Brant Bjork: The Heavy Planet Interview

Through all the fuzz and beneath all the sand, Brant Bjork gives his strongest nod to his punk roots. You'd struggle to find a more impressive synopsis of work than his, from the dusty origins of Kyuss through his Low Desert Punk Band's debut, Black Power Flower. For the better part of three decades, Bjork has ceaselessly crafted innumerable landmark sounds of a species of rock music he helped to create. Outlining the measure of his influence and the magnitude of his contribution to stoner rock would require more than a write-up on a blog.

Heavy Planet recently chewed a little fat with Bjork, touching on his new band of buds, his inner punk, and the status of his various projects. Hell, he even offers an explanation on why some desert folks use meth.

Heavy Planet: Black Power Flower is being released this month. It seems meatier, it's got a different vibe than some of the other stuff you've done. It seems like there's a throwback element to it.

Brant Bjork: Yeah, there's a return on this record, for sure. I've kinda gone back to my primal, more adolescent root as a musician. I think I've full-on returned to the simplicity of my primal love for rock music. Simple and easy sometimes get confused, because it wasn't exactly an easy task. But I really wanted to get away from... sometimes when you play music and make as many records as I have over the years, you start to over-intellectualize something that's really simple and pure and primal. So this is a record to return to a place where it was just, like I said, primal and pure.

HP: About that title, there are a couple different ways to interpret it. What's your take?

BB: It depends. Like you said, there's many ways you can interpret it. It could be literal, it could be metaphorical, it can be symbolical. I like the concept of combining words, just from a wordsmith perspective. Like I said a minute ago, not trying to over-intellectualize what it means. Symbolically, I think it represents consciousness and awareness. In a more literal sense, my biological parents... My mother was a white hippie and my dad was a black power guy. It's literal in that sense, in terms of who Brant Bjork really is at the core of my being, my DNA. Those things combining... My music is biracial because I'm biracial. Throughout my career, I've consistently worked with that the way someone like Phil Lynott would work with it. I hear that in his music with Thin Lizzy. It's constantly a bridging of this gap, of these two bloods, and making sense of it. Also, it's just punk rock, y'know? This is my punk rock record. Punk rock is my root. This is my punk rock band and I wanna just throw shit out there that makes people move around and figure shit out. Push some buttons.

HP: What's the chemistry like between you, Dave, Bubba, and Tony?

BB: The chemistry began before we started playing music. Conceptually, to get back to that beautiful, innocent place after many years of playing music with various people and various situations I've come to accept the fact that it's important to play music with people that are down with each other, they're on the same page as human beings. The chemistry starts there. If you can hang out in a room and have a beer together and laugh and bullshit and have fun, that's going to carry over into the musicianship. So the chemistry begins before the music. And these guys are my friends. I grew up with Tony in the desert, I've known Dave for twenty years, we've been dearest friends. Bubba is a guy I've known for years. He's always been super down-to-earth and cool and I've always been a fan of his guitar playing. So I deliberately assembled a group of guys where there was vibe before we even picked up our instruments.

HP: You've been doing this since you were a kid. You've been writing, performing, recording... What's been most important in your success as a musician?

BB: What's been most important is what's happening right now. I look at this record as a return, kind of a full circle. I also feel it's a record you can only graduate to if you survive and last this long in the business. Therefore it's a real important record for me. I think it's my most important accomplishment because it's the result of many, many years of discovering and learning and exploring. Victories and failures, all that stuff. I feel really excited about it.

HP: You guys were in Australia, Europe, you did some dates out West. How's the new material being received? Around the world and across continents, what's been the response?

BB: Well, this music is live music. It was written and executed live in the studio. It's music to be performed live as much as it is to be listened to on another source as a recording. In all honesty, I was really shocked at how fast people responded to the new material, enthusiastically and almost participated with it. It was kind of shocking, especially since none of these people were familiar with the tracks. We made a point early-on to get onstage and start playing the new material even though the record wasn't coming out yet. Together we decided that we wanted to jump straight into a new trip, The Low Desert Punk Band. Like, "Let's get this punk rock goin'!" And even in Europe it was pretty amazing. You would've thought they'd already heard the record, it was pretty amazing.

HP: You guys taking it out again, anything in the works?

