Yawning Balch - Volume Four (Album Review)

Release Date: 29th May 2026. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds.Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Volume Four  - Tracklisting

A. Pyramid of Djoser (22:58)

B. Water Ritual (21:44)

Members

Gary Arce – guitar

Bob Balch – guitar

Mario Lalli – bass

Bill Stinson – drums

Review

Yawning Balch once again continue their seismic, hypnotic and dreamlike journey across the Californian Desert with echoes of Shoegaze, Psych, Stoner, Post-Rock and Ambient textures with Volume Four. This is their first release since January 2025 and the band get down straight down to business in crafting a free forming expedition into the murky sounds of the instrumental rock scene. This volume has a heavier and way more abstract based sound with Yawning Balch employing a hazy backdrop of surreal sounding progressive passages though keeping close by to their critically acclaimed Desert Rock sound.

 

The album contains two tracks running around forty five minutes in length with both volumes created as a direct result of a massive five hour jamming session. This gives the album a sense of urgency which is the similar vibe laid down on Volume Three but this one has a heavier and direct sound. Yawning Balch perhaps experimented more here with sonic environments doubling for the Desert Rock playing fields that the band use throughout the album. The sudden shift into Shoegaze and Post-Stoner dynamics with some epic Space Rock guitars courtesy of Gary Arce and Bob Balch allowing Mario Lalli (Bass) and Bill Stinson (Drums) to create a grounded rhythm section that opens the listeners mind to new spaced out experiences.

The opening track Pyramid Of Djoser is wonderfully opaque and superbly adventurous at the same time with Yawning Man playing their heaviest and aggressive track to date. The song is perhaps mostly dominated by the creative sounds of Yawning Man with Bob Balch’s creative input being more tenacious where he delivers the knockout blow of generating intense aggressive Stoner Rock surroundings. The level of Progressive environments is impressive yet again with a swirling vortex of Post-Rock and Ambient based attitudes holding everything together with a sense of melody that reminds me of Russian Circles and Pelican in places. 

The final track Water Ritual continues with that surreal and trippy environment with haunting instrumental passages firming delving into the world of Spaced Out Desert Rock with flashes of uplifting Psychedelic movements that firmly embraces and rewrite the Stoner Rock folklore that all members have created throughout their legendary careers with their respective bands and musical projects. 

Even though the album is purely instrumental yet again, Volume Four tells an intriguing and highly involving story that easily drops the listener right into of the legendary “Generator” parties that were all the range back in the day that firmly helped to establish the rules of the Stoner Rock scene that we all know and love today. The production values are excellent but they still allow Yawning Balch to offer a cautionary tale where the destination is just as important as the overall journey.

I’m hopeful once more for future chapters within the extraordinary and cinematic story that Yawning Balch has created so far. If this is the last chapter then the guys have ended the journey on a triumphant high where I’m completely satisfied especially after we’ve been treated to four classic individual albums over the years.

Volume Four is an exquisite and beautifully realised album that demands you full undivided attention.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Volume Four is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds.

Links 

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Instrumental Rock Supergroup YAWNING BALCH (with Yawning Man & Fu Manchu members) to issue new album "Volume Four" on Heavy Psych Sounds

Mojave Desert-based instrumental rock goldsmiths YAWNING BALCH (formed by Yawning Man members and Fu Manchu guitarist Bob Balch) return with their fourth record "Volume Four" on Heavy Psych Sounds on May 29th, and present a first excerpt today!

 Stream a new track with Water Ritual (Part 1)

Yawning Balch is the collaborative and endlessly creative outfit uniting Californian guitarist Bob Balch (Fu Manchu, Big Scenic Nowhere) and desert rock progenitors Yawning Man, incarnated by guitarist Gary Arce, drummer Bill Stinson and legendary bassist Mario Lalli (also Fatso Jetson).

About this new track, Fu Manchu guitarist Bob Balch recalls: “Water Ritual” is the second jam we did during a five-hour session in Joshua Tree on April 20th, 2024, at Gatos Trail Studios. I had just picked up a new pedal called The Fable, and it’s all over this track. It’s a delay with all kinds of crazy repeat options. When we mixed it, I wanted portions of the song to have a ’70s dub reggae feel. So Dan at Gatos hooked up his Echoplex to the board and nailed that sound. Jamming with the dudes from Yawning Man is always a blast, and I’m stoked they invited me. Thanks, Gary, Bill, and Mario!"

