There are times when music and only music do the talking. For the US - ALL THEM WITCHES this is the case. Ben McLeod (guitarist), Charles Michael Parks, Jr. (bass/vocals), Robby Staebler (drums) and Allan Van Cleave (keys) are deep in their musical journey where they incorporate blues, hard rock, gargage, psychedelia, Southern rock and country, in an act of defiance against those who like things straight and simple, challenge you to categorize their mmusic and sound. In April 2021, the band announced via Facebook and Twitter that Van Cleave had rejoined the band as its keyboard player. Their first new release following Van Cleave's return was a cover of "Black Snake" by John Lee Hooker in January 2022. When announcing this new track, the band confirmed that it would be the first of a "Baker's Dozen" of tracks, which would be released on a monthly basis throughout 2022, along with one extra, for a total of 13 songs
The result is this, their new album. It is out of the ordinary with more than half of the songs been near 10 minutes and by no menas contemporary and expected. On the contrary the band uses the blues as the base for some long jams and improvisations in the same way Coltrane and Miles Davies expanded their musical ideas in the late 50s and 60s. They incorporate classic rock, psychedelia, garage and even country in songs like "Mama is a shigning star" and "Real hippies are cowboys" .and the result is a laid back, deep in the swamps, estranged blues album that takes no prisoners. You need to let yourself to this musical trippin and enjoy the sounds, the noise, the intensity and the magic of the songs, each one individually Let your self drag in to the long and sometimes loose jams of "Slow city", "Acid face"and "Silver to rust" a modern usic Matrix where reality is a senseless word. Just live for the emotions and the sounds that crippin all around you, urgin for your mortal existence, asking for your soul offer to the music of band with no limits or limitations and mo mercy for the fainted hearted..
Like an old radio station program, the context is the blues in their utter vague definition and in there ALL THEM WITCHES let all hell break loose, mostly in well constructed improvisations. They have the more commercial moments as in "L Hotel Serein" the more "normal" ones as in "Tour death song", "Hush, Im on TV" but most of the album is meander in their musical quests changing from song to song and keeping the listener alert and attracted with its musicality and diversity.
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