BB: Absolutely. I feel that we haven't even begun to tour to support the record. I feel like we were just exercising a new band, gettin' the band out on the road. Gettin' the live chemistry working, gettin' the fans back in the house and excited about a return to doin' my own thing. We've got new action happening. It's all about that. Now we've got shit on the stove and it's cookin'. I think when the record drops next week, we've already got plans next year to go out and support the record specifically. That'll be another adventure.

HP: You guys comin' out to the Midwest at all?

BB: Yeah, absolutely. I love the Midwest. For me, it's probably the best part of the states in terms of what we're doin' and having people come out and participate. So the plan is definitely to go out and hit the East Coast and the Midwest together at some point.

HP: You're pretty well cemented as a notable pioneer in the stoner rock, desert rock scene, whatever you wanna call it. Where do you see the state of that now in terms of what you're involved with and other bands. What's your take on the whole scene as it stands right now?

BB: That's an interesting question. Really, when I think about it, it's hard to understand the mechanics of the scene when you're kind of in the eye of the storm. So I really don't know. And it might not be for me to even know. I don't fully know what stoner rock is, and in some ways I wonder if I've ever known what it is. Stoner rock, for me, didn't exist when I was comin' up as a musician in what we were doing. For me, I was a stoner and I smoked pot for many reasons. Some of 'em didn't have anything to do with music. But I also loved music and I loved listening to records and going out and seeing my friends' bands play. And when I was at home I would smoke a joint and it was a way for me to get more meditative with a particular record. I would listen to that record deeper and I would hear it in a way that I'd never heard the record before, even if I'd heard the record a hundred times. So I took that into the music I was creating and the records that I was helping to create with Kyuss. That was kind of part of what I was bringing to it. So this whole stoner rock thing has become the name of a genre. But I don't know if these people even smoke pot, do they even care about smokin' weed? Is that even part of it? [laughs.] I don't know what stoner rock really is or means or how deep it goes. And as a scene, it eludes me. And desert rock, that was just something we called ourselves almost half-kidding because we were from the desert. And back then, the desert was a fuckin' trippy place that no one wanted to go to. [laughs.] So it's hard for me to say. In terms of rock music, for me, stoner rock and desert rock is synonymous with non-commercial rock music. I think rock music is really healthy right now. When I travel, I see a genuine excitement in the world right now. People still pick up instruments and get big, loud amplifiers and make loud rock music. I think people are excited about that and on some level they need it. I see a new generation of kids, it's cyclical, man. I think every ten to twenty years there's a whole generation of kids that are discovering it. And with the modernity of what's happening in the world now, kids need something tangible. They need something that pushes them around, they need something that scares them. They need something that they can hold and fear. I think rock music is doing that for a new generation.

HP: It seems you have such a connection with the desert and the Earth. It's strong and transcendent. What's your connection with the desert independent of the music?

BB: I like that you asked that, "independent of music," because that's really where it starts, right? In planetary terms, it's my planet. I come from Planet Desert. It's just my environment, it's my ecosystem, it's my life force. It's big space, time stands still. It's hot weather. Seasons are really shot. It's hot, it's cold, it's not complicated. The terrain is rough and it's mean. It's pretty intense. The beauty is equal. And it's a meditative place. For brain-trippers like myself, it really caters to us and is kind to us. It forces meditation on some level, it mellows you out. The drug of the desert is methamphetamine. I think it's because people freak out on the meditation out here. [laughs.] They don't wanna be sedated by the environment, so they do a stimulant so they can get up and make shit happen in their lives. I never participated in it, but I can totally understand why people do. That's my environment, that's just where I come from. Then you throw in Southern California culture; skateboarding, punk rock, BMX, Motocross, and all these things that we grew up with. A peacocking, if you will, of Southern California, the big Hispanic, Mexican, Chicano culture and low-riding. All that stuff, it's all out here too. So you just wrap that up, give a kid a joint and a Jimi Hendrix record and all of a sudden it starts happening.

HP: You're so proficient, you're always doing something. Whether it's Kyuss, Fu Manchu, your solo stuff, - the Bros, - the Operators, and now the Low Desert Punk Band. This Jacuzzi project, is it gonna see daylight anytime soon?

