Sunday, February 28, 2016

Stoner Spotlight: Killer Gandhi



Hailing from that stoner rock n' roll mecca, Oklahoma City, Killer Gandhi recently managed 2 releases in 4 months, between December, 2014 and February, 2015. The initial drop was the self titled, 10 track LP Killer Gandhi soon followed by the 5 track EP Digital Messiah.

Expressing an edgy, scratchy, rocky sound deeply seated in both the 90s grunge and desert sounds, as well as a raw garage hillbilly boogie, these Okie gents crank out some raucous fun. The first album sets the stage nicely with a cool range of sounds in the LP's ten songs, from the opening Roadsaw-like sound of "Nasty Bastard", the haunting, desperate "In the Sun", the heavy, loud, and delightfully funky "Filthy Nickel", and the emotionally deep "All the Time in the World" to pinpoint a few. The vocals are beautifully edgy and raw, never overwhelmed in range or effort, fitting beautifully with the huge, jagged guitar, deep, driving bass, and piercing, pointed drumwork.

The 5 track second album ups the stakes significantly, never backsliding in quality or imagination, and instead grabbing and gripping with tight melodies, tight performances, and an oh so right rock sound jam packed with fuzz, fun, history, and a bit of uncharted territory.  "Laugh Now, Die Later" is a song for the ages, giving us a tune that should make anyone's playlist of favorites. "It's Gonna Break" is reminiscent of great grunge tunes mashed up with huge fuzzy stoner guitars creating a sound of fierceness and joy. The album closes out with the raucous, rollicking rocker "Hostile Takeover"

These 2 albums are quite the treat, seeming to languish in that big pile of wonderful stoner/fuzz sound out in the world, but hopefully, here, they will be able to provide a bit of rock n' fuzz respite from the harshness of horrible news everywhere you turn these days, a treat that can move your soul as it does the corners of you mouth, tickling your fuzz receptors in the process.

Killer Gandhi has mainly consisted of 4 members. On the EP, the latest release, Levi Dickerson deftly manned the drums, Josh Griffin and Steve Macanally shared shredding duties on guitar, and Brad Reed carried the heavy load on bass. In addition to his guitar work, Macanally was front and center with those righteous vocals. Since the release of Digital Messiah the band has been reduced to Macanally and Reed, but that is 50% of the song writing chops and 100% of the matchless and laudable crooning, so there remains huge potential  for future stoner grunge boogie. We can only hope.

bandcamp / facebook

1 comment:

  1. Ok I do agree that the Digital Messiah 5 track is kicking but I also have to say the 10 track LP is not so bad either , so I bought both on Bandcamp as the 10 track LP Is a great addition to my musical eclectic taste
    Good start to the week !!!

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