Clutch Albums (15)
'Strange Cousins from the West'
Release Date 7/7/2009
Tracks 11
Label Weathermaker
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What The Critics Say
The first Clutch studio release in over two years, Strange Cousins from the West is their ninth studio effort; their second recorded with producer J. Robbins at his Magpie Cage Studio in Baltimore, MD; and their first original studio release on their self-owned label, Weathermaker Music. If you're familiar with Clutch at this point in the band's career (after almost 20 years), there aren't too many surprises; it's another album filled with greasy, bluesy, down-home stoner rock. One slight variation this time around is that keyboardist Mick Schauer isn't on board -- bassist Dan Maines, drummer Jean-Paul Gaster, guitarist Tim Sult, and vocalist/guitarist Neil Fallon recorded as a four-piece -- and the lack of a Hammond organ and the stripped-down production give the album a rawer, more organic, and more spatial feel. This leaves more room for the beefy bass tone and delirious lyrics ("Anthrax, ham radio...and liquor!") to shine, but because the grooves are a touch slower and more restrained, Strange Cousins from the West is a step down from their last three albums, From Beale Street to Oblivion, Robot Hive: Exodus, and Blast Tyrant. Even if it's a little less lively, it's still pretty typical Clutch: always heavy, always solid, and ideal background music for driving a semi-truck through a swamp. ~ Jason Lymangrover, All Music Guide
'Live in Flint, Michigan'
Release Date 3/3/2009
Tracks 29
Label Weathermaker
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'Full Fathom Five: Audio Field Recordings 2007-2008'
Release Date 9/15/2008
Tracks 15
Label Weathermaker
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'Heard It All Before: Live at the HiFi Bar'
Release Date 12/13/2007
Tracks 28
Label New Found Frequency
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'From Beale Street to Oblivion'
Release Date 3/26/2007
Tracks 12
Label DRT
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What The Critics Say
Circa the early 21st century, it has become quite uncommon for hard rock bands to create a substantial following the old-fashioned way -- nonstop touring -- rather than having to rely on MTV and radio's stamp of approval. But Clutch have done it their way since the very beginning, and their tenth full-length overall, 2007's From Beale Street to Oblivion, may just be their strongest and most focused recording yet. The riffs are still meaty, the still somewhat new addition of organ has added a deep classic rock dimension, and Neil Fallon's pissed-off trucker vocals are as, well, ballsy as ever (if you want emo-boy whining you've come to the wrong place, buster). Unlike some similar-styled bands that completely align themselves with either stoner metal or retro-rock, Clutch borrow equally from both, as evidenced by such standouts as the album-opening big rock of "You Can't Stop Progress," the Southern rockish "The Devil & Me," and the snake-hiding-in-the-grass boogie of "Electric Worry." And Clutch get extra points for offering one of the best lyrics you're going to hear on a 2007 rock recording -- "You can always tell the terrorist/By his cologne and the watch on his wrist" (from the furious 'n' defiant "Power Player"). If you long for the days when Soundgarden were still a functioning band, Kyuss were still patrolling the desert, and Black Sabbath had yet to make up with Ozzy, Clutch will definitely not let you down with From Beale Street to Oblivion. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
'Robot Hive: Exodus'
Release Date 6/21/2005
Tracks 14
Label DRT Entertainment
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What The Critics Say
Can someone please get Clutch a publicity transfusion? While the band has built a rabid fanbase in its 15-plus years of havoc, the intuitive, volatile grooves of Robot Hive: Exodus deserve a closer listen from the clueless types still dawdling over Clutch's musical category. The record satisfies fans of 2004's Blast Tyrant and keeps on trucking stylistically, still featuring Neil Fallon's guttural cerebralisms ("Oh, but to just dine on sewage, cold seagull pie/Wrestle albino alligators and spin the good lie") but incorporating more of additional organ/keys man Mick Schauer and pushing out jams thicker than prehistoric amber. Opener "Incomparable Mr. Flannery" drops references to Dokken, Camaros, and downtown Detroit watering holes on its way to rolling with the moustache and supernova. The track's a good example of producer J. Robbins' feel throughout Robot Hive. He keeps the pace nimble, and that accentuates both the percussion's high end and the organic feel of Clutch's guitar/base strut. They aren't drop-tuning clones or vintage gearheads with no originality. Progressions are found within the riffs, and the blunt bottom end glances off smart lyrics and clever instrumental turns. Clutch offers heavy lifting for the thinking man. Schauer's Hammond shines on "10001110101," where a Deep Purple stomp sets up Fallon's observations of lunatics and the "Robot Lords of Tokyo." "Gravel Road" and "Who's Been Talking?" tinge the blues with heaviness, and "10,000 Witnesses" wouldn't be out of place on a North Mississippi Allstars record. There are also straight-on bangers here, like "Mice and Gods" or the awesomely named "Burning Beard," and "Never be Moved" works a great balance between boogey-metal guitar, Schauer's organ, and righteous gospel proclamations to "get your evolution on." On Robot Hive: Exodus Clutch knows its strengths, but continually challenges them. The band's always pushing the boundaries, and it's time the world outside the underground found that out. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
