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Hey! Listen to Weedpecker!

It is our tendency to wear things out, especially music, that, in part, gives our community so much life. For example, I’ve listened to Elder so many times since

6 years ago

It is our tendency to wear things out, especially music, that, in part, gives our community so much life. For example, I’ve listened to Elder so many times since Reflections From a Floating World came out that I need a break. I’m driven then to search for the same kind of sound but done a bit differently, someone that isn’t Elder but that can scratch that same itch. A high bar indeed! Luckily, my network reaches far and I’m sent albums all of the time, one of which (all the way from Poland) was Weedpecker‘s III, a wonderful and expansive exploration of 70’s influenced stoner rock that lives in the same spaces as Elder. Now I’m here to repay the favor and tell you to listen to it; see you below for more!

The Elder comparison should prove itself true from the very first notes of the fourth track, “From Mars to Mercury”. The guitar leads, the rhythm section, the dominant bass, the sheer serious playfulness of it all, the psych-rock vocals, everything just comes together so pleasingly to create that familiar stoner rock feel I’ve grown to love. Worthy of special attention are the synths, much louder than they ever were on Elder’s work. They serve to amplify that 70’s vibe in a great way. So too the guitar tones which are often, like on the first solo of this track, a little deeper and more pronounced, making the entire track shine in a different light.

There’s also a lot more trippy passages on the album, like in the middle of “From Mars to Mercury”. These passages lean on the King Crimson influences even further, creating the kind of psychedelic spaces the seminal band was known for. That’s the the beautiful thing about III; it goes much farther than just being compared to one of the greatest bands working today (as if that wasn’t enough). It’s a fully realized and fleshed out album, containing so much to love. Thus, it’s worth a few listens and more even if your time with Elder is still not fully over; you’ll find much to love in Weedpecker’s take on the sound and their approach to executing it.

Eden Kupermintz

Published 6 years ago