BB: Daylight, yes. Anytime soon, I don't know. It's all about time management for me, especially now that I'm married and have kids. So I've gotta really work on my time management, which is something I was lucky enough to have discovered early on, that it was important for me to execute what I do. And let's face it, there's only so much time in the day, only so many days in the week. I've gotta pick my battles. Jacuzzi is one of my most talked-about records and I've never even put it out, which is kind of interesting to me. I'm kind of enjoying it, though, because it's almost forcing me to not rush to put it out because I'm kind of letting this thing build. But really it's the result of getting back together with John and Nick and putting Kyuss back together, which was obviously consuming all my time. And right before that adventure took off was when I was tying up the loose ends of that session. So it kind of just sat on the shelf. I had no formal way of putting the record out back then anyway. No design, I didn't have a plan. It was a record that I just started recording, it was a knee-jerk while I was in the studio. But I really dig the record and I would like to get it out. I've got super-solid management these days and pretty much need to sit down with them and design an appropriate plan to put it out. That'll probably just involve timing. We'll see.

HP: I could watch Sabbia over and over. I could watch it without the sound, I could listen to the sound without the visual. It was such a cool project. Do you ever see yourself doing anything like that again in the future?

BB: Yeah, I would love to return to that situation. Back then, that was a combination of people having the right tools to do something at the right time to pursue it. I haven't been lucky enough to have those planets align, but I'm sure glad when they did align back in the day we were able to take notice of it and motivate, create, and release. It was a lot of fun and it was exactly what we aimed to do. As far as doing it again, I would love to. Next to music, my other passion is film and soundtracks and movies in general. I would love to get deeper into that. Actually, maybe even work on a full movie with dialog, screenplay, music. That'd be the ultimate.

HP: Peace was incredible. The record made a statement and seemed to establish you guys (Vista Chino) as a cornerstone act. Then Nick comes out and says "it's over." Is it?

BB: [laughs.] I don't know. Nothing's really over, is it? We could say the same thing about the whole Kyuss adventure, Kyuss Lives! and all that. If there was any one thing that we had all kind of discovered and established simultaneously, it's that nothing is over. So having said that, I look at Vista Chino as just another word describing this adventure that started a long time ago. And it'll probably just keep rolling down the road. But metaphorically, I see Vista Chino as a car that we parked for a while because we have to go do other things.

HP: Finally, be honest; what's one question you hate being asked in an interview?

BB: [laughs.] That's a funny question. I really hate it when people ask me what my favorite song or favorite record is that I've done. It's like asking "What's your favorite kid? Your son or your daughter?" It just doesn't make sense. I understand. I don't lose sleep over it because not everyone makes records and not everyone writes and records songs. But for me, it's a question that's just such a waste of time because I couldn't possibly tell you. I don't have a favorite, y'know?

I guess I don't either, man. Black Power Flower is available in the U.S. on 11/18. 

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Toby's Top Ten of 2013

Well what do you know?  Here we are back at the beginning yet again…a new year.  And you know what that means, right?  Well around here, it means that it's a time for celebration and discovery.  As each member of our staff takes a look back at the vast, eclectic, and truly incredible output of fine tuneage that was released in 2013, you'll likely spot something that was not previously on your musical radar.  If not, then perhaps we'll jog your memory and re-introduce you to an album that you'd unknowingly forgotten.  At the very least, maybe we'll just piss you off as you vehemently disagree with our "best of" selections and wonder how the fuck we managed to leave Kvelertak off the list?!?  Regardless, I can assure you that within our ranks, we'll cover the entire spectrum of heavy music, from spaced out psychedelia to fuzzed out grooves and from swamp-stomp rhythms to the blackest of doom.  So get your pencil and paper ready, because what follows are the 10 records that polluted my ears the most in 2013.  Happy New Year.  

