At the dawn of the internet, bands and fans around the world coalesced in the wake of defunct Palm Springs originators Kyuss to craft their own visions of the desert rock sound. Standing foremost among them was Lowrider, whose debut, "Ode to Io", became the blueprint countless others would follow. Stream the full album at this location.
Now, longtime fans and new arrivals can delve into this rumbling chronicle of seminal desert fuzz-heaviness in deluxe remastered glory. Commemorating the 25th anniversary of its original release on September 19, 2000, Lowrider present a towering new reissue of this absolute foundational text for the post-Kyuss stoner rock movement.
“This is the version they didn’t let us do back then — only better. I can’t wait for people to see it”, says singer and bassist Peder Bergstrand. “When we handed in Ode to Io to be printed back in 1999, we had this elaborate silver screen print for the cover. But the external label tasked with making the vinyl were cheapskates. They forced the 2LP playing time into one LP, resulting in subpar audio quality. To finish off, they printed the elaborate silver cover as plain grayscale. Needless to say, we were pretty gutted by the result. Ever since, I’ve dreamt of making THAT version, doing it justice. That is exactly what we’ve done with the 25th anniversary version of ‘Ode to Io'.”
“It’s forever humbling and mindblowing that people care so much about this album, a fourth of a century later. We wanted to do the record justice, and invite fans to see photos and hear stories from that period that we haven’t shared before”.
This limited new special edition of "Ode to Io" will be issued on silver, black and white color merge 2xLP and features previously unpublished photos, essays, liner notes from the band, and updated silverboard packaging and silver-infused art and design.
"Ode to Io" Deluxe Edition - Out September 19th via Blues Funeral Recordings (LP/CD)
Bandcamp // Bluesfuneral.com // SPKR shop
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1. Caravan
2. Flat Earth
3. Convoy V
4. Dust Settlin'
5. Sun Devil
6. Anchor
7. Texas Pt. 1 & 2
8. Riding Shotgun
9. Saguaro
10. Ode to Io
11. Lameneshma
12. The Gnome, The Serpent, The Sun
13. Shivaree
14. Ol' Mule Pepe
15. Upon the Dune
16. David William Hughes
As the preeminent band out of the gate in the late 90s post-Kyuss wake, Lowrider's debut EP and seminal album 'Ode to Io' were foundational slabs at the dawn of stoner rock. The swinging metal offshoot grew quickly into a worldwide phenomenon, with Lowrider established as one of its undeniable trailblazers. Following those early releases with a handful of compilation and soundtrack appearances and a period of relative inactivity, the band re-emerged at DesertFest Berlin in 2013. They've since blown minds at Hellfest, Keep it Low, DesertFest London and Belgium, Stoned from the Underground and Up in Smoke, and issued expanded remastered versions of their original records. All that was left was to give the world something new...
Released in early 2020 through Blues Funeral Recordings, Lowrider's long-awaited sophomore album 'Refractions' explodes with all the churning fuzz and expansive riff-heaviness for which the band are beloved, shot through with re-energized purpose and maturity. "Refractions" received widespread acclaim from global critics, landing a top spot on numerous year-end lists. The band has since unleashed an applauded collaborative album with London’s psychedelic doom pillars Elephant Tree, branded "irresistible" by Rolling Stone Magazine and hailed as "one of the most gorgeous releases both bands have ever crafted" by Doom Charts.
Lowrider is currently working on their next album, due to start recording in early 2026. They will perform at this year's Keep it Low Festival (Munich, DE) and DesertFest Belgium (Antwerp, BE) this October in further celebration of their debut album's monumental legacy.
Lowrider links
2. Flat Earth
3. Convoy V
4. Dust Settlin'
5. Sun Devil
6. Anchor
7. Texas Pt. 1 & 2
8. Riding Shotgun
9. Saguaro
10. Ode to Io
11. Lameneshma
12. The Gnome, The Serpent, The Sun
13. Shivaree
14. Ol' Mule Pepe
15. Upon the Dune
16. David William Hughes
As the preeminent band out of the gate in the late 90s post-Kyuss wake, Lowrider's debut EP and seminal album 'Ode to Io' were foundational slabs at the dawn of stoner rock. The swinging metal offshoot grew quickly into a worldwide phenomenon, with Lowrider established as one of its undeniable trailblazers. Following those early releases with a handful of compilation and soundtrack appearances and a period of relative inactivity, the band re-emerged at DesertFest Berlin in 2013. They've since blown minds at Hellfest, Keep it Low, DesertFest London and Belgium, Stoned from the Underground and Up in Smoke, and issued expanded remastered versions of their original records. All that was left was to give the world something new...
Released in early 2020 through Blues Funeral Recordings, Lowrider's long-awaited sophomore album 'Refractions' explodes with all the churning fuzz and expansive riff-heaviness for which the band are beloved, shot through with re-energized purpose and maturity. "Refractions" received widespread acclaim from global critics, landing a top spot on numerous year-end lists. The band has since unleashed an applauded collaborative album with London’s psychedelic doom pillars Elephant Tree, branded "irresistible" by Rolling Stone Magazine and hailed as "one of the most gorgeous releases both bands have ever crafted" by Doom Charts.
Lowrider is currently working on their next album, due to start recording in early 2026. They will perform at this year's Keep it Low Festival (Munich, DE) and DesertFest Belgium (Antwerp, BE) this October in further celebration of their debut album's monumental legacy.
Lowrider links
Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.