Yawning Balch's dreamy and jam-driven psychedelic rock journey started in 2023 with the release of "Volume One" and "Volume Two", a two-volume set carved out of a five-hour jam between Balch and the trio in the Joshua Tree desert, hailed as "a mesmeric aural experience" by Classic Rock Magazine and "a masterclass in cohesion and dynamism" by Everything Is Noise. Welcoming back desert rock legend Mario Lalli on bass with the 2025 follow-up, "Volume Three", the foursome offered another mesmerizing psychedelic and post-rock instrumental voyage crafted with love.

They will carry on with the sky-opening, riff and groove galore this spring, with the release of their fourth record "Volume Four" on Heavy Psych Sounds.

YAWNING BALCH "Volume Four" (LP/CD/digital) - Out May 29th on Heavy Psych Sounds

About the project's genesis, guitarist Bob Balch says: 

"In November of 2022, I went out to Joshua Tree for a day of jamming with the guys in Yawning Man with the intention of calling it “Yawning Balch”. No riffs were planned. We just plugged in and played. The only discussion beforehand was that Gary Arce and I wanted to mess with tons of guitar pedals. I knew that while we were jamming it sounded great, but it wasn’t until I got home and listened to it all that I realized we had something special. It’s hard to believe that we jammed for five hours and got two full-length LPs and then some out of it. Every player killed it on these recordings and I’m beyond grateful to have my name involved with this legendary band. Fingers crossed they invite me back out annually for more jam sessions. I hope you enjoy these jams and please use responsibly."

YAWNING BALCH is:

Gary Arce – guitar
Bob Balch – guitar
Mario Lalli – bass
Bill Stinson – drums

YAWNING MAN links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Youtube

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

Yawning Man - Pavement Ends (Album Review)

Release Date: November 14th 2025. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Pavement Ends - Tracklisting

Burrito Power

Gestapo Pop

Bomba Negra

Dust Suppression

Pavement Ends

Bad Day To Be Alive

Lineup

Gary Arce - Guitars

Bill Stinson - Drums

Mario Lalli - Bass

Review

Psych/Desert Rockers Yawning Man return with Pavement Ends which follows a heavier and emotionally charged path than their last celebrated release of 2023’s Long Walk Of The Navajo. This record sees the band offer a deeper and reflective sound with a dominant Shoegaze and Post-Rock element that culminates in a pounding Stoner Rock movement which only they themselves can wholly create. Yawning Man even adds a dash of STONER METAL heaviness into their music which is heard within the epic opening track  of Burrito Power. 

The track constructs a Post-Rock and Desert Rock aesthetic with a haunting Cinematic Rock score before adding the deliciously heavy metallic surroundings whilst remaining to their core Desert Rock creative beliefs with passages of immense maturity. Yawning Man are continuously evolving their music into something different which makes this such a rich and rewarding experience despite the bleak “DOOM & GLOOM” surroundings that Pavement Ends offers from time-to-time.

Yawning Man employ their trademark sounds of the Desert to great effect which moves into classic areas of tranquil Post-Rock, Alt Rock and Shoegaze dynamics on the stunning tracks of Gestapo Pop, Bomba Negra and Dust Suppression. These are tracks with a lot to say about the modern world and despite the lack of vocals then Yawning Man has a lot to say which you can’t help but be fully on board with.

The album is their most daring, heavy and aggressive record to date but it’s one that offers plenty moments of EUPHORIC grooves though with some epic sonic distortion adding a level of mystery to the record. Watch out for the trippy areas of FUZZ ROCK that feels more destructive here than Yawning Man have ever played but this matches the world-weary attitude and message of the whole album. 

The strands of Atmospheric Rock and Prog Rock come full circle within the excellent final two tracks of Pavement Ends and Bad Day To Be Alive with Yawning Man still creating intense new musical boundaries and merging with the legendary sounds of the Desert for a thrilling musical spectacle that is brilliantly thought provoking and ultimately uplifting in equal measure.

Pavement Ends is another brilliant album from the masters of Desert Rock and even with Yawning Man being in the game for almost forty years, they’re still proving their way ahead of the competition where nobody comes close to making Instrumental Rock music such as this.

Incredible. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for all of the details.

Pavement Ends is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds.