'Slow Hole to China'
Release Date 4/12/2005
Tracks 12
Label River Road
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'Blast Tyrant'
Release Date 3/30/2004
Tracks 15
Label RT. / Utr Music
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What The Critics Say
Few bands have managed to prosper inside a bubble of their own devising and outside the constricting rules of the music business as successfully and for as long as Maryland's Clutch; who continue to unleash album after album of barely evolving, groovy stoner rock, regardless of label affiliation and changing trends. In fact, the only concession made with their sixth album (give or take a few EPs and "odds and sods" sets), 2004's Blast Tyrant, was its reported first-time adoption of digital recording, although you'd never really know it from the end results. Of interchangeable sonics with pretty much any of their previous albums, most of Blast Tyrant's numbers are textbook and unmistakably Clutch, with their punchy, often circular-sounding guitar riffs, gruff vocal delivery, and über-ironic lyrics distinguished into three by now familiar categories: tales of unfathomably obscure imagery ("Spleen Merchant," "(In the Wake Of) The Sollen Goat," and "Eulogy for a Ghost"); darkly comical diatribes ("Profits of Doom," "Army of Bono," and "Subtle Hustle"); and politicized rants such as "Worm Drink" and the standout "The Mob Goes Wild" (which seriously rails against the government's poor handling of wartime death, while laughingly encouraging "everybody to move to Canada now, bum rush the border guard," etc.). Additional mentionables -- for good and ill -- include opener "Mercury" (part song, part feedback, all free-form), the unusually acoustic and psychedelic "The Regulator," the Hammond-laced instrumental "Wysiwyg," and the particularly memorable "(Notes From the Trial Of) La Curandera" -- all of which also fit into the above three cited categories. In other words, Blast Tyrant is likely to confound those who have previously been confounded, and appease those who were previously appeased, leaving Clutch, as always, safely ensconced in their timeless and impenetrable creative bubble. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
'Live at the Googolplex'
Release Date 3/31/2003
Tracks 15
Label Megaforce
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Although they may look more like a group of scientists or librarians than a rock band, don't be fooled by their appearance -- Clutch are easily one of metal's top live acts. While the majority of modern-day metal bands stick close to the studio versions on-stage, Clutch is an exception, as they've been known to follow in the same "jamming" path as pre-punk '70s-era rockers. However, Clutch's 2003 concert set, Live at the Googolplex, does not include a smorgasbord of jamming, like some fans who have caught the band live would expect. The group's guitarist, Tim Sult, has long been one of metal's most underrated guitarists (especially in the riff department) and in a way, Googolplex serves as a showcase for Sult's talents, especially on such tracks as "Sea of Destruction" and "Rats." And there are a few moments when Clutch manage to sneak some jams into the set (but again, not as many or as long as one would expect) -- "Careful with That Mic...," "Escape from the Prison Planet," etc. Containing most of Clutch's strongest tracks, Live at the Googolplex is an adequate sampler for newcomers until the group issues a true "best-of" collection. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On Pure Rock Fury, Neil Fallon's narratives provide potent commentaries on popular culture, even as he distances Clutch from more explicitly political musicians by remaining cynical and critical, rather than committing to political action: "At times I'm even tempted to seek the advice of Dr. Laura, but I ignore her/So I take a deep breath and count to ten/Ain't gonna let it get under my skin." Fallon's lyrics remain deliberately vague regarding what precisely the problems are, and draw from myth, literature, and pop culture as they navigate psychedelic landscapes reminiscent, at times, of songs by Black Sabbath or Monster Magnet. Whether singing road songs such as "Sinkemlow" or the anthemic title track, Fallon emerges as the premier wordsmith of stoner rock on Pure Rock Fury. At the same time, unrelenting, driving grooves compel the listener effortlessly into Fallon's landscapes as deep, wide-open riffs swagger beneath wailing solos and pounding rhythms, again recalling the specter of Black Sabbath. Clutch's usual lineup is supplemented with number of cameos, including Scott Weinrich of Spirit Caravan. If Fallon's lyrics are obscure regarding the problem, on thing is made clear: "Pure rock fury is the ultimate solution." This album delivers on its promise and then some as Clutch does what they do best -- and the best they've ever done it. ~ Rich Goldman, All Music Guide
