The Atomic Bitchwax Albums (6)
What The Critics Say
Remember the good old days when rock bands would issue a live album, but they would tack on some brand new studio tracks as a bonus for their loyal following (à la Kiss' Alive II and ZZ Top's Fandango!)? The Atomic Bitchwax certainly do. On their fourth full-length overall, 2006's Boxriff, the group have combined four new studio tracks -- produced by none other than Mr. Jack Endino -- with a 13-track live set, recorded at Seattle's Sunset Tavern a year prior. The studio tracks are exactly what you've come to expect from the band -- stoner rock with gargantuan riffs and trippy sonics (especially on "Kiss the Sun"). And on the live material, the group gets to spread their wings, as evidenced by the manic "Force Field" -- which would certainly make Blue Cheer mighty proud. Too bad they don't make eight-tracks anymore. [Note - The 'Boxriff' CD also comes with a bonus DVD, which includes the Sunset Tavern performance.] ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The Atomic Bitchwax of the past usually unspooled in a thick and hoary stoner rock/jam band format, and occasionally featured vocals. That was fine. It was great actually, since the trio was so adept at constructing bottom-feeding grooves. But three years after Spit Blood, the band has returned with shifts in both lineup and focus. III is still stoner rock, and it doesn't experiment very much with that formula. But the replacement of the departed Ed Mundell with ex-Core guitarist/vocalist Finn Ryan (Chris Kosnik (bassist/vocalist), and Keith Ackerman (drums) remain) brings a different feel to the guitar work, and the reconfigured Bitchwax trio also includes vocals on almost every track. The lyrics aren't anything special -- life's too short, one night stands, the boiling California sun, getting older, that sort of thing -- but Kosnik and Ryan are quite capable, and their vocals give the songs needed structure. "Maybe I'm a Leo" and "You Can't Win" lock into an economic but very powerful strut, while "You Oughta Know" uses its lyrical parts to set up some terrifically nimble tempo changes. Ryan lets loose some great lead guitar peals on "Dark Chi," and a cowbell soon joins the fray; "If I Had a Gun" is one of the album's most complete songs, driven forward by a breezy lead section and making use of dynamic vocal harmonies. Atomic Bitchwax might have gone a little more raw at points on III; while the playing is spectacular throughout, it has a tendency to sound a little sterile. In other words, it can be difficult to keep stoner rock interesting without the songwriting depth of someone like Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme. But fans of Core will be happy with the outlet for Ryan, and veteran Bitchwax listeners will love the marriage of psych and swagger guitar with a more melodic ear. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Three years after the release of their stoner rock debut masterpiece, the Atomic Bitchwax still hadn't assembled a credible follow-up. While the sophomore effort, Atomic Bitchwax II, had a few good moments, it couldn't hold up next to the group's first offering. And this third effort shrinks away from the challenge as well. A collection of oddities and outtakes, Spit Blood is a dichotomy. It will thrill obsessive fans with its seven sprawling tracks and vast array of multimedia files for computer users -- including a mammoth volume of MP3 rarities. But listeners will be disappointed by the lack of any new material that matches the intensity of The Atomic Bitchwax. Spit Blood manages to offer so much and so little simultaneously. Stoner completists will devour the "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" cover that opens this 2002 Meteor City release and the massive instrumental "U Want I Should" that closes the disc, but there isn't much in between that rivals the best of the Atomic Bitchwax. This "B" material still trumps that of most stoner bands, and although Spit Blood isn't everything fans want, it should assuage most of them with its brief eruptions of brilliance and bonus content. ~ Vincent Jeffries, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With record companies so preoccupied with making a quick buck, artist development has flown right out the window, replaced by pressure to deliver instant results. Under these circumstances, side projects have become an increasingly relevant channel for unencumbered artistic expression. And New Jersey-based trio the Atomic Bitchwax (featuring Monster Magnet lead guitarist Ed Mundell and ex-Godspeed bassist Chris Kosnick) is a great example, turning a simple desire to jam into one of the more impressive stoner rock debuts of 1999. The group's second effort (cleverly titled -- you guessed it -- II) starts off in much the same manner, bursting out of the gate with the manic instrumental "Ice Pick Freak" before seguing into a monster-groover called "Forty-Five." But despite the presence of a few more appealing nuggets like "Cast Aside Your Masks" and "Marching on the Skulls of the Dead," II falls somewhat short in the long run. "Smokescreen" may slack many a jaw with its awesome laid-back guitar duel between Mundell and a guesting Warren Haynes, but the overabundance of intrumental jams that follows seems to suggest a hurried follow-up filled with first album leftovers, rather than a fully focused second effort. So what's the final verdict? Well, side project or not, the Atomic Bitchwax can definitely do better. But all things considered, in a sea of retro-rocking stoner bands, the Bitchwax still stands out as one of the most promising new entries. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Though the hard rocking movement which has been baptized as stoner rock has been growing exponentially for many years now, only a few bands such as Monster Magnet and Kyuss have achieved major label distribution or any mainstream success. Officially, the Atomic Bitchwax is only a side project, but their self-titled debut is very impressive, offering adventurous extended jams ("The Formula") as well as frenetic blasts of energy ("Hey Alright"). Guitarist Ed Mundell might be a team player at his day job with Monster Magnet but he takes over here, displaying great versatility and chops - especially on a manic rendition of his idol Tommy Bolin's "Crazed Fandango". ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
