Prince Rama - Shadow Temple

Paw Tracks Recordings

Released: September 14th, 2010

Now-Age, Psychedelic, OM-tastic head trip of a swell electronic time.

I love it when: A) A buddy is throwing on a show in a week (Deakin (kind of boring btw)). B) When checking out the openers for said show, you realize that Prince Rama is incredible and their new album (Shadow Temple) is SO AMAZINGLY GOOD! C) You then realize the show you were probably not going to go is now a must-see-event. D) You go to said show and even missing a member of the band, Price Rama still is absolutely amazing. E) PLUS when you purchase the new record at the show it's motha-fuckin' BEDAZZELED with SWEET-ASS JEWELS. Yeah that's right: jewels.

This record is very very swell. The first listen made me exclaim "Hare Krishna! this is soooooooo good!" The band hails from Brooklyn, but got their beginnings in the Boston underground/experimental music/art scene. The two ladies in Prince Rama have actually known each other for much longer, having met at an Hare Krishna community in Florida years ago. This new-age, mantra influence plays a heavy part in the bands sound and style.

The album is very psychedelic (in a non-druggy kind of way), but also very powerful. They rely heavily on synths and drums and vocal harmonies between the two female singers. There is some reverby-distorted guitar accents sprinkled in as well.

The album is absolutely PACKED from beginning to end with mind-expanding songs. About half of the songs are based on traditional Hare Krishna mantras and chants, while the other half are originals. At the end of the day the band seamlessly blends the two. "Lightening Fossil" is the best song on the album and is the only one with a bit of a dance-y beat, but "Raghupati" and "Satt Nam" are equally good for blending zen mantras with keyboards, drums and harmonies.

Excellent, excellent album. OM.

Similar: Hare Krishna chants, Gang Gang Dance, Silver Apples

Rating: 9.0

Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart

Jagjaguwar Records

Released: September 14th, 2010

Stoner Rock that "Gets IT" instead of singing about bongs and weed.

Stoner Rock (and it's heavier brother Sludge/Stoner Metal) can either be immensely awesome or fucking stupid. I have no interest any more in listening a bunch of potheads singing about bongs and wizards and shit. No interest in 15 min crunchy guitar jams either. Give me the the riffs, the head bobbing bass and drums, and the trippy vocals. Leave out the bullshit. Black Sabbath did it the best. (Oh wait they sang about weed and wizards. OK but it was the seventies, everyone was high.)

Black Mountain certainly knows how to create fucking rocking licks, keep the rhythm tight, and the dueling vocals of band leader Stephen McBean and Amber Webber* create amazing harmonies that layer nicely over the sludgey guitars. Wilderness Heart is their 3rd full length, and while its good and I like it a lot, it is not nearly as amazing as 2008's In The Future. That album was my personal favorite of that year. This new album is lacking the dramatic impact of the songs that were on their last album.

This is not to say that the album is not worth listening checking out. The songs are varied enough to create a good flow throughout the album. Some of the songs are even a little more upbeat and faster than their previous material (especially "Let Spirits Ride" which almost has a thrash-metal vibe to it. It rules.) Other up beat songs that are rad are "Old Fangs" and the title track "Wilderness Heart". Slower jams (but not too slow or jam-y) worth checking out are "Rollercoaster" and "The Way To Go".

Not their strongest effort but good none-the-less. Check it out.

*I have the biggest crush-on for Amber Webber btw. Any of you Vancouver-ites that can hook me up with her I'll will paint your portrait, cook dinner for you, and high-five you 50,346 times.

Similar: The Black Angels, Pink Mountaintops, Black Sabbath

Rating: 7.5