Clutch – Earth Rocker

“I’m an EARTH! ROCKER! Everybody get the message?!” Well if you don’t you’re probably a little deaf. After more than 20 years, Clutch have released one of their best albums, and many people say that it probably is the best one of the Maryland stoner quartet.

Earth rocker is, although it keeps like every existing cliché about the genre alive, a hard, authentic and bad ass road trip through the desert.  “If you’re gonna do it, do it live on stage, or don’t do it at all!” The opener relentlessly stamps through the sand, leaving the stage for Crucial Velocity, which does exactly the same. Stoner, garage rock, Southern rock and riff rock permanently shake hands, leaving no space for boredom at all, which is a difficult task to undertake nowadays, given that stoner rock often hasn’t really progressed since the 90s.

Clutch obviously had fun recording this LP and juggling around with harmonicas and near cross-over songs like DC Sound Attack! Unto the Breach even offers an excursion into punk rock, underlining the variety of Earth Rocker once more, and we haven’t even reached the middle of the record yet. The bluesy Southern rock track Gone Cold offers a short break to the muscle car engine, or gives the driver the opportunity to have a glass of whisky before hitting the road again.

It is needless to say that lady groove is omnipresent, too.  Points of criticism? More cowbell please!

This is an album which doesn’t take itself too serious, and so shouldn’t you. Just nod your head (you certainly will) and have some fun on the next road trip, even if it’s just to the next mall around the corner with your mini van.

Recommendations: Earth Rocker, DC Sound Attack!, Gone Cold