ALBUM REVIEW: Motherbrain – Crobot

CROBOT return once again with their signature sound of whirring, trippy psychedelic rock, but this time, their edge is much heavier. With third album MOTHER BRAIN, the band lean in to a sense of unrest, and look more towards a more real world view.

If you weren’t sure just how heavy CROBOT were willing to go for this record, first track Burn booms into being with Brandon Yeagley bellowing his undeniably powerful voice, an instant head turner. The vibe is low and dirty, with groove and feel swing themselves around like a seasoned dancer around a pole. Burn is grittier than we’ve yet experienced from CROBOT, and it’s their glorious sensibilities all wrapped into a completely different focus for psychedelic rock.

Equally, Keep Me Down holds on to the tone and pacing of the intro, the southern sensibilities utterly apparent. Yeagley’s voice has acquired more broadness since, it’s gravellier when need be, and ever cleaner when things need to soar.  Likewise, Chris Bishop’s guitars are still the signature sound that they’ve always been, but there’s a little more depth to dig into, a little further to push in any variety of directions.

Changing things up Drown is a completely misdirection with its intro, a washy motion that you might think you know where things will go with, but full on slaps you round the face with a monstrous, heavy metal sensibility. It’s a very unusual kind of sound, bringing itself back into classic rock for it’s chorus, and treading the line between southern rock and classic metal sounds for it’s verse. Things are pretty dark, and it’s a relief that CROBOT are a band willing to try new things even by album three.

Low Life is as much a swaggering beast as you could want. The confidence is undeniable, it’s infectiously unapologetic attitude to prejudice makes it’s barked aggression, soaring chorus and the lilt of bending strings crooning. By the time this track ends, you’ll have it seeped into your own mentality and it’ll rattle round your head for days.

Another crazy fun ride tumbles out in Alpha Dawg, it’s silly low vocalising layers yet more entertainment in to CROBOT’s performance. The surreal effects sparking through the guitars leaves the hairs on end and the tap of you toe. In fact, the whole piece works to the advantage of the vocals actually, as when Yeagley finally brings in his impactful vocals, you’ve already fallen under the spell of this one.

Stoning the Devil has it’s roots back in tracks like Cloud Slipper, though in sentiment alone, with a step-down pacing that harks back to that heavy fire tune. Where once the imminent impatience of the song to start punching through riffs was is now a thicker tone and a more menacing edge. The bass has also changed function a little in this album, it’s a method for creating more atmosphere and weight, rather than aiding in the chaos. That’s all the guitars job, and as ever Bishop is the master of exacting his sweet, sharp, swooning and soulful voicings over the lyrics.

Things move to a more paced tempo in Gasoline, a deceptive intro is blaringly interrupted by Yeagley’s strong vocals, and a once more grooved up, heavy hook pulls you in. the swing from verse to chorus is superb, the slow swing off the bass-line, the inflection of Bishops crazy effects are melded into this darker version of CROBOT’s sound effortlessly.

Destroyer continues to walk the line between serene psychedelics and growling menace, all working on the strength of the vocals. Each member of this band carries a very distinct sound and unique weight to their contribution and it wouldn’t be as mighty as it is without any part of this input; the sum of CROBOT’s parts is are equal to it’s whole.

Blackout is just as swooning, the menacing tension of strings under the thud of the bass and drums and the harmonies tells a story of a person lost and unable to be helped. While the lyrics are easy to read into to create your own version of the story, there’s an element of relatability to those who have seen themselves lost, or witnessed the demise of a person to themselves.

A wicked bassline carries in the swing of After Life, and it’s clear by this point, this album is utterly chock full of bangers, with not a filler track in sight. After Life is as catchy as anything else you’ll find on this album, and as oddly optimistic, facing of in defiance. There’s a tasty little squealer of a solo in there too that’s worth hanging on for.

The Hive finishes us off nicely with a wicked battering, with yet more commentary on society and our worth as individuals if we define ourselves on how much we can give away to fit in. it’s a bold song to end on, a solid rock anthem to rebel against the system to.

CROBOT have always managed to write music that packs a distinct punch, while conjuring a world in their lyrics for you to fall into. In this heavier, but no less psychedelic, bluesy-groove filled album, the focus is less on the surreal imagination of the band, but on the real-life topics that matter in the present. It’s an album that demands you listen, and by the time you’re done, the bombastic confidence and bold aggression will have you pumped with defiance and confidence of your own. CROBOT  have managed to capture the feeling of civil unrest that we live in and in doing so, have created an album that compels you to unit with the likeminded, and armour yourself with pride in who you are, and swagger in it for all it’s worth.

Rating: 9/10

Motherbrain is set for release August 23rd via Mascot Records. 

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