Witchcraft - Firewood

2005

If there was a satanic band at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 it would have been Witchcraft.

That is if Witchcraft could have gone forward in time and listened to a bunch of Black Sabbath then returned to 1967 to play the fest.

Jake E. Lee - Retraced

2005

A bunch of covers of classic bands and it's not their hits. (Well, maybe a couple hits. Rock Candy...). Tim Bogert and Ansley Dunbar are the rhythm section with a singer and of course Jake E. Lee playing a bunch a guitar. It all seems to stay very true to the originals. You could put this on with your Sucking The 70's comps... The Small Stone comps with the 70's tunes. Well, this would go well with those. This unfortunately doesn't have the aggressiveness or heaviness of some of those covers. This is more about Jake E. Lee shreding some of the songs he grew up with and not trying to make them his own. Comes across as a project some guys did for fun. They Cover: Procol Harum, Cactus' arrangement of Howlin' Wolf, Free, Johnny Winter, Grand Funk Railroad, James Gang, Montrose and a few others. This is a fun record. Nothing great. Sounds more like a bar band than arena rock. A would much rather listen to this than most albums "guitar players" putout.

The Heroine Sheiks - Out Of Africa

If you already have every Cows album and need more, you'll probably like this.

High On Fire - Blessed Black Wings

2005

The only drawback to this album is also it's greatest strength. All out abusive riffige that beats you to a pulp. Six or seven songs into this and I can hardly take it anymore. If you want variety you'll have to look elsewhere. Yes, this album rules.

Wolfmother - Wolfmother

2005

Catchy and rockin' 70's type rock with big modern day production. Sometimes the singers voice starts to quiver like Marc Boland, but it never gets that annoying. Very derivative of a lot of 60's rock bands. They're able to take some very cool elements from here and there put 'em together and it works. Sounds more if the White Stripes were a stoner rock band than an actual 60's or 70's heavy rock band.

Altamont - The Monkees Uncle

2005

Hard to classify this, you know, really put my finger on it. It sorta has that Melvins weirdness but sure does not sound like them. Un-offensive rock. Good production. On some songs the vocals sound sorta like Darby Crash. A Screamers cover.