Release Date: 3rd December 2021. Record Label: Stickman Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl.
IV:The Stream Of Forgotten Thoughts - Tracklisting
1. No Heartbeat Collective
2. Fire Far Away
3. The Stream Of Forgotten Thoughts
4. The Trip Treament
5. Big Brain Monsters
6. Endless Extensions Of Good Vibrations
7. Unusual Perceptions
8. Symbiotic Nova
Band Members:
Wyro - guitars, vocals, keyboards
Domel - bass guitar
Walczak - drums
Seru - keyboards
Review
If it wasn't for the insistence of a good friend to check out Weedpecker from Poland, I wouldn't have given them the time of day. Sounds conceited, right? I know but it's true. As much as I love stoner, doom, heavy psych and prog music, if a band name contain the words weed or bong I shun them fiercely. Not because of the meaning of those two words per se but because 99% of those bands focus only on being as stoned as possible, hence the music turns to boring, repetitive junk! However, there are hidden gems, such as Weedpecker, that can pull me out of my narrow-minded ways.
Opener ‘No Heartbeat Collective’ throws me off immediately. The perfect blend of Yes, Hawkwind and a big dose of trippiness with some serious heaviness thrown in for good measure, is absolutely brilliant. The tempo is brought down on ‘Fire Far Away’. Weedpecker takes you to a very nice and mellow place, like you’re floating in a chill tank surrounded by great vocal harmonies and wonderfully spaced out solos….until the band kick into heavy mode towards the end. Brilliant!. The title track follows next and retains the more mellow mood. Those excellent vocal harmonies are there while the music takes on a light jazzy feel with some really out there guitar playing. A thick thumping bass guitar leads the way in ‘The Trip Treatment’ while rest of the band plays around it. It is so unshackled and inhibited and so soothing. After a little bit the pace picks up a touch with the solos bringing to mind The Allman Brothers. Don’t know if it’s intentional, all I know it’s fabulous!
‘Big Brain Monsters’ is a stomping rocker which shoots me straight out into space, and please keep me going. Weedpecker go all out and I can’t stop smiling nor wiping that cheesy grin off of my face. These guys are brilliant. ‘Endless Extensions Of Good Vibrations’ brings to mind Pink Floyd at their early best for about a minute. Then the slow trippy stance is cranked up a little bit where the fantastic rhythm section allows the guitar to soar into the stratosphere. A crazily great song, if you ask me. ‘Unusual Perceptions’ has the band bringing back the Floyd feelings mixed with a little bit of Beatles all going on a trip through unexplored galaxies. ‘Symbiotic Nova’ has me thinking of the mighty Howling Giant mixed with those English giants Pink Floyd and I love it.
I am so happy my friend was persistent in his attempt to get me to listen to Weedpecker, because what they do is nothing but brilliant. Their inspiration comes from all over but the way they tie it together and make it cohesive takes a lot of talent. When you then add the carefree nature of their approach and the superior musicianship, the end result is earth-shattering and mind-blowing. Fantastic, you hear?
Words by Håkan Nyman
Thanks to Mona at All Noir PR for the promo. IV:The Stream Of Forgotten Thoughts is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Stickman Records.