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Kyuss

post #1 of 17
5/21/09 at 9:06am
Thread Starter 
Where has this band been all my life?

I picked up Wretch, which I thought was ok but nothing special, I liked some of the tracks but it was wildly uneven, It made me want to pick up their next album 'Blues for the red sun' though.

'Blues for the red sun' felt far more focused, the opener 'Thumb' just exploded, on this and 50 Million Year Trip (Downside Up) Brant Bjork proves what a totally badass drummer he is, Josh Homme starts exerting more influence here, his guitar riffs are tighter and definitely more focused, it's a totally solid album but not the classic I expected it to be.

Welcome to Sky Valley is a different story, it took me a few listens but it's rocketed up to being an absolute favorite, the playing here is just excellent, everyone here is on their A-Game, Homme's riffs just pound you into submission but he mixes it up with great rhythm playing and spaced out solos, Brant Bjork's explosive percussive attack is jaw dropping, from the opener 'Gardenia' to 'Conan Troutman', he's an absolute drumming force.

It's a shame they broke up but these things happen, the energy they put out in these albums is pretty amazing, I would've loved to see these guys live, even if it's just on CD.
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post #2 of 17
5/21/09 at 9:31am
I just dropped Sky Valley and Blues onto my mp3 player after a long, long hiatus thanks to this.

Good post, and I agree with damn near everything you said.
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post #3 of 17
5/21/09 at 9:43am
What a coincidence. I just started listening to them as well! I do agree that Wretch is really nothing special, but then according to Wikipedia the band hate the album as well, so that's something.

'Demon Cleaner' is a fantastic song. I'm also guessing it's Josh singing that one?
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post #4 of 17
5/21/09 at 10:19am
Kyuss, yeah, good stuff. Notice no one ever says nice things about the vocals.
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post #5 of 17
5/21/09 at 10:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrVenkman View Post
I'm also guessing it's Josh singing that one?
Nope- still John Garcia. Sure sounds a bit like Josh, though, doesn't it?
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post #6 of 17
5/21/09 at 10:51am
Thread Starter 
I should've given John props as a singer to be fair, his growl is a perfect match for this band.

"You don't seem to understand the deal, I don't give two shits some how you feel"
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post #7 of 17
5/21/09 at 3:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ninhead View Post
Nope- still John Garcia. Sure sounds a bit like Josh, though, doesn't it?
Wow, I would never have thought it. Sounds exactly like Josh to me. The vocal is softer than what we usually get.
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post #8 of 17
5/22/09 at 1:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pop Zeus View Post
Kyuss, yeah, good stuff. Notice no one ever says nice things about the vocals.
Not much nice to say - I recall someone describing it as "a failed attempt to sound tough"; and even with the leeway that it's a bunch of early-20-ish guys with the singer they grew up with, they're at best tolerable.

That riffing and the groove though. Damn.
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post #9 of 17
5/22/09 at 9:57pm
Thread Starter 
I think 'Conan Troutman' is just a totally awesome song, Homme's riffing and Bjork's drumming totally own everything.
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post #10 of 17
5/24/09 at 7:36am
Agreed on: great band. That's one reunion I wouldn't mind one bit.

Note: Brant Bjork has his own band now called 'The Bros'. Not as great but still worth checking out, esp. live. Same goes for Kyuss soundalikes Atomic Bitchwax. If you want more groovy stoner in that vein, either seek out the first two Monster Magnet albums- really a different band from the fm-rock shit they're doing nowadays. Great Conan-on-shrooms lyrics as well.
And for something in that vein with a more laid-back, westcoast surf-skate feel, dig up Fu Manchu. Later albums have been somewhat lame, but 'The Action is Go!' and 'King of the Road' are bonafide classic.
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post #11 of 17
5/24/09 at 7:41am
Thread Starter 
Josh Homme has stated that a reunion ain't happening in any way shape or form but it would be cool to see this band live. Thanks for the recommendations.
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post #12 of 17
5/24/09 at 11:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cheftournel View Post
If you want more groovy stoner in that vein, either seek out the first two Monster Magnet albums- really a different band from the fm-rock shit they're doing nowadays. Great Conan-on-shrooms lyrics as well.
MM's latter-day stuff is a bit slicker than their early albums, but I still like it (with the caveat that I haven't heard Four Way Diablo yet. Always a good live act, though.

Spine of God is awesome - really raw, drugged-out stuff; Superjudge I always felt is best described as "Hawkwind on reds" - very trippy, noodly stuff that just has great balls to it.

Quote:
And for something in that vein with a more laid-back, westcoast surf-skate feel, dig up Fu Manchu. Later albums have been somewhat lame, but 'The Action is Go!' and 'King of the Road' are bonafide classic.
Nebula's first two albums are good for that Cali-stoner vibe too - go figure, since 2/3 of Nebula started out in Fu Manchu.
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post #13 of 17
7/23/09 at 12:54am
Thread Starter 
As much as I like 'Blues for the red sun', I find myself loving 'Welcome to Sky Valley' more and more. The whole album just seems more focused, it's almost prog-rock in the way the tracks are grouped together.
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post #14 of 17
7/23/09 at 1:19am
I remember an interview with Homme where he said he'd like to reinterpret some of the Kyuss material using dark, carnival style instruments. I don't know if he was talking an album or a live performance, but it sounded intriguing, even though I'm not too sure what qualifies as a dark carnival instrument. Hurdy gurdy?
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post #15 of 17
7/29/09 at 1:29am
How could anyone possibly like these guys?

My girlfriend absolutely adores Kyuss and all of Garcia's other bands. I'm basically forced to listen to them.

I just don't get it. I'm all about Queens. But this is just boring.
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post #16 of 17
7/30/09 at 8:03pm
I never minded John's vocals at all, I think he suited the sleazy dirtbag vibe to pretty much perfection, but it's Homme's songs that were the reason Kyuss really kicked ass. They were a definite influence on my own music too, the power of a good, heavy, swinging groove is unbeatable. I'd probably miss them a whole lot if Rated R and Songs For The Deaf had never happened.
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post #17 of 17
4/18/10 at 7:13am
If anybody's interested, and it probably won't make it over the pond, but: yesterday was the first show of Garcia Plays Kyuss tour in Europe. Which amounts to John Garcia backed by a couple of Dutch/Belgian musicians doing Kyuss favourites.
For the record: it wasn't bad, and exactly the kind of jukebox show you'd expect. Note perfect renditions of studio versions, but with an infamous band like this, something is 'off' without the most legendary members there on stage.
Also Garcia seemed like a cool guy and he doesn't pretend this to be anything more than a crowd pleaser & small indulgence on his part, so more power to him.
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