10 Queens of the Stone Age - …Like Clockwork

I don't profess to know the details behind the legal battle (or threat of one) that went down between Joshua Homme and his former bandmates from Kyuss over the latter's use of the name last year while touring as Kyuss Lives!.  I will however admit that my perception of the issue was that it seemed to be a rather unnecessary affair, especially for someone of Homme's stature.  Because of all that, I'll be honest and say that I really didn't want to like this album.  So perhaps that fact alone should tell you all you need to know about …Like Clockwork, given that it still managed to make its way into my top 10 list.  Right from the start with the album opener "Keep Your Eyes Peeled", it's evident that Mr. Homme and company have regained a measure of the quirkiness that made albums like Rated R and Songs for the Deaf the classics that they've become.  And while I'll still maintain that the band was better off when Homme's "too cool for school" demeanor could be compared alongside the batshit crazy antics of Nick Oliveri and the haunting earnestness of Mark Lanegan (both of whom make brief vocal appearances on this album), there's just no denying that tracks like "I Sat by the Ocean" and "If I Had a Tail" are among some of the best that QOTSA have ever written.  So I'll admit, …Like Clockwork was a triumphant return for what is arguably stoner rock's biggest star and it's an album well deserving of a place on this list.    

09 Lullwater - Self Titled

Apparently this Athens, Georgia based band was so enamored with the history and aura surrounding the early 90's Seattle grunge movement, they packed up their shit and moved across the country to record this at the famed London Bridges Studio where Soundgarden recorded Louder Than Love, Alice in Chains made Dirt and Pearl Jam created a little record by the name of Ten.  The result was an album that not only showcases those Pacific Northwest influences, but also maintains a strong foothold in the Southern alternative rock scene of their own home state.  Combine the bluesy emotion of Drivin' n' Cryin' with the feedback and dissonance of Nirvana and you have Lullwater.  That duality, which can be heard on tracks like "The Dream" and "A Plane", is what makes this self-titled release such an interesting listen, and it's why I couldn't get enough of it in 2013. 

08 Borracho - Oculus

Back in the fall of 2012, we asked Borracho to headline our Heavy Planet CMJ Showcase in the Big Apple and they were more than happy to oblige.  Much to our surprise however, the Washington DC based band showed up to the event without their vocalist and proceeded to rumble through a (mostly) instrumental set of thunderous riffs and bowel rumbling grooves.  Little did we know at the time that what we were actually hearing in that grimy New York City basement were the beginnings of what would become Oculus.  Now a year later, with the band having officially "restructured" as a three-piece, with guitarist Steve Fisher taking over vocal duties, the band sounds even tighter than they did on their 2011 debut Splitting Sky…and if you've heard that masterpiece, you know that's saying something.  Furthermore, with the addition of little embellishments like the haunting feminine vocal that hovers over the album opener "Empty" or the organ that seems hidden amidst the riffs in "Know the Score", Borracho have managed to add a sense of depth to their arsenal on this sophomore release.  With only four actual songs (along with the eerie segue "Eye"), this is an album that is meant to be taken as a singular musical movement.  As such, I'd suggest you hear it in its entirety and see for yourself why it made it's way into my top 10 of 2013.   

07 Deville - Hydra

I kind of think the cover shot on this one says all that you need to know about what's to be found within.  Swedish stoner rockers Deville dropped all pretense on Hydra and got straight to the fucking point.  No extended buildups, no ten minute jam sessions and no filler…this my friends is a rock album.  With heavy doses of meaty riffs (check out "The Knife" and "Let it Go"), catchy choruses (see "In Vain") and those all important guitar solos stuck in just the right places ("Over the Edge"), this is an album that I could not put down in 2013.  There are a lot of bands who may have a similar sound and style to the straight forward stoner rock approach that Deville employ, but very few who can lay down eleven equally infectious tracks in a single album.  For that reason, I made sure to reserve Hydra a well earned place amongst my top LPs of the year.  

06 Kings Destroy - A Time of Hunting

Apparently made up of members from various New York hardcore acts who came together with a combined vision to slow shit down, Brooklyn's Kings Destroy were definitely onto something with A Time of Hunting.  The band incorporates a steady, bruising attack with enough melody and emotion (particularly from vocalist Steve Murphy) to warrant the invention of a new sub-genre that I'd call alt-doom.  Head bobbing grooves, crawling tempos and searing guitar solos collide with vocals that transition seamlessly from mid to high range, at times calling to mind the late, great Layne Staley (see "Shattered Pattern").  But it's the band's ability to diversify and veer away from the monotony of a simple chug-a-lug doom approach that places A Time of Hunting on this list.  "Blood of Recompense" could easily be dubbed a stoner rock classic and even manages to introduce psychedelic elements into the mix via the guitar work.  And the album closing "Turul" is quite simply a mind-fuck with it's bouncy, dare-I-say, System of a Down like bridge.  No…classifying Kings Destroy as "just" a doom band would be a disservice to them, because they're quite obviously much more than that.  For that reason, I found A Time of Hunting well deserving of this spot on my top 10 of 2013.

