Sonic Flower - Me And My BellBottom Blues (Album Review)

Date Released: 30th September 2022. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Me And My BellBottom Blues: Tracklisting

Swineherd

Love Like Rubber

Black Sheep

Captain Frost

Quicksand Planet

Poor Girl

Sonic Flower

Members

Tatsu Mikami – Bass

Kazuhiro Asaeda – Vocals

Fumiya Hattori — Guitar

Toshiaki Umemura – Drums

Review

Me And My BellBottom Blues is the new album by Japanese Blues/Boogie/Classic Rockers Sonic Flower who are in supreme confident form by adding vibes of Doom Rock and Stoner Rock. Fans of Blue Cheer, Black Sabbath and Led Zepp will find this album a thrilling musical adventure with the band moving across the multitude of different rock flavours that covers the sounds of 70s Rock upto 90's Stoner Rock. 

The album moves along at such a fast pace with the band adding a hazy and freaky Psychedelic sound which you can hear on the excellent opening song Swineherd. A song that captures classic hard rock excess with a Blues Rock swagger that moves from Blue Cheer and Black Sabbath grooves with elements of Fuzz Rock and extended Guitar Jams allowing Sonic Flower to perform some of their heaviest material to date.

Second song Love Like Rubber continues the classic hard rock journey with a powerful Blues Rock drive that brings a fresh take on the Boogie/Southern Rock sound. The vocals are bang on form with an almost "70's Outlaw" style of musical delivery. The funky psychedelic beats once again impress the most and the freaky Doom/Stoner Rock vibes show that Sonic Flower have a more heavier and thunderous sound for this album. The song has a high amount of extended guitar solos that flirts between Classic Hard Rock and modern day Doom/Stoner Rock.

Third song Black Sheep is more of a Funk/Blues Rock offering with Sonic Flower playing different styles of guitar solos that almost ends up becoming an impromptu jamming session. Once the vocals appear, then the song becomes a different thing altogether with the spiky lyrics and screeching Blues Rock sounds allowing this track becoming one of the standout tracks on the album.

Sonic Flower show their more adventurous side on the second half of the album bringing a more Progressive feel to the album with a few of the tracks running past the eight minutes to nine minutes mark. Songs such as Quicksand Planet, Poor Girl and Sonic Flower show a different and more daring side to the band. As the music becomes more grounded and real with the band still playing their sublime 70's inspired extended guitar jams and solos.

Poor Girl and Sonic Flower are perhaps the most exciting parts of the album with Sonic Flower having a free-flowing attitude with the creative choices they make for the album. The music is an inspired choice of Doom Rock, Stoner Rock and Psych Rock whilst still maintaining that Classic Rock energy the band are well known for. There’s also an understated Grunge vibe in these songs that are almost reminiscent of Soundgarden.

The album sounds super freaky with fabulous production values allowing this album being perhaps the best album they've released to date. Sonic Flower have continued their winning relationship with ace record label Heavy Psych Sounds. Another reason why this album sounds amazing from start to finish.

Me And My BellBottom Blues is an essential release for fans of the Hard Rock Underground Scene. Plain and Simple.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage for the promo.

Me And My BellBottom Blues will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from September 30th 2022.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Sonic Flower - Rides Again (Album Review)

 

Release Date: 29th January 2021. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Rides Again - Tracklisting

Super Witch

Black Sheep

Jungle Cruise

Captain Forest

Stay Away (The Meters Cover)

Quicksand Planet

Earthquake (Graham Central Station Cover)

Members

Tatsu Mikami - Bass

Takenori Hoshi - Guitar

Arisa - Guitar

Keisuke Fukuwa - Drums

Review

Rides Again is the new album from Japanese Psych Rockers Sonic Flower who are best known for being a spin-off band from legendary Doomsters - Church Of Misery. Sonic Flower released their self titled debut album back in 2003 and started recording their follow-up album back in 2005. However the band broke up during these recording sessions and was never released until now. The rumour is that the band are releasing a new album later this year with a brand new vocalist which is also being released via Heavy Psych Sounds.

Rides Again is more of a mini album lasting almost 29 minutes with 5 new compositions and 2 covers which the band perform with their usual top-notch talent. Rides Again is purely instrumental and sees the band play a more boogie orientated style of Blues Rock, Psych Rock and Stoner Rock. This is far as removed you can get from Church Of Misery but the band do bring some moody doom based elements on the record,

Everything is funky and has a fresh classic rock appeal which you hear on the excellent opening song - Super Witch. You can hear a “Deep Purple” influence on this track and it’s quite bouncy, light on heavy grooves but still provides bewitching entertainment.

Songs such as Black Sheep, Jungle Cruise, Captain Frost and Quicksand Planet round up the original songs contained on the record with Sonic Flower playing a vibrant and heavy mix of Psychedelic Blues/Stoner Rock which is firmly rooted in the musicians involved love for everything 70’s Hard Rock and Classic Rock. The songs on the album can sound quite similar in places but it won’t get in the way of enjoying this cool groove-laiden record.

Sonic Flower include two covers on the album with Stay Away by The Meters and Earthquake by Graham Central Station. Two cool tracks given a more Psychedelic and Riffier makeover with Sonic Flower adding some of the more hippest sounds to these two songs in general. 

The production of Rides Again is good for the most part but there are quite a few rough sounding moments that could have been done with more work but it does allow this album to have a more rough and ready feel.

The main thing about Rides Again that it’s been given the love, care and attention it richly deserves. This is the first time the record has been heard since those initial recording sessions and if you’re a fan of Sonic Flower or perhaps Church Of Misery then it’s an excellent and exciting album to add to your record collection.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Rides Again will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds Records from January 29th 2021.

Links

BandCamp