ALBUM REVIEW: Stoned Blues Machine – Geezer
Stoned riff fiends GEEZER have become staples of the US underground scene, and have gained a reputation for bombastic riffs and vivid, blues fuelled psychedelics. The band have strapped themselves into their cosmic Cadillac cruiser for a another dusty journey into the vast expanses of space. The trio have created a new contraption to escape all the vagueness of life with: the Stoned Blues Machine. The band’s sixth album looks to deal with the fear, isolation, political turmoil and disintegration of truth of the past few years by saying; “screw it” and buckling you in, lighting one up and going at full warp speed towards a inter-dimensional wormhole of consciousness.
Utilising what Pat Harrington (guitars/vocals) describes as the three pillars of GEEZER: “heavy trippy groovy”, Stoned Blues Machine follows up on the easy riding vibes of 2020’s Groovy and looks to bend reality and make you a slave to the boogie. The band have grown considerably since 2014, journeying through a variety of open, spaced out jams to deliver big riffs, memorable hooks and a whole load of groove. There is something comforting in Stoned Blues Machine; whilst it sounds like ZZ TOP went on a crazy stoned adventure, the overriding feeling is that it is three guys just having fun playing music. There’s nothing pretentious or outlandish, just straight forward heavy psychedelic blues for all to enjoy whether you’re stoned on some of the highest grade devil’s lettuce or not. This is a solid example of placing classic rock and blues song-writing into imaginative hands, bombastic but steady riffs encompassed within an eclectic psychedelic space.
It is so easy to sit back and space out to Stoned Blues Machine, contrary to its title there is nothing mechanical about this album. The free flowing nature of the songs is a testament to GEEZER’s joy of jamming out and writing songs together. This is easily the band’s most expansive sounding album to date and it continues to build on their accomplishments. GEEZER are very much settled in their ways and are unapologetic for who they are, yet the music still sounds refreshing, engaging and exciting – cowbells and all. Stoned Blues Machine can be easily described in two, probably arbitrary, album categories: the music for road trips, or a big, boozy summer BBQ. Either way, the Stoned Blues Machine is at its most powerful when the sun is beating down on you and you’re chilling out somewhere.
Atomic Moronic sets the tone for the album with its infectious cowbell groove and fuzzing riffs, utilising a lot of blues rock motifs along the way. The song itself looks into the disintegration of truth, which has unfortunately become a pressing issue with the rise of fake news, so reading between the lines the song says what we all feel about putting “faith in stupid”. A Cold Black Heart has a classic SABBATH-esque introduction of droning chords and thundering drums before launching into a signature GEEZER funky blues groove. Eleven is the most fun song on the album as it makes a wholesome reference to everyone’s favourite rockumentary band SPINAL TAP as they take it all to 11. Transcending through the album is a Jimi Hendrix-esque ideology of furious wah pedal usage and funk style chords as well as off the wall atmospherics. These little nods to late 60s psychedelia are delight to listen to, and nowhere are they more prevalent than the album’s closer The Diamond Rain Of Saturn. With elements that would fit perfectly on Electric Ladyland coupled with modern production it is a solemn song but just as bombastic as the rest as the band save the best for last.
GEEZER have definitely gone all out on Stoned Blues Machine as they expand their sound to some of the further reaches of the psychedelic universe. Essentially, this album is fun; something to space out to and enjoy as it tackles the emotions that we’ve all felt as the world falls apart. However, as the band say in Eleven; “Break out the weed and the riff”.
Rating: 8/10
Stoned Blues Machine is set for release on May 20th via Heavy Psych Sounds.
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