05 Vista Chino - Peace

There really isn't much that needs to be said about Vista Chino (formerly Kyuss Lives!), but I'll say a few words anyway.  For starters, Peace doesn't come off sounding like a rehash of past glories, but instead feels like a new start.  In fact, despite the way it happened (see my writeup on …Like Clockwork above) I'm glad to see John Garcia, Brant Bjork and Bruno Fevery adopt a new moniker and get moving on the next chapter in their already impressive musical legacy (Nick Oliveri played bass on the album, but has unfortunately, since left the band).  Having said that, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that the signature fuzz and desert grooves associated with Kyuss are here in spades, which is an obvious reason for Peace having a spot on this list.  Tracks like "Dargona Dragona" and the epic suite "Planets 1 & 2", the latter of which features vocals from both Bjork and Garcia, are quite simply…bad-fucking-ass.  And speaking of Bjork, who is the primary songwriter in this band, I totally dug songs like "Adara" and "Barcelonian" which just oozed that cool vibe we've come to expect from his multitude of non-Kyuss related projects.  But ultimately, the reason that Peace is one of my top 10 albums of 2013 is because it represents the sum of four equally impressive parts that need to be making music together.  The soulful vocals of John Garcia, the jazzy fills and resonant crashes from Brant Bjork, the fuzzy tones of Oliveri's bass and the meaty riffs from Bruno Fevery belong together and hopefully Peace is just the beginning.  Also, where else can you hear John Garcia croon "I'm gonna stroke my 'stache"?  Nuff said.

04 Sasquatch - IV

Sasquatch made the quintessential "driving record" when they made IV.  With power chords layered on top of more power chords, a devastatingly thunderous rhythm section and truly soulful vocals slathered right on top of it all, these nine tracks just demanded that you twist the volume knob to the right and slam the gas pedal to the floor.  Want a sample?  Check out the first three tracks, which are as solid an opening barrage as I can recall from any album in recent memory.  From the blitzkrieg opener "The Message" to the dissonant harmony of "Eye of the Storm" (possibly my favorite song of the year from this or any album) to the bluesy Hendrix worship of "Sweet Lady", these three tracks will give you a solid idea of the heavy fuzz that lies ahead.  IV is quite simply an onslaught from this veteran power trio and I reached for it time and again in 2013. 

03 Clutch - Earth Rocker

This one almost seems too easy.  In fact, I probably don't even need to say anything about Clutch's Earth Rocker because my guess is that if you're reading this site and you haven't already heard it, then you must not be interested.  On this, their tenth studio album, these veterans of the trade revved up the riff machine and went back to the future…so to speak.  What I mean to say is that besides the bluesy ballad "Gone Cold" (which is waaay fucking cool), the band seemingly abandoned the road they'd been heading down since…well, "Gravel Road" closed out 2005's Robot Hive/Exodus, veering instead into the much more straightforward rock n' roll territory we last heard on 2001's Pure Rock Fury.  It's all here people.  Neil Fallon's barking vocal attack is stronger than ever, as is his lyrical prowess, which is unmatched in this or any other genre in my humble opinion.  Tim Sult brings the riffs in yet another virtuosic performance.  And the rhythm section of Dan Maines and Jean-Paul Gaster remains the best in the business.  Give a listen to the album's title track with it's spacey intro, killer groove and raw intensity.  And if you happen to be a fan of the bluesier side of Clutch, fear not, there's still plenty of harmonica to be found on "D.C. Sound Attack!".  It's just that the heavier, faster cuts make up the majority of this opus, and while tracks like "Crucial Velocity" and "Oh, Isabella" stand out as examples of the album's direction, there's honestly not a bad one to be found in this bunch.  Earth Rocker was a welcome return to a golden era in the impressive history of one of the greatest bands of all time, and for that reason alone, it deserves a spot in my top 10.

