The Warlocks Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
As old members drop out and new members fill the vacant spots by Bobby Hecksher's side, the Warlocks' family tree grows larger with every album. Even after the departure of drummer Jason Anchondo -- the longest running member behind Hecksher and the only other musician credited on the last album, Heavy Deavy Skull Lover -- The Mirror Explodes sounds quite similar to its successor. You could even think of this album as a "Heavy Deavy, Pt. 2," which may seem strange since the Warlocks are now a completely reworked five-piece with three guitar players. The fact that newcomers Rees, McBride, Risher, and Mustachio haven't affected the direction just serves as proof that Hecksher is the true mastermind behind the group; a puppetmaster who directs the action in the same way that Billy Corgan commands all of the Smashing Pumpkins' material, or how Anton Newcombe directly controls the Brian Jonestown Massacre (a band that Hecksher was a part of, incidentally). Newcombe and Hecksher share a few common traits, actually. As well as a nearly uncountable list of past bandmates, they both have an affinity for Brit-pop and shoegaze, which Newcombe illustrated wonderfully on My Bloody Underground. Referencing My Bloody Valentine, the Velvet Underground, and (more so than ever) the Jesus and Mary Chain, The Mirror Explodes is a lot like My Bloody Underground, with vast layers of whirling, reverberated, whisper-soft vocals buried under trebly guitar buzz and monotonous grooves of bass and drums. Engineer Rod Cervera deserves credit for maintaining a consistent sound between the albums, but where Heavy Deavy Skull Lover had an uneven quality, and played like one long singular-sounding composition startled with big, stoner rock grooves, the songs here all sound very samey. Not to say it's an easy listen. It's a dark one, and many songs lose themselves in sleepy, drawn-out droning. However, extended jams should be nothing new to those well-versed in the Warlocks catalog, and the hot spots are excellent tracks that capitalize on Hecksher's newfound affinity for creamy wistfulness. "The Midnight Sun," "There Is a Formula to Your Despair," and "Static Eyes" all continue the feel of the last record's standout, "So Paranoid," and similarly, rekindle the warm, washy spirits of Ride's "Vapor Trail" and Galaxie 500's "Blue Thunder." No easy feat. ~ Jason Lymangrover, All Music Guide
'Heavy Deavy Skull Lover'
Release Date 10/23/2007
Tracks 8
Label Tee Pee
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
After losing their deal with Mute Records because of Surgery's initial lack of success, the West Coast neo-psych stoner rockers' long, strange trip was nearly at an end. Fortunately, longtime allies Brian Jonestown Massacre came through for the guys, encouraging their label, Tee Pee Records, to add the Warlocks to its roster. Looser than their prior label, their new home enabled the Warlocks to record Heavy Deavy Skull Lover at their leisure under the guidance of Rod Cervera, who recorded their first record. As on each of their other albums, new territories are explored and musical influences have changed significantly. There are still hints of Spacemen 3 and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, but now the focus of the project is gloomy shoegaze that conjures up images of the Swirlies on bad brown acid. Part of the reason for this is that the band has been whittled down to half of its size, and now the power dual-drummer setup is gone. Where they were once thunderous, now they sound fragile. Also, trippiness has replaced melody, and when eight songs are elongated for nearly 60 minutes, it can seem like an eternity. "The Valley of Death" disappears into "Moving Mountains," which stretches out over ten minutes with several head-fakes and suggested endings, eventually building to a fiery climax that results in the album's peak moment and prettiest song, "So Paranoid," a creamy mock-Jesus and Mary Chain swirl. If only the entire album were this strong. At times, druggy pretension saturates the concept, and the band favors overly artistic choices like the inclusion of "Interlude in Reverse," a song that didn't sound proper in its original state, so it's played backwards. Sorting through the rambling murk can seem like an unreasonable chore for the listener, but the bleak, angry guitar buzzsaws can make those forgiving moments of relief that much more rewarding. The moment at just past the three-minute mark of "Slip Beneath," when the vocals finally bleed into the foreground, is sheer exquisiteness, but the jarring vehemence of the song directly after may make you reach for the fast-forward button. As uneven as the experience is, the album probably makes most sense in its entirety, but listening straight through can be an exercise in endurance. You'll only try this once or twice, though. After that, you'll be searching through to find your favorites. ~ Jason Lymangrover, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This nine-member group -- which includes two drummers and four guitarists -- often focuses heavily on dark, amphetamine-fueled hard rock skree and titanic singular-riff freakouts (the jagged, sawtooth guitars of the Velvet Underground's "Sister Ray" seem to be a huge influence). What's surprising, however, is that Rise and Fall kicks off and nearly reaches its apogee with the first track, "Jam of the Witches," which clocks in at nearly 15 minutes (and more than twice the length of a similarly titled "Jam of the Warlocks" from their eponymous Bomp EP). This first-take troglodyte rock juggernaut seems like it might be out of place in the sequence, but what follows isn't even remotely anti-climatic. In fact, there are a few surprises to put things back on track, including a handful of stonier ballads that wouldn't have sounded too out of place on any Pink Floyd album pre-Dark Side of the Moon. "House of Glass," one of leader/guitarist Bobby Hecksher's better vocal efforts, is a pastoral acoustic-strummed reverie (think David Gilmour's "Fat Old Sun" from Atom Heart Mother or those shambolic country-rock instros that Pink Floyd contributed to the Zabriskie Point soundtrack). A cleaner re-recording of "Song for Nico"(a rougher version appears on the band's EP) has a fuzz-soaked "Heroin"-esque vibe and comes off as a reverent tribute to the enigmatic chanteuse. A swaying stoner's waltz, "Motorcycles," lopes along nicely too. Then, after a surreptitious chunk of dead space amid a bit of guitar tuning and crowd chatter, a final lengthy jam ("Heavy Bomber") kicks in, but the spacier Spiritualized-sounding instro ultimately drifts along without going anywhere. The last track listed on the tray card, "Laser Beam," doesn't actually appear on the CD. Surely it's Hecksher's amusing way of perplexing anyone who attempts to find it buried somewhere. All in all, the Warlocks' first full-length is a solid effort from one of L.A.'s best live acts. After this release, the Warlocks signed with the Birdman record label. ~ Bryan Thomas, All Music Guide
