John Garcia is back, friends!
Much like the way he started 2017 (I’m of course speaking of The Coyote Who Spoke In Tongues), Garcia is kicking off another new year with a hearty slab of new music in the form of John Garcia And The Band Of Gold which will drop on your sonic doorsteps on January 4th. The seminal, nay integral, voice of the desert is not only back, he’s back with the Master of Reality himself, Chris Goss, behind the boards with an album that’s as much a return to form as it is a piledriving, soulful soliloquy representing Garcia in the here and now.
The backing band that brought you the acoustic reinterpretations of Kyuss classics and Garcia originals on The Coyote Who Spoke In Tongues is plugged in and ready to rawk on this magnificent 11-track beast kicking off with “Space Vato” which serves as a rebirth of sorts as well as an introduction to the new(er) band with Ehren Groban’s spacey fretwork creating an ambiance as Mike Pygmie’s bass rumble absolutely shatters sonic expectations conjuring up comparisons to the freshness of Vista Chino and the more honed tones found on …And The Circus Leaves Town.
Then those familiar, soulful bluesy pipes chime in on “Jim’s Whiskers” and the sonic circle is complete with this track built on a shuffling groove from drummer Greg Saenz until exploding into a driving force of desert rawk awesome. John Garcia And The Band Of Gold also bestows us mortals with “Kentucky II” and as a fan already, surely you remember the original track appearing on Hermano’s brilliant Into The Exam Room. But before you think this is some same old same old bs, listen carefully and you’ll here that the sequel is more of a spiritual brother to the original riff rawker with a wholly more laid back vibe throughout.
“My Everything” is a moving, churning barrel of riffs….a soulsplosion if you will with this heartfelt yearning coming from Garcia’s vocal performance while “Lillianna” echoes that mood even more so with another driving, passionate rawker. “Popcorn (Hit Me When You Can)” is all fuzzy and groove-laden with Garcia’s voice reaching new heights with this sublime instrumental pummeling towards this tracks end and later, “Don’t Even Think About It” is vintage John Garcia: bumpin’ bass, shreddy yet bluesy riffage, steady drum grooves and Garcia at the forefront with that uncanny yowl. Then “Cheyletiella” goes for the stratosphere with another thumper before “Softer Side” brings back the quieter side of Garcia to close out a stellar kick off to 2019.
John Garcia And The Band Of Gold is out on January 4th through Napalm Records. Some cool ass pre-order options are up now by clicking here. For the latest on John Garcia, head on over here.
One Response