Throw on some platform shoes and pull out the shag rug for the Seventies-riffic third solo album by stoner rock godfather Brant Bjork. Mankind Woman widens the scope of the desert rock style that Bjork pioneered with Fu Manchu and Kyuss, encompassing Seventies funk, Sixties psychedelia, and Motown. "Groovy" in every sense of the word. [€8.99]
Yawning Man also have roots in the desert rock scene, with members who served time in Kyuss and Fatso Jetson, as well as contributed to Josh Homme's Desert Sessions. So it's quite a surprise that The Revolt Against Tired Noises bears little resemblance to the fuzzed out sound they helped establish, opting for a spacey and crystalline style that has more in common Mogwai. A shimmering update of "Catamaran" (a Yawning Man song which Kyuss covered on their last album) only underscores the wide berth between their past and present. A relief for tired ears. [$8]
On the other hand, French instrumental quartett Domadora remain fiercely devoted to the heft and fuzz that the Palm Springs desert birthed. Born out of improvised jams, the four songs that comprise LACUNA veer from earthshakingly heavy to sublimely delicate, taking the listener on a wordless journey. Some stories need no narration. [€8]
If there's one band that's destined to be airbrushed on the side of a van, it's San Diego's Great Electric Quest. Chapter II - OF EARTH is a retro freight train making stops at early Priest and Sabbath's Dio period, terminating at Seventies metal Valhalla. Faith, meet your defenders. [$5.99]
