This is actually a split-EP that features both Acid King and The Mystick Krewe of Clearlight-divided up between a four and two track showing.

Nothing too mind-blowing early on actually and in fact there are two things overall that draw me to this record-the first is I wanted to hear the second band for the first time-that would be the "Krewe" right?

Secondly, the inside illustration's pretty out there with what appears as some sort of agreeable working relationship between a Pontiff and winged-beast… makes you think a little huh?

There won't be much mental exhaustion by the time we roll past the first few cuts actually.

Acid King opens with something called "Blaze In" which is anything but and more like "Blase" I would think. Just a monotonous droning effect sans vocals and heavy on the bass fuzz.

The next tune picks it up a bit with "Free" and this female singer that sounds a little like Joan Jett.

Ditto for the next tune "Four Minutes" which is not as good as "Free" but better than "Blaze Out…"

Then we get to The Mystick Krewe and their two song contribution that rings off like a bizarre blend of Edgar Winter meets B.O.C. meets Uriah Heep-heavy on the seventies vibe and that staunch organ grind that defined many a hard rock act in the day.

The vocals are almost completely buried but this one's got a good groove to it-and get the name, "Buzzard Hill (My Backyard)…" sounds like a great place for a 4th of July barbeque!

And their closer "Veiled" has a catchy opening and typifies what they mean by "hook" with the emphatic push of the guitar chords before unfurling into an all out menacing jam that'd make the Allman's proud-think also back to around Deep Purple's style before Gillan walked and later Rainbow, rhythmically anyway.

The 'Krewe, indicatively heavier than such were the grand ol' Southerner flag wavers of the day in any case, here's a band that's probably got more to offer than their uninspired predecessor-at least for as much as two tracks will reveal-they're absolutely beside themselves by the time the tune's half over before wafting back into their own gentle sea of resonance… heavy rockers, bikers, and peace-toting hipsters will get the most mileage out of either of these on either scale… let the tremors begin!

Acid King Website: http://www.acid-king.com/

Released by MAN'S RUIN RECORDS, 610 22nd Street #302, San Francisco, CA 94107
Phone - (415) 865-2790 |
Fax - (415) 865-2794
Website : http://www.mansruin.com/
Email : mansruin@sirius.com

Review by Vinnie Apicella [va85@columbia.edu]