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Exclusive Album Premiere Of Desert Rock Legends YAWNING MAN Stunning New Album PAVEMENT ENDS

Yawning Man return to the studio in 2025 with founding members Gary Arce and Mario Lalli with Bill Stinson.

The new album on Heavy Psych Sounds Records “Pavement Ends” marks Arce and Lalli returning to a collaboration off the beaten path on some of the band’s darkest and heaviest themes. Drenched in sonic tension and release, bleak and beautiful.

The cover painting is the bands first collaboration with Joshua Tree artist Diane Bennett.

Tracklisting

Burrito Power
Gestapo Pop
Bomba Negra
Dust Suppression
Pavement Ends
Bad Day To Be Alive

Lineup

Gary Arce - Guitars
Bill Stinson - Drums
Mario Lalli - Bass

Thanks to the awesome folks over at Purple Sage PR and Heavy Psych Sounds you can hear the album in full with this exclusive album premiere.

Biography

Formed in 1986 under the sun of the Coachella Valley by guitarist Gary Arce, drummer Alfredo Hernandez, bassist Mario Lalli and second guitarist Larry Lalli, YAWNING MAN are considered the very founders of the desert rock movement, which was made popular by bands such as Kyuss or Queens of The Stone Age in the early 90s.

While their contemporaries gravitated toward the heavy riffs of grunge, and post-punk, YAWNING MAN leaned in another direction with their unique and organic, cinematic compositions and psychedelic improvisations: the perfect soundtrack to encompass the spacious moonscape atmosphere of the well-documented "generator parties" of their area in the late 1980s. It was at these gatherings that they developed this distinctive style and sound by enchanting spectators with their seemingly endless free-form instrumental sessions, which echoed through the beautiful deserts, mesas, and landscapes of the Coachella Valley.

As time passed, their legend grew with notable names of the Palm Desert music scene paying homage to the group through mention and praise, notably with legendary desert band Kyuss doing their own rendition of the Yawning Man track "Catamaran" on the 1995 Elektra release "...And The Circus Leaves Town". Festival appearances include Hellfest (FR), Azkena Fest (ES), Reverence Fest (ES), Desertfest London and Berlin, Up in Smoke (CH), Psycho Las Vegas (US), Stoned & Dusted I & II (US), Monolith on the Mesa (US), and various others. The recent documentaries on the desert's unique music scene "Lo Sound Desert" and "Desert Age" give light on YAWNING MAN’s influential impact on underground rock music.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for all of the details.

Pavement Ends is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds.

Legendary desert rock pioneers YAWNING MAN announce new album "Pavement Ends" on Heavy Psych Sounds; first track available!

Desert rock legends YAWNING MAN announce the release of their new album "Pavement Ends" this November 14th on Heavy Psych Sounds. Founding members Gary Arce and Mario Lalli reunite with Bill Stinson for what promises to be some of their darkest and heaviest work, and premiere a first track via It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine today.

Stream new track "Bomba Negra" below

"From the dusty crucible where sun-bleached highways dissolve into sand and silence, Yawning Man returns with a resounding echo." - It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine

The foundational trio of guitarist Gary Arce and bassist Mario Lalli—original architects of the band's iconic sound—are reunited in the studio with drummer Bill Stinson for their highly anticipated new album "Pavement Ends". This new chapter sees Arce and Lalli revisiting the exploratory spirit of their most adventurous work, charting a course through some of the band's most profound and powerful compositions to date. The album is a masterclass in dynamics, weaving between moments of stark, haunting beauty and immense, weighty sonics, creating a captivating landscape of tension and release.

The first preview of this powerful new direction comes with the track “Bomba Negra", a piece that plunges into the deep emotional currents of Yawning Man's singular and influential approach to instrumental rock.

Completing the vision for the album is a striking cover painting, marking the band's first collaborative effort with renowned Joshua Tree artist Diane Bennett. The album was recorded and engineered at Gatos Trail Studio by Dan Joeright, and mixed and co-produced by Mike Shear.

 
YAWNING MAN "Pavement Ends" - Out November 14th on Heavy Psych Sounds - Pre-order

TRACKLIST:

1. Burrito Power
2. Gestapo Pop
3. Bomba Negra
4. Dust Suppression
5. Pavement Ends
6. Bad Time to be Alive


Formed in 1986 under the sun of the Coachella Valley by guitarist Gary Arce, drummer Alfredo Hernandez, bassist Mario Lalli and second guitarist Larry Lalli, YAWNING MAN are considered the very founders of the desert rock movement, which was made popular by bands such as Kyuss or Queens of The Stone Age in the early 90s.

