For those not familiar with Gudger, Aaron Eddleblute (bass/vocals); Derek Eddleblute (guitar) and Justin Kaplan (drums), the band jam a groove that is an amalgamation of old school heavy metal and stoner/hard rock, a sound that unapologetically draws its influences from the 70's right up to the present day. Do not feel bad however if up until reading this review you have been unaware of the bands existence because frankly Ohio's Gudger have not been exactly the most prolific of bands when it comes to album releases, since their formation the band have only previously released two full length albums "Gudger" in 2015 and "II" in 2018, there have been a couple of one off singles and the inclusion of three songs on a compilation but even so it cannot be said that they have exactly flooded the market with their wares. Having said that a Gudger release is always a good listen and the news that they have just released their third album "III" is for us, and we hope you, cause for celebration..
A throbbing effect and gently picked arpeggios introduce first track "Disreality" and are quickly joined by swooning lead work but then the drums enter and its rifforama time from here on in, crunchy chord progressions and punchy rhythms supporting a vocal that is constantly shifting between hardcore like raspiness, stoner grittiness and and classic rock style cleanliness. Second track "Dust and Shadows" leans slightly away from the stoner(ish) drive of the previous track and more towards the type of hard rock played by the likes of UFO and Thin Lizzy, ear-pleasing guitar hooks and strident rhythms supporting a clean, slightly gritted, vocal melody. Gudger slow things down a little with their next two songs "Fever Dream" and "Peaks and Valleys" both songs existing in that hinterland between balladry and lamentation, both powerful and atmospheric. "Dig Deep" finds Gudger flexing their stoner/desert muscles with a song that could easily be mistaken for an unreleased Queens of the Stone Age track if it were not for its occasional harsher vocal attack while "Live It Down" twins classic rock flavoured vocal melodies with stuttering and swaggering up-tempo hard rock grooves. "Vicious Cycle" lives up to its title by delivering circular guitar riffage over low bouncy bass and furious busy drumming and then enhances the results with yet another ear-catching clean/gritty vocal melody. Penultimate number "Long Way Down" boasts a Clutch-like groove but with cleaner, less lay preacher like, vocals. For their last number Gudger opt not to go out with one of their own song but instead go with a cover of Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine", now Desert Psychlist has heard plenty of covers of Floyd songs, some have been very good and some have been just damn awful, this one falls into the former category and it has to be said pretty near to the top of that category.
Gudger's "III" is a solid highly enjoyable rock album, an album that is a touch old school in places and a touch new school in others. Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to discover the next Elder or the next All Them Witches that we forget that rock music does not always have to be cutting edge or genre -defining, that a good vocal combined with some good hearty grooves is still something to be appreciated and applauded, qualities Gudger's "III" has in abundance.
Check it out ....
© 2024 Frazer Jones
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