Baroness - Blue Record (12 tracks) +Album Reviews

Insanely Catchy

Francis | arlington, va | 11/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What Baroness have done here is to attempt, and successfully execute, something that heretofore had only been attempted by Mastodon on their last couple records. Make an insanely heavy record that packs hooks - whether catchy riffs, vocal melodies, or leads - into every conceivable minute of the album, without sacrificing anything, most especially continuity or atmosphere. It is, undoubtedly, one hell of an undertaking, and most groups are not even capable of trying. Many that might be do not try for fear of failure. It's a lot easier to just pump out disgusting riffs if that's what you do well. Baroness has had that down pat from their first EP. But they began combining that unique riff juggernaut with prog rock, southern rock and true pop sensibilities on Red Album, and have damn near perfected the formula they started to delve into there. Blue Record is the sound of a band firing on all cylinders, on every track.

Now what Baroness do is entirely different from what their hard rock brethren in Torche and Queens of the Stone Age (generally) do. While the latter are making groovy, heavy ass pop songs, Baroness are taking heavy metal song formulas and injecting them with so much pop flavor and so many memorable, hummable hooks that it seems at any moment they might burst. But they don't. They never meander aimlessly. The songs are taught, sometimes perhaps even too concise and direct. That's how you make six minute tracks seem to fly by in two.

Sure, Baroness have a bit of work to do in the vocal department, if only because they are seemingly demanding the maximum of themselves from a songwriting perspective in every other arena. The instrumention is beyond disgusting, but I think Baroness - scary as this is - can improve. Perhaps the third full length record will see vocals that reach into classic rock territory a la Mastodon's Crack the Skye (whether Mastodon can replicate those vox live being an entirely different discussion). And if Baroness can do that (which is to say pull off truly epic, soaring melodic vocals) well, there might be no better band on this earth. Because they've got just about everything else I personally look for in a band. Amazing, unique riffs that sound familiar but yet not quite like anything else I've ever heard - a bizarre blend of Melvins weirdness, southern rock tones and grooves, and math rock complexity. MEGA hooks - lead vocals, choruses, guitar solos, chord progressions and riffs I just can't get out of my head. Massive heaviness, galloping drums, fiery twin lead guitar work - a band comfortable channeling Iron Maiden, Mountain and the Melvins in the same song. A sense of scope, drama and timing that would make Explosions in the Sky and Pelican proud. Spectacular artwork from guitarist/singer John Dyer Baizley. Blue Record is the total package. This kind of band and this kind of record don't come around the block that often. Enjoy."

Stoner Rock

Elvis Zombie | Angola, Indiana USA | 02/26/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First off, I got this because of the comparisons to Mastodon and Kylesa. I'm a huge fan of both bands so I'm obviously interested in anyone that sounds like them. So does Baroness sound like Mastodon or Kylesa? I suppose similarities exist. The proginess of the band is similar, but overall I think this is a far lighter album than Maston's CTS or Kylesa's Static Tensions.

In fact, this album isn't really in the same category as those two bands. To me this is a stoner rock album, because it combines elements of psychedelic rock, blues, and doom metal. Most of the album is slow-to-mid tempo and it features the typical bass and low tuned guitars of metal and incorporates melodic vocals. Track number 4 "Steel That Sleeps The Eye" has 60s style vocal harmonies. It reminds me of something by Simon and Garfunkle.

Track 10 "Blackpowder Orchard" sounds like something from that decade as well. The acoustic guitar work has that retro production feel to it. It leads right into another track with a similar intro, "The Gnashing". The song picks up the pace a bit, but it doesn't ever get heavy. At least not any more heavy than something by Queen or Zepplin would be called heavy.

I'm not saying the lightness of the album is a bad thing. I like it. However, those of you shopping for a metal album that you can thrash around and smash stuff to aren't going to be happy with this one.