While their contemporaries gravitated toward the heavy riffs of grunge, and post-punk, YAWNING MAN leaned in another direction with their unique and organic, cinematic compositions and psychedelic improvisations: the perfect soundtrack to encompass the spacious moonscape atmosphere of the well-documented "generator parties" of their area in the late 1980s. It was at these gatherings that they developed this distinctive style and sound by enchanting spectators with their seemingly endless free-form instrumental sessions, which echoed through the beautiful deserts, mesas, and landscapes of the Coachella Valley.

As time passed, their legend grew with notable names of the Palm Desert music scene paying homage to the group through mention and praise, notably with legendary desert band Kyuss doing their own rendition of the Yawning Man track "Catamaran" on the 1995 Elektra release "...And The Circus Leaves Town". Festival appearances include Hellfest (FR), Azkena Fest (ES), Reverence Fest (ES), Desertfest London and Berlin, Up in Smoke (CH), Psycho Las Vegas (US), Stoned & Dusted I & II (US), Monolith on the Mesa (US), and various others. The recent documentaries on the desert's unique music scene "Lo Sound Desert" and "Desert Age" give light on YAWNING MAN’s influential impact on underground rock music.

YAWNING MAN lineup:

Gary Arce – guitar
Mario Lalli – bass
Bill Stinson - drums

YAWNING MAN links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Youtube

Yawning Balch - Volume Three (Album Review)

Release Date: February 21st 2025. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Volume Three - Track Listing:

1. The Taos Hum (20:26)

2. Winter Widow (14:02)

Members

Gary Arce – guitar

Bob Balch – guitar

Mario Lalli – bass

Bill Stinson – drums

Review

Psych Stoner Rockers Yawning Balch make a welcome return with Volume Three and it’s another gloriously hip and sonic odyssey into the Desert/Stoner Rock abyss with a tranquil Post-Rock movement becoming more prominent on this album. Welcoming Mario Lalli back into the creative fold for this chapter. Gary Arce, Bob Balch, Mario Lalli and Bill Stinson weave epic soundscapes and progressive rock imagery into the whole album with beautifully played melodies that are mostly played at a softer level of heaviness compared to the previous two volumes.

The album is made of two tracks The Taos Hum and Winter Window running for thirty five minutes in length. The songs have similar ideas and themes as each other but are structured quite differently with The Taos Hum being more spiritual and contained by a dominant Post-Rock sound. Yawning Balch are still capable of playing HEAVIER grooves when the time calls for it. 

However, for the most part the record allows Yawning Balch to explore areas of Space Rock and Cosmic instrumental jams that is perhaps closer to Yawning Man’s style of music than FU MANCHU though there’s epic bursts of aggressive Stoner Rock that appear out of nowhere to showcase why Bob Balch is an integral part of this group and not here just to make up the numbers.

Second track Winter Window opts for delicate Desert Rock touch with moments of melodic Post-Ambient sounds laying down the groundwork for Yawning Balch to bring a heavier and spaced out sound. This is perhaps the most meditative track that Yawning Balch has written to date with a sense of bleakness and hopeful surroundings being played at the same time. The song has a “LESS IS MORE” approach with Yawning Balch brilliantly maximising the minimal space, sound effects and instrumental passages to its full potential especially on the later stages of the record. 

Volume Three is a majestic and brilliantly cinematic album with Yawning Balch on FIRE throughout. With superb production values, Yawning Balch are fastly becoming one my favourite collaborative projects currently within the Desert/Stoner Rock scene and with the power of Heavy Psych Sounds behind them yet again, I’m hoping there are many more exciting chapters to come from Yawning Balch as they’ve delivered another “must have” record to own with Volume Three.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Volume Three will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from Friday February 21st 2025.

Links

Website ⎜ Facebook ⎜ Bandcamp ⎜ Instagram ⎜ Spotify

YAWNING BALCH (w/Yawning Man and Fu Manchu members) to release sophomore album "Volume Two" on Heavy Psych Sounds this November.

Following the release of their recent debut album "Volume One", the instrumental project formed by desert rock pioneers Yawning Man and Fu Manchu guitarist Bob Balch is set to issue their sophomore album "Volume Two" this November 3rd on Heavy Psych Sounds.

