ass rocking tunes with Ride the Sun. Next up has the sing along chorus of Midnight Express. Take a ride my friends.

The centrepiece of the record is the superb rocker Crown of Lies. It's Baracuda-like chug kicks off the monster and it snags you for quite the ride. Helter Skelter is an intergalactic romp that is more likely inspired by Charles Manson than a sliding board.

Eternal Trip is another brief instrumental journey. It's placement is a bit odd, but it is beautifully played nonetheless. Wise Man is another catchy as hell rock tune. That leads in to the albums big ass closer Speed Dealer.

High Strangeness is a killer record. The only detractor noted is the brevity of the record. We get only 8 songs with two instrumentals, that clocks in slightly over 30 minutes. I could most definitely live with a little more Mothership in my life.

Go check out High Strangeness. It is a bad ass trip!

- Todd S


Words by Todd Stealey

Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo. High Strangeness will be available to buy via Heavy Psych Sounds (Europe) and Ripple Music (US) on CD/DD/Vinyl from March 17th 2017.

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