02 Supervoid - Filaments

I knew very little about Pittsburgh's Supervoid prior to seeing them live in their home digs last spring, but it was that very set that started them down the path of landing on this list.  When the band took the stage, I was totally mesmerized by their progressive song structures and their mastery of subtlety and nuance as they bobbed and weaved from stoner rock fuzz into crushing metal passages.  Combining harmony with dissonance, this five piece understands the power of the buildup as they develop songs using quiet, introspective musicianship before pummeling your eardrums with gargantuan riffs and monstrous fucking vocals…just listen to "Arcane Groves" for the love of God.  Needless to say, I was counting the days until the release of Supervoid's debut LP in October and once I got my hands on it, I was not disappointed.  Far different than anything else released in 2013, Filaments lived up to the promise I heard that night in the Steel City with songs like "Coat of Luminous" and "Braymerian: War Elephant" which highlight the polarity of the band's attack.  Give a listen to "Ladders" which features a clean vocal style…and please understand, this motherfucker can sing…over shimmering guitars and an ever evolving rhythm.  Or check out the juggernaut stomp of "Wake of the Smoke Jumper" which pairs oh so well with its guttural growls, before shifting gears to become a pseudo black metal number with the addition of a high pitched backing vocal.  So yeah, Filaments had a little bit of everything that we love here at Heavy Planet, but at the end of the day, it was Supervoid's ability to mesh all of those components into such a cohesive final product that puts this album so far up my list of the top 10 albums of 2013.  Don't miss out on this one.     

01 ASG - Blood Drive

And that brings me to my top pick for 2013.  Now ASG aren't exactly a new band on the scene, having come up as a sort of East Coast answer to Fu Manchu back in the early 00's.  Rising from the ranks of the surf and skate crowd in their native Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, the band garnered a respectable amount of success as their music got hand picked for "Viva La Bam" and other TV shows of that ilk.  But aside from a split release (with Black Tusk) about four years ago, it's been since 2007's Win Us Over that we saw a full length album from the band.  Well I'm here to tell you that this ain't your daddy's ASG.  Blood Drive is of course loaded with tasty hooks, but you should also understand that these are sophisticated compositions.  Spin the excellent album opener "Avalanche" and listen as the band hammers out a huge stoner riff and then builds on it with psychedelic effects and vocalist Jason Shi's insistent bellow and otherworldly lyrics.  Or check out "Castlestorm" where they amp up the intensity and the pace as Shi unleashes a roar that'll have hairs standing on the back of your neck.  And so what if "Earthwalk" is an obvious homage to Jane's Addiction, can you honestly tell me that's a bad thing?  Listen to the intricate acoustic guitar that opens "Children's Music" before the band tears into another trance inducing groove.  These songs have depth and as you make your way through Blood Drive, you'll hear a band that is weaving a tapestry of psychedelic stoner rock that won't soon be forgotten.  Simply put, I wore this album out last year and continue to do so to this day.  For that reason, ASG's Blood Drive is my top album of 2013. 

Album Review: Vista Chino - "PEACE"

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It's been a long time coming, with many trials and tribulations that would have completely obliterated the resolve of lesser artists, but the incredible Brant Bjork and John Garcia have persevered, resurfacing as Vista Chino, and releasing their first collection of new songs under that new flagship. What's the result? From the dust and ashes of time and emotion it all boils down to that simple inquiry . . . what is the result . . . what kind of music do two members of the most totemic stoner band this side of Black Sabbath now make? No one, absolutely no one on the face of Planet Earth, except for possibly 2 lone souls, could have thought this music would be anything approaching the significance of their earlier incarnation . . . too much time, the loss of what many thought to be the most significant member as well as the eventual loss of yet another founder (but not before he contributes his sensational bass maneuvers on the majority of the songs), too much time touring almost as a tribute band to themselves, rehashing the sounds and chasing the glory of nearly two decades past . . . how on Earth could this music be anything other than a charming attempt at relevance? But the toughness, tenacity, and fortitude of those two artists, combined with consummate song writing ability, hold forth with the release of "Peace", the inaugural album of Vista Chino, delivering intensely deep, artistically applicable music that reflects all the joy, pride, and ability of supremely gifted artists who have refused to fade into the background of obscurity.

The years typically are not kind to the human voicebox, especially when it comes to the vocal chords of rockers, but that singular sound that is John Garcia is loud, clear, and prominent on "Peace". His vocal sound can be considered as one of a kind, one of the best in rock's history . . . yes, all of rock, not just stoner rock or high desert rock.

The years, too, can tend to drain the song writing heart of even the most gifted of creators. That heart is an incredible engine for artistic production, especially the heart of a gifted writer, but often even the most skilled craftsmen exhaust the well after years of mining its precious load. So, add to the incredible accomplishments on "Peace" that of songcraft . There may not quite be a "Green Machine" or "Odyssey" in here but the songs are expertly, cleverly, and imaginatively written with a deft and deep touch on instrumentation and a gifted understanding of timing and structure. These songs are thoroughly enjoyable, as you would imagine them to be coming from Bjork and Garcia.

One more brilliant stroke of note, for me, is the inspired addition of Bruno Fevery as lead guitar. Bruno was not a widely known player in the underground world of stoner/doom rock, not to the level the 5 main members of Kyuss have achieved, of course, or not even as a member of a known band. He was not yet established in the upper echelons of stoner rock, but Brant and John must have noticed something special with his playing abilities beyond his experience playing Kyuss cover songs, and this specialness comes through in a big way on "Peace" with deft and inspired playing throughout the album, playing in such a way as to never miss the founding lead of Kyuss, but to instead thoroughly enjoy the founding lead of Vista Chino. I can't know how much influence he may have had on song construction, but I doubt it was zero input, not with ability such as he demonstrates on this album.

The album opens with a short trippy instrumental introduction titled "Good Morning Wasteland" that gives almost no indication of what's to follow. It only takes a minute before thrusters kick in full force with "Dargona Dragona", opening with low tuned and tightly wound riffs that immediately evoke the signature sound expected of Bjork and Garcia while being neither a caricature of Kyuss' music nor a strained attempt at perfect replication . With Fevery providing inspired and deft riffage, Bjork filling in with artistic aplomb on the drums, and Garcia bringing that timeless vocal sound into play Vista Chino immediately set the stage for significant, new, and familiar high desert melody.

"Sweet Remain" is an exceptional song in that it provides a clear cut rendition of Bjork's song-writing ability, which is always clean, always engaging, always a consummate experience. Garcia stretches his vocal acumen here, singing in a range that is above his typical comfort zone. Deep rumbling riffs provide the backdrop throughout the song while Fevery's spotlight moments are intensely engaging.

"As You Wish" begins to show expressions not rendered before by these artists, and is expertly ministered in construction and execution.

Track 5 is a two for one offering and is the album's best piece of music. There is much to enjoy and savor on "Planets 1&2" not the least of which is Bjork providing vocals for the first section while Garcia chimes in beautifully on the second. "Planet 1" is tight and energetic in tempo with fuzz flying in all directions as it soars through whatever solar system these planets belong. A more deliberate and heavy delivery brings us into "Planet 2" accentuated by Fevery's fiery deftness on solo licks and Garcia's deeply emotional vocal delivery.

"Adara" is reminiscent of the desert from which the older members hail, just a funky, laid back outburst of intense control, flowing with the wind and riff driven sand, beautiful in its brightness and severity.

"Mas Vino" is another short instrumental, this one guitarcentric and sublime.

"Dark and Lovely" is funky and fun. Fevery's solo licks are exquisite on top of the rhythm deliveries, as are Garcia's vocal treatments.

By the time you get to "Barcelonian"  you begin to recognize the sound of Vista Chino as one of intense enjoyment, with songs of consummate skill and alluring musical qualities. The intensity of low tuned guitars and deep driving base perfectly complement deft and nimble drumwork and the singular sound of the frontman's vocals.

The closer, "Acidize . . . The Gambling Moose", is an incredible odyssey that kicks off with an impeccably fuzzy solo leading into another tight and beautifully constructed up tempo rendition of stamina and drive that further carries the listener along on a hypnotic carpet of deep blended wool.

"Peace", if never known for anything of past conglomerations and genre defining rock sounds would remain a significant event in the timeline of stoner rock music. It delivers magnificently on all levels and never needs comparison with anything else on any grounds other than how it stands on its own in rock zxquality and excitement, which I would be willing to bet was the most significant factor driving these gifted rockers to this long overdue point in their careers.









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