Yawning Balch is the collaborative outfit uniting guitarist Bob Balch (Fu Manchu, Big Scenic Nowhere) and desert rock progenitors Yawning Man, currently incarnated by founding guitarist Gary Arce, drummer Bill Stinson, and bassist Billy Cordell. Their sophomore record "Volume Two" is part of a two-volume set carved out of a single five-hour jam between Balch and the trio. The dreamy and psychedelic journey started on the recently released "Volume One" will reach its apex this November 3rd in the form of an expansive and mind-opening 3-track journey.

About Yawning Balch, guitarist Bob Balch says: "In November of 2022, I went out to Joshua Tree for a day of jamming with the guys in Yawning Man with the intention of calling it “Yawning Balch”. No riffs were planned. We just plugged in and played. The only discussion beforehand was that Gary Arce and I wanted to mess with tons of guitar pedals. I knew that while we were jamming it sounded great, but it wasn’t until I got home and listened to it all that I realized we had something special. It’s hard to believe that we jammed for five hours and got two full-length LPs and then some out of it. Every player killed it on these recordings and I’m beyond grateful to have my name involved with this legendary band. Fingers crossed they invite me back out annually for more jam sessions. I hope you enjoy these jams and please use responsibly."

"Volume Two" was recorded at Gatos Trail and engineered by Dan Joeright, mixed and mastered by Kent Stump at Crystal Clear Sound. Artwork and layout by John McGill. Listen to debut album "Volume One" on Bandcamp and order your vinyl, CD and digital copy at this location.

YAWNING BALCH "Volume Two"
Out November 3rd on Heavy Psych Sounds
European preorder - US preorder

TRACKLIST:

1. A Moment Expanded (A Form Constant)
2. Flesh Of The Gods
3. Psychic Aloha

YAWNING BALCH is:

Gary Arce – guitar
Bob Balch : Guitar, synth
Billy Cordell – bass
Bill Stinson - drums

YAWNING MAN links

Website ⎜ Facebook ⎜ Bandcamp ⎜ Instagram ⎜ Spotify
 
HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS links

Website ⎜ Facebook ⎜ Bandcamp ⎜ Instagram ⎜ Youtube

Yawning Balch - Volume One (Album Review)

Release Date: July 07th 2023. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Volume One: Tracklisting

Dreaming With Eyes Open

Cemetery Glitter

Low Pressure Valley

Members:

Gary Arce - Guitars

Bob Balch - Guitars, Synth

Billy Cordell - Bass

Bill Stinson - Drums

Review:

Yawning Balch is the new project featuring members of Yawning Man and Bob Balch from Stoner Rock legends FU MANCHU. You would be forgiven if you thought this project was reminiscent of Big Scenic Nowhere, the Desert Rock Supergroup that Bill Stinson, Gary Arce and Bob Balch played in previously. However, Yawning Balch manages to stand on their own creative ground compared to the other musical projects each member is personally involved with.

Sure, Yawning Balch is mostly an Instrumental Desert/Stoner Rock outfit but with Volume One their debut release, the band strive for a more Spaced Out journey thanks to Bob and Gary's love affair with different guitar pedals. This album was recorded in an individual five hour session and they've recorded two albums worth. Mind-blowing stuff especially when you listen to Volume One from these sessions. This album contains three tracks that are reminiscent of Yawning Man's most recent release but takes a more expansive and darker passage with hazy Progressive grooves with an element of Post-Doom behind them.

Opening song Dreaming With Eyes Open is a twenty-one minute plus opus that takes the more Cinematic route of delivering their music with. Parts Desert Rock, Psych, Fuzz and Gloomy Stoner rhythms are being played for the most part but with Yawning Balch playing a more subtle style of Doom Rock which can be quite heavy for the longer and extended grooves that allows the Ambient themes to grow naturally. The track is very multi-layered with Gary and Bob leading the creative charge though Bill and Billy providing a wonderfully diverse rhythm section for the music to fully move forward. Bob pulls another shift providing the haunting and soothing synths that's one of the best parts of the whole album. The later stages of the track become more Ambient and Post-Rock based with creepy glitchy sound effects offering a song that almost ends up becoming a Post-Metal track which shows you the different levels or areas of heaviness that Yawning Balch are willing to take.