This album is serene, peaceful and very mellow at times. For that reason it sounds fresh to me. After all, there are plenty of aggressive metal bands out there already. This is very melodic music, and I like it.

"

Believe the hype. Please.

Brendan Hesse | 01/02/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, this IS as good as people say. They gush about it as if it's the best thing since sliced bread, and that's because it is. I have listened to this album in its entirety at lest 13 times in the past week since I received it as a gift. Before this, It was Mastodon, Every Time I Die, Black Dahlia, BTBAM, Converge, and The Number 12 Looks Like You as my list for best albums of the year. Well now it's this:

1. Blue Record, 2. Blue Record, 3. Blue Record, 4. Blue Record, 5. Crack the Skye.

What makes this record so phenomenal, well it's the atmostphere and emotion. No album I have ever listened to has given me such a deep sense of feeling in the music. I listen to everything from Iron and Wine to Anaal Nathrakh, and it hasn't been since I discovered Wolves in the Throne Room that a band has create such a memorable and fulfilling musical experience. I believe this to be credited to the albums recurring meoldy, first heard in the intro track Bull Head's Psalm, a simple and beautiful handful of notes strung together into what is very much the foundation for the album, upon which everything else is built.

The intro whirls out and we are thrust from psychedelic melody, into a heavy and sludgy beast called The Sweetest Curse. The title says it all, the dual vocalists(John Baizley and Pete Adams) howl and shout hauntingly catchy curses, while their guitars pummel you with both buzzing, crusty, entombed-esque ferocity, and sweet melodies, strumming along at the end of the track into Jake's Leg. While not quite the fist pumper as the previous track, it still offers all the same high points, and even more vocal hooks to dig deep into you and drag you into the much softer and cleaner Steel that Sleeps the Eye. It's essentially the prequel track to Swollen and Halo, the longest and one of the most psyched out tracks on the record. Then back to that opening riff, this time in Ogeechee Hymnal, and this time it gets a touch of that buzzing guitar tone.

Then over the horizon comes A Horse Called Golgotha, without a doubt my favorite track on the album. The bass, played by Summer Welch, really shines here. In fact, the entire second half of the record shows of the musicality of the band much more, where as the first half was about letting you rock out. Everything on a Horse Called Golgotha is damn near perfect. I guess that's why they made it into a music video.

Then we are dropped into the spiraling bass and drum centric O'er Hell and Hide. No vocals here, except for a pre-recorded and muffled reading of a poem, and a few distant shouts from John and Pete, but that's okay because it lets us focus on Allen Bickle's dizzying drum work. After the spinning stops, we find ourselves at War, Wisdom and Rhyme. Not exactly the best track on the album, but still worth the time to listen. Because after that comes the amazing instrumental Black Powder Orchard, offering blues and blue grass style guitar work with Baroness's trade mark sound.

And now we see the end of this blue-tinted tunnel, and we are guided through it with The Gnashing, another southern-tinged monster, it has the build up of a good final track. You won't understand until you hear it yourself. You really feel like this is the final climactic push of our quest into the great, deep and mysterious Blue, and we are about to emerge victorious.

And as we feel ourselves taking those final few steps while the song winds down... The Blue Record riff returns, for the final outro Bullhead's Lament, allowing us time to reflect upon the masterpeice we have just witnessed.

Too frilly for you? okay well here's the deal. This is the best elements of prog, rock, heavy metal, sludge and even crust mixed together into a formula that works. This is for fans of bands like Kylesa, Yob, High on Fire, and Mastodon. It's for lovers of Entombed, Disfear, and Wolfbrigade. Coheed, He is Legend, and Fall of Troy enthusiast can find something to love here, too. It provides the same eerie and woodsy atmosphere the Wolves in the Throne Room followers will relish.

This is by far, the best record of the year."

Search - Baroness :: Blue Record

CD Details

Synopsis

Similar CDs

Similarly Requested CDs

Member CD Reviews

CD Reviews