Thursday 29 October 2020

Yawning Man - Live At Giant Rock (Album Review)

 

Release date: October 30th 2020. Label: Heavy Psych Sounds Format: CD/DVD/DD/Vinyl

Live At Giant Rock – Tracklisting

1. TUMBLEWEEDS IN THE SNOW 
2. THE LAST SUMMER EYE 
3. NAZI SYNTHESIZER 
4. BLOWHOLE SUNRISE / SPACE FINGER

Members

GARY ARCE - GUITAR 
MARIO LALLI - BASS 
BILL STINSON - DRUMS

Review

Yawning Man are back with a stunning new album and a Live Album at that with “Live At Giant Rock”. The album is being released on a wide array of different formats including DD, CD, Vinyl and DVD with the concert captured on live in the Mojave Desert. 

The band have wanted to do this for a long time and the following blurb goes you more info why they made this album and Live Concert: 

“AN EPIC SONIC AND SCENIC PORTRAIT” Intimately and beautifully captured in the environment that inspires Yawning Man’s spacious, expansive and cinematic music. Filmed live May 18th, 2020 in the visually stunning, mysterious landscape of ”Giant Rock” in Southern California. Yawning Man’s timely expression during the age of “social distancing. No audience, just the band performing their sonic meditations in the rugged beauty of the Mojave Desert.” 

The album features the legendary band performing an almost 50 minute set spread across 4 superbly played songs that go across the Psychedelic Desert/Stoner Rock and Spaced Out Musical Spectrum that only Yawning Man can fully do. 

These guys prove why the are classed as legends and the quintessential Desert Rock band with their epic progressive Instrumental Jams that have a wide range of power and emotional intensity behind them. The album opens up with the powerful and almost 15 minute epic - “Tumbleweeds In The Snow”. The song moves along at a brisk pace with psychedelic rhythms building up to an addictive style of Desert Rock, Stoner Rock and Progressive Rock that makes you wish that you were in attendance of this great gig. 

The band continue playing their blend of Instrumental Rock across 3 other excellent songs with each note superbly played and nothing feeling out of place with The Last Summer Eye and Nazi Synthesizer being personal highlights of the album for myself. The instrumental work is what you would expect from Yawning Man, complete musical perfection. 

There are some cool sonic noises that have been added for dramatic effect and the synths add a mysterious spirit and sense of wonderment to the overall feel and flow of this album. 

I’ve also seen the actual live concert as well and it’s equally as good as the actual album if not better. As you feel more part of the action when watching the live concert. 

Live At Giant Rock is an essential release for any self-respecting music fan. As this is one of the best live albums I’ve heard in a very long time. (Though BEASTWARS recent live album sure does give this album a run for it’s money as well). 

Overall, this album is a brilliant and timely reminder of how important Yawning Man have been to the Desert/Stoner Rock scene for the last 35 years and long may that continue. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to All Noir PR and Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Live At Giant Rock is available to buy now on CD/DVD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds. 

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