Second song Cemetery Glitter opens with a cautious Post-Rock delivery with a sombre Desert Rock sound. The atmosphere is quite JAZZY but soon gives way to a healthy dose of Spaced Out Rock. Trippy synths and Ambient rhythms allows the band more time to deliver the extended grooves for an experimental Drone based charge. The song is cautiously slow but excels with the different creative nature of the track. Swirling noises and Stoner guitars adds another level of Psychedelic flair with Yawning Balch offering perhaps the gloomiest track on the album. The song excels the most when the Synths moves into heavier areas of Sonic based audio projcction. Some folks may complain the song should have included familiar Desert Rock jams but I feel Yawning Balch made the right call here. As this shows a different musical and creative persona whilst offering familiar sounds along the way.

Third song Low Pressure Valley is the shortest track on the album running under seven and a half minutes. This reminds me of Yawning Man and Big Scenic Nowhere for the first few moments before that heavy Ambient driven Post-Rock score slowly changes the narrative and structure of the song. Yawning Balch take their time here. As the song does move cautiously slowly but it's a dark and twisted flavour of music that elevates this album into more Trascendental areas of Desert/Stoner Rock. Highly melodic with a bleak sense of Desert Rock optimism that leaves the album on a mighty high.

Volume One is a very different sounding release to Yawning Man's recent album Long Walk Of The Navajo. They both have similar things in common but Volume One is perhaps a darker and more experimental take on the Desert/Stoner Rock sound that these four members have helped to create and define over the last thirty five years or so. 

This is a wonderfully complex album which will rank as one of the best Instrumental Rock albums of the year which Yawning Man has already delivered with Long Walk Of The Navajo. Lighting does strike twice. Roll on Volume Two.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Volume One is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from July 07th 2023.

Links

BandCamp

Yawning Man - Long Walk Of The Navajo (Album Review)

Release Date: June 16th 2023. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Long Walk Of The Navajo: Tracklisting

Long Walk Of The Navajo

Respiratory Pause

Blood Sand

Members

Gary Arce (Guitar)

Bill Stinson (Drums)

Billy Cordell (Bass)

Review

Long Walk Of The Navajo is the new album from Desert Rock legends Yawning Man and continues the Psychedelic drive that's been used on the last few albums. There's no Mario Lalli this time round. However, Billy Cordell steps in and shows that it's business as usual for the band. This is a magical and deeply moving album full of intricate Psychedelic based Desert Rock grooves with elements of Space Rock, Post-Rock, Ambient Rock and Stoner Rock.

The album has a more Progressive nature compared to their previous albums with the stunning fifteen minute plus opener Long Walk Of The Navajo allowing Yawning Man to play a more expressive and gloomier style of Desert Rock. Quite daring in places with Yawning Man using more Spaced out textures but remaining essentially part of the Desert Rock movement. The guitars can be quite jagged in places with some heavy reverb being played along the way. Ambient and Post-Rock moments offer a more grounded and realistic sound that is beautifully melodic and with a warm uplifting feeling towards the later stages of the song.

Second song Respiratory Pause continues the sombre Psych Rock melodic journey that allows the listener to become part of the Californian Desert landscape the album takes influence from. The music again is wonderfully vivid, soothing and superbly melodic with Yawning Man bringing more truthful style to the Desert Rock narrative. The album does become more abstract and heavier when the band leave the Post-Rock attitudes behind for classic sounding Instrumental extended jams. The song does have a slow paced nature but there's clever use of Ambient rhythms which we come to expect from this groundbreaking band. 

Third song Blood Sand is the shortest track on the album clocking under nine minutes but there's some great use of Psychedelic Feedback and Guitar Reverb on this track which can be quite gloomy in places. Psychedelic beats and trippy Desert Rock grooves have a layer of aggression to them. With a slightly Drone based technique allowing Yawning Man to play some of the heaviest parts of the album. This is my favourite track on the album as it's classic sounding Yawning Man but the band also allow themselves the opportunity to try new things with their music.

Yawning Man are considered the godfathers of modern day Desert/Stoner Rock and they deserve their iconic and legendary status within the scene. Long Walk Of The Navajo is another great album from Yawning Man. The record is quite daring with it's different styles of Desert Rock the band have written for this album. Helped along by sublime production values, this is one of the most definitive Desert Rock albums to own right now.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Long Walk Of The Navajo will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from Friday 16th June 2023.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp