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Review & Track Premiere: Fatso Jetson and Dali’s Llama, Legends of the Desert Vol. 3 Split LP

Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on March 16th, 2023 by JJ Koczan

legends of the desert vol 3 fatso jetson dali's llama

[Click play above to stream the premiere of Fatso Jetson’s ‘Night of the Living Amends’ from the Legends of the Desert Vol. 3 split with Dali’s Llama, out March 24 through Desert Records. Preorder available on Bandcamp here.]

New Mexico imprint Desert Records launched its ‘Legends of the Desert’ split series in 2020 by bringing together Palehorse/Palerider and Lord Buffalo (discussed here and here), and Legends of the Desert Vol. 2 (review here) followed, with The Penitent Man and Cortége resting side-by-side in furthering the stated objective of honoring a new generational interpretation of who and what ‘legends’ means and the notion that ‘desert’ as applies to music doesn’t just have to mean ‘sounds like Kyuss.’ With Cali desert scene co-progenitors Fatso Jetson and perpetually undervalued grit rockers Dali’s Llama on Legends of the Desert Vol. 3, the series pivots toward two different kinds of legends.

Fatso Jetson arrive after releasing Live From Total Annihilation (review here) last year through Ripple Music in collaboration with All Souls, marking a noteworthy return with their first new material since 2016’s Idle Hands (review here), having played live shows and toured all the while, conditions permitting. They are legends in an underground sense and a band around whom the ‘generator party’ narrative of off-grid punk birthing a new generational interpretation of heavy has rightly coalesced, with guitarist/vocalist Mario Lalli — also of Yawning Man and lately the improvisational unit Mario Lalli and the Rubber Snake Charmers — as ambassador for band and scene alike, surrounded by family with cousin Larry Lalli on bass as always, son Dino Von Lalli on guitar and the not-actually-related-but-might-as-well-be-at-this-point Tony Tornay (also of All Souls) on drums. As a unit, they are largely unfuckwithable and have been for some time.

The perpetually DIY Dali’s Llama formed more or less concurrently to Fatso Jetson in 1993, and have over the years approached desert rock from alternately bluesy, country, punk and gothic angles (among others), the founding duo of guitarist/vocalist Zach Huskey and bassist Erica Huskey likewise unpredictable conceptually and reliable in terms of songwriting and performance across a wide discography, the last installment of which was 2021’s Dune Lung EP (review here), which was itself a follow-up to 2019’s umpteenth full-length, Mercury Sea (review here). Here as on those two releases and others prior, the band operates as a four-piece, with Joe Dillon on guitar and backing vocals and Craig Brown on drums, presenting four songs in complement to Fatso Jetson‘s own and showcasing some of the aural diversity — looking at you, banjo-as-sitar on “Rarified” — that’s part of what makes them so recognizable.

Dali’s Llama get the longer side, as their four cuts weigh in at 22 minutes. Fatso Jetson‘s four are shorter on average — 17 minutes total — but they go first, with Mathias Schneeberger on keys and the instrumental “Night of the Living Amends” as the opener and longest piece of side A nestling comfortably into a signature Fatso Jetson groove; part surf rockabilly, part punk, smoothly toned and loosely exploratory, finding the place where solid ground and psychedelia meet. On the subsequent “Angels Flight,” they bring in vocalist Sean Wheeler (also Throw Rag and a regular with The Rubber Snake Charmers) to join Mario on vocals, but the hypnotic and immersive effect of “Night of the Living Amends” remains even as the first verse starts. Almost before you realize it, they’ve pulled you into the proceedings with them and are underway.

fatso jetson

Dali's Llama

“Angels Flight” feels like a semi-revisit to/fleshing-out-of a progression from “Jolting Tales of Tension” off of 2010’s Archaic Volumes (review here, discussed here), with lyrics from Wheeler overlaid and pedal steel from Gar Robertson for a differentiated wistfulness. Gentle in its delivery compared to some of the band’s output, it’s a highlight melody for Legends of the Desert Vol. 3 and precedes the forward shove of Tornay‘s kick drum on “Todas Petrol Blues,” another smoothly executed instrumental picking up from its fading-in guitars with a burst of energy sustained through a winding sans-vocal chorus and rumbling to a finish before the three-minute “One of Seven” digs into a more traditional hook, the mellow verse giving over to the rousingly catchy lines “One of seven days/I let the hammer swing/I let the hammer swing.” If you’re thinking that’s a tune about being in a band that practices once a week, you might be onto something.

That song’s straight-ahead rocker vibe, still fleshed out with Fatso Jetson‘s interplay of guitar, gives Dali’s Llama a suitable lead-in as they launch side B with “Coyotes in the Graveyard.” Zach and Erica Huskey, Dillon and Brown set out with a fuzzy roller of a riff and Zach‘s bluesy vocal delivery, immediately set to their task of craft. Heavy and laid back in kind, “Coyotes in the Graveyard” is traditional in structure and somewhat darker in atmosphere, but that’s a wheelhouse for Dali’s Llama, and “Lizards” highlights an even thicker tone in the guitars and bass, while the chorus, “Where I’m from there are no wizards/Where I’m from there’s only lizards,” positions them decisively in the desert. They get their point across in paying homage to the landscape itself, and the line transitioning to the hook, “Here the water is the king,” seems to call back to “King Platypus” from 2008’s Full On Dunes (review here) while of course crowning another creature. Long live the lizard.

The previously-mentioned “Rarified” is next, with more of a swing amid its central chug and the start-stop riff behind the chorus before the noted banjo-inclusive break, unexpected and welcome as it is with a comparatively minimal feel during that stretch before a cymbal wash and drumroll brings a solo and chorus return that feels all the more forceful for the subdued place the song has just been. The longest inclusion on the split at 6:22, “Rarified” uses its time well, and gives over to the readily Sabbathian stonerism of “Hypnotic Wind,” with a more forward vocal from Zach and languid movement into its more open chorus. Like much of what Dali’s Llama do, it’s a manipulation of style with a solid structural foundation beneath, accounting for the doomier elements of “Coyotes in the Graveyard” and tying together their side as an EP unto itself with a late push and cowbell-on-board big rock ending.

Geography aside, what Fatso Jetson and Dali’s Llama most have in common is their lack of pretense about who they are. In a true spirit of rugged individualism, these acts of long-standing come together for Legends of the Desert Vol. 3 not necessarily to celebrate their prior accomplishments, but to demonstrate to anyone who might encounter the release the self-determined attitude that got them where they are. In a genre that is underrated as a whole, they deliver arguments in favor of this through their efforts, and like mystical tales known to a select few, their respective legends continue to grow. Maybe there are wizards out there after all.

Fatso Jetson on Facebook

Fatso Jetson on Instagram

Fatso Jetson on Bandcamp

Fatso Jetson website

Dali’s Llama on Facebook

Dali’s Llama on Bandcamp

Dali’s Llama website

Desert Records on Facebook

Desert Records on Instagram

Desert Records on Bandcamp

Desert Records store

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Fatso Jetson and Dali’s Llama Pair for Legends of the Desert Vol. 3 Split

Posted in Whathaveyou on December 9th, 2022 by JJ Koczan

Desert Records‘ split series Legends of the Desert has never seemed more aptly named with Fatso Jetson and Dali’s Llama on this third volume. I’ve heard none of it, but the former outfit are progenitors of the Californian desert rock style and an influence to more bands than you or I can count, and the latter are longtime practitioners of the sand-hued arts, persistently underrated in their expansion around the core desert sound and tonality to vibes bluesy, goth rocking and beyond. Both proven entities in my mind.

The label has launched a Kickstarter as of today that’s serving as preorders for the various editions to come, and below they present the respective backgrounds of the bands as probably the best case for supporting the project. Legit. There’s a video below that features new music snippets, but honestly, if you’re not already on board based on the personnel alone — both acts who’ve long since established trust and a series that’s proven its mettle across two to-date volumes — I’m not sure what to tell you. The argument makes itself.

I’ll hope to have more to come as we get closer to the release. For now, this comes from the PR wire:

legends of the desert vol 3 fatso jetson dali's llama

Legends of the Desert: Vol. 3

The third volume features two old school veterans of desert rock, Fatso Jetson & Dali’s Llama. After kicking off the first two volumes with new bands, it was due time to work with veterans of the Palm Desert scene.

The artwork is done by artist Joshua Mathus of Phoenix, AZ. He is commissioned to do all the album artwork (front and back covers) for the entire series.

Fatso Jetson is an American desert rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1994 by Yawning Man and The Sort of Quartet members Mario Lalli and Larry Lalli, along with Tony Tornay, and Dino Von Lalli (son of Mario). Fatso Jetson have remained an active force in underground rock for almost 25 years. They are often credited as originators of the desert strain of stoner rock made most famous by their younger neighbors Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age. While musically similar to some of their stoner brethren, Fatso Jetson incorporates a variety of musical influences that includes punk, art rock, blues and psychedelic hard rock.

Dali’s Llama is a desert rock band from the Palm Springs/Palm Desert area of Southern California. Dali’s Llama was formed in 1993 and released their first album that same year. The band, started by the husband and wife team of Zach and Erica Huskey, have remained the only two original members from the beginning. Zach is the guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, and Erica is the bass player. Dali’s Llama has released 15 albums so far. Their music is in five films, including being featured in the desert rock documentary “Lo Sound Desert”. They have performed and/or toured throughout the southwestern United States, including the ‘Stoner Hands of Doom’ and ‘Doom In June’ fests.

KICKSTARTER – LEGENDS of the DESERT: Vol. 3: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/desertrecords/legends-of-the-desert-vol-3

The kickstarter campaign launches on Friday, Dec 9th…and offers 4 stunning vinyl variants. Other rewards include the “Desert Rat” guitar pedal, test pressings, custom print/poster, and vinyl bundles.

SUPPORT THIS PROJECT!!! There are many exciting rewards.

Four (4) stunning vinyl LP variants.
Test pressings of the LP
Desert Rat guitar pedal from Fowl Sounds
Custom screen-print poster 12×12
CD’s
Bundles of the rewards (save $)

SIDE A: Fatso Jetson
Night of the Living Amends 4:54
Angels Flight (feat. Sean Wheeler) 4:45
Todas Petrol Blues 4:21
One of Seven 3:03

SIDE B: Dali’s Llama
Coyotes in the Graveyard 4:21
Lizards 6:09
Rarified 6:19
Hypnotic Wind 5:19

The music in the video features sound clips of 3 of the 8 songs on the album.
The first sound clip is “Coyotes in the Graveyard” by Dali’s Llama.
The second sound clip is “Angel’s Flight” (feat. Sean Wheeler) by Fatso Jetson.
The third sound clip is “Lizards” by Dali’s Llama.

This is the soundtrack to the New Wild West. The focus of the Legends of the Desert series is to provide a modern perspective to the antiquated ‘Wild West’ we have etched in our brains. These songs and tales are not told by the same ol’ perspective of the white male Cowboy. These are narratives told by those who never got their stories heard. We will hear from musicians, artists, Natives, outlaws, desert rats, desert dwellers, cactuses and mesas, ravens and roadrunners, snakes and endless skies.

The bands are curated by label owner, Brad Frye. The requirements for bands to appear on the Legends series must hit certain criteria (besides making original & amazing desert rock music. Bands must be located geographically in the American Southwest. The states within this boundary include: California (southern part), Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas. The bands have to be currently active. They also are in line with the Legends series ethos of offering an updated perspecitve of Wild West. Fuck John Wayne and all the outdated Wild West bullshit that we have been fed by movies and media.

Desert Records has already released Legends of the Desert Vol: 1 & 2. Both releases were successful and were met with great excitement.

https://www.facebook.com/fatsojetson/
https://instagram.com/fatsojetsonband
https://twitter.com/fatsojetsonband
http://fatsojetson.com/

https://www.facebook.com/dalisllama
https://dalisllama.bandcamp.com/
http://www.dalisllamarecords.com/

https://www.facebook.com/desertrecordslabel/
https://desertrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://desertrecords.bigcartel.com/

Fatso Jetson & Dali’s Llama, Legends of the Desert Vol. 3 promo

Fatso Jetson & All Souls, Virtual Volumes Split (2022)

Dali’s Llama, Dune Lung EP (2021)

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The Penitent Man Premiere “A Long Deep Breath of Sadness” from Legends of the Desert Vol. 2

Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on June 1st, 2021 by JJ Koczan

the penitent man

cortege

This Friday, June 4, marks the release of Legends of the Desert Vol. 2, the second in an intended series of seven splits put together at the behest of New Mexican imprint Desert Records. And while the two bands differ some in aesthetic and certainly in composition — The Penitent Man a five-piece from Salt Lake City, Utah, and Cortége a duo from Austin, Texas — they’re united here by a focus on atmosphere and an underlying heavy Western theme. On a more practical level, neither act is a stranger to the Desert Records sphere. The Penitent Man issued their previously self-released, self-titled debut (review here) through the label in Fall 2020, while Cortége‘s two-songer Chasing Daylight EP (review here) landed in February. As each one follows up recent work, it shouldn’t be a surprise that there’s consistency of sound, but as with 2020’s Legends of the Desert Vol. 1 (discussed here), the intention here leans toward storytelling, and from the lyrics and moody vibes in The Penitent Man‘s three songs to the gunslinger samples that provide the transition between Cortége‘s two, there’s a classic balladeerism happening one way or the other.

For “A Long Deep Breath of Sadness,” which stands on its own in addition to serving as an intro for the subsequent “The Butcher,” and across those two as well as “Rest My Weary Head,” which rounds out, the band pays particular attention to arrangement and presentation. Todd Ogren of Rival Sons steps in on keys and makes an argument for the group acquiring a sixth member, following up the 10,000 Days-era Tool guitar moodiness and ambient echoing lead lines of “A Long Deep Breath of Sadness” the penitent man cortege legends of the desert vol 2with Deep Purple-style Hammond and ’60s-ish maybe-Hohner flourish later into “The Butcher,” taking the band’s patient unfurling and depth of mix to another level entirely. They readily cross genre boundaries between heavy country, blues and prog, but beneath that is a core of bedrock from which they explore outward. The acoustic that serves to underscore “Rest My Weary Head” feels earned and organic, and the buildup that surrounds over the track’s nine minutes is much the same, somehow grunge while being largely disconnected from that sound in its entirety. Maybe it’s just dirt. Downer dirt rock, and brimming with purpose in that.

“As it Lay (Heavy in the Air)” (10:26) and “Circling Above” (8:37), at just over 19 minutes put together, actually run longer than did Chasing Daylight earlier this year, but unless they’re actually scoring a film — and, really, why aren’t they? — the single-vinyl-side length suits Cortége. It’s consistently a challenge to write anything about them without mentioning Ennio Morricone, but that’s more a credit than a critique since it coincides so much with their stylistic intent. Their use of tubular bells to convey melody as opposed to their guitar adds to the Western feel and plays especially well off the bass in “As it Lay (Heavy in the Air),” an Earth-ier drone march underway quickly (such as it is quick) in the drums with footsteps made that much heavier for the ringing aspect that cuts through the backing ethereal effects. It’s not so much a build, but ricocheting pistol shots ring out ahead of a crying vulture as the first cut ends, and that brings in “Circling Above” to continue the theme. The explosion, topped with horns or something like them, happens after three minutes in, and is gone within a minute’s time, but returns later as “Circling Above” rounds out in surprising cacophony, Cortége loosing the reins for a bit of free jazz crashout before the wind fades.

Beneath all the hard stylization and attention to detail, Legends of the Desert Vol. 2 also functions on the simple level of showcasing two of Desert Records‘ associated acts, and it does well in that, such that the listener will be more drawn to find the common ground between them rather than to see each in opposition to the other. Cortége build on what The Penitent Man establish, and going back to the start again, the entire release seems peopled with characters who resonate with stories of their own to tell.

You can stream “A Long Deep Breath of Sadness” premiering on the player below ahead of the release on Friday. Think of it as the opening credits. More info follows, courtesy of the PR wire.

Enjoy:

Side A:
The Penitent Man is a 5-piece from Salt Lake City. Blending Desert Rock, Classic Rock, Heavy Blues. These exclusive songs featuring the special guest, Todd Ogren from Rival Sons on keyboard for all three tracks! Sounds like Led Zeppelin teamed up with Alice in Chains to make an album in the desert.

A Long Deep Breath of Sadness–4:26
The Butcher–6:32
Rest My Weary Head–9:01
All songs written and produced by The Penitent Man
Drum Tracking and Mixing by Greg Downs at Pale Horse Sound

Steve King–Guitars
Phill Gallegos–Guitars
Allan Davidson–Vocals
Chris Garrido–Drums
Ethan Garrido–Bass
Todd Ogren–Keyboards (from Rival Sons).

Side B:
Cortége is a duo from Austin, TX. They play Ambient Doom mixed with post-western cinematic scores. Heavy bass guitar, drums, and tubular bells. Sounds like if Earth and Pink Floyd teamed up to do a soundtrack to a David Lynch film.

1. As it Lay (Heavy in the Air) – 10:25
2. Circling Above – 8:39

All songs written and recorded by Cortége.
Recorded and mixed by Kevin Sparks.

Mike Swarbrick – Bass, Tubular Bells
Adrian Voorhies – Drums

The Penitent Man on Facebook

The Penitent Man on Instagram

The Penitent Man on Bandcamp

Cortége on Facebook

Cortége on Instagram

Cortége on Bandcamp

Desert Records on Facebook

Desert Records on Instagram

Desert Records on Bandcamp

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The Penitent Man & Cortége Pair for Legends of the Desert Vol. 2 Split

Posted in Whathaveyou on March 23rd, 2021 by JJ Koczan

There’s a lot of info below, and fair enough, but if you’re looking for the essentials, it goes like this: Desert Records is bringing together Salt Lake City’s The Penitent Man and Austin duo Cortége for the second in its seven-part Legends of the Desert split series. June 4 is the release date. You might recall Vol. 1 (discussed here) came out last year, and this will be Vol. 2.

Both bands are Desert Records veterans, with releases out through the New Mexico-based imprint, and it goes without saying that the intention here is to write legends rather than bask in those longstanding of yore. Ls are limited, as will happen, and CDs and downloads will all be out — all that fun stuff. I don’t have preorder info or any audio yet, but you can hear releases from both bands below, and I think it’ll come through one into the next that each one brings something of its own to the release, with The Penitent Man handling more of the rocking traditionalism while Cortége offer a cinematic take with their tubular-belled instrumentals. Looking forward to hearing this one.

Announcement follows courtesy of the label:

the penitent man cortege legends of the desert vol 2

LEGENDS OF THE DESERT: VOL 2 – The Penitent Man & Cortége

Legends of the Desert: Volume 2 releases on June 4th, 2021. Vol. 2 brings us further into the desert showcasing new and classic Desert Rock bands geographically located in the Southwestern United States. Continuing the vision of Vol.1, the second installment will introduce the world to two new “Legends” bands, carefully curated by Desert Record’s owner Brad Frye.

All the music for Legends of the Desert is exclusive to the series.

Maintaining the quality and consistency throughout the 7-part series, we will see the return of the Legends team.

New & stunning album artwork by the series artist, Joshua Mathis, features an album cover with a Gunslinger riding a Gila Monster.

The timeless, classic looking graphics and layout from Garrett Hellman will be featured along with Mathis’s artwork.

Mastering will be handled by the series audio mastering engineer, Mark Fuller.

Vinyl LP’s will be available in a limited edition of 500, including highly limited special color variants. CD’s and digital downloads will be available. Digital streaming will be available worldwide.

Desert Records is excited to announce the bands: The Penitent Man (Utah) and Cortége (Texas).

Side A:
The Penitent Man is a 5-piece from Salt Lake City. Blending Desert Rock, Classic Rock, Heavy Blues. These exclusive songs featuring the special guest, Todd Ogren from Rival Sons on keyboard for all three tracks! Sounds like Led Zeppelin teamed up with Alice in Chains to make an album in the desert.

A Long Deep Breath of Sadness–4:26
The Butcher–6:32
Rest My Weary Head–9:01
All songs written and produced by The Penitent Man
Drum Tracking and Mixing by Greg Downs at Pale Horse Sound

Steve King–Guitars
Phill Gallegos–Guitars
Allan Davidson–Vocals
Chris Garrido–Drums
Ethan Garrido–Bass
Todd Ogren–Keyboards (from Rival Sons).

Side B:
Cortége is a duo from Austin, TX. They play Ambient Doom mixed with post-western cinematic scores. Heavy bass guitar, drums, and tubular bells. Sounds like if Earth and Pink Floyd teamed up to do a soundtrack to a David Lynch film.

1. As it Lay (Heavy in the Air) – 10:25
2. Circling Above – 8:39

All songs written and recorded by Cortége.
Recorded and mixed by Kevin Sparks.

Mike Swarbrick – Bass, Tubular Bells
Adrian Voorhies – Drums

https://www.facebook.com/thepenitentmanband
https://www.instagram.com/thepenitentmanband/
https://thepenitentman.bandcamp.com/

cortege.bandcamp.com/
facebook.com/cortegeatx/
instagram.com/cortegeatx/

https://www.facebook.com/desertrecordslabel/
https://desertrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://desertrecords.bigcartel.com/

The Penitent Man, The Penitent Man (2020)

Cortége, Capricorn (2019)

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Palehorse/Palerider & Lord Buffalo: Legends of the Desert Vol. 1 Split out Aug. 21

Posted in Whathaveyou on July 29th, 2020 by JJ Koczan

Okay, so when I originally posted about Desert Records starting its Legends of the Desert series of splits with Palehorse/Palerider and Lord Buffalo, it was set to release in June. And — get this — it was going to coincide with LIVE SHOWS! Can you imagine living in that world? Well, just about everyone else on the planet is starting to imagine things like that (sorry, Brazil), but apparently an essential component of all things modern Americana is being fucked over unless you’re impossibly wealthy, so here we are. Legends of the Desert Vol. 1 — which rules, by the way — is out Aug. 21, and if you’re holding your breath for live shows, well, I hope you have something soft to land on when you pass out.

Desert Records notes below that the series will run seven LPs over the course of three years. That seems smart to me. Two or three a year max, and it’s probably planned out well in advance. Of course, anyone currently alive knows that plans can change — and these already have if you’re going by release dates — but we can see here Desert Records operating in the spirit of Ripple Music‘s The Second Coming of Heavy, if more specific in its mission.

More on that below, courtesy of the PR wire:

palehorse palerider lord buffalo legends of the desert vol 1

LEGENDS OF THE DESERT Vol. 1 Featuring Palehorse/Palerider & Lord Buffalo Drops August 21st

Desert Records is excited to announce this new compilation series. Spanning seven albums total over the course of three years, the series will include legendary Desert Rock bands (to be announced) mixed in with new and upcoming bands.

“This is the soundtrack to the New West. The focus of the Legends of the Desert is to provide a modern perspective to the antiquated ‘Wild West’ we have etched in our brains. These songs and tales are not told by the same ol’ perspective of the white male Cowboy. These are narratives told by those who never got their stories heard. We will hear from musicians, artists, Natives, outlaws, desert rats, desert dwellers, cactuses and mesas, ravens and roadrunners, snakes and endless skies. Fuck John Wayne, Fuck his lame racist ass, and Fuck the horse he rode in on. This is Legends of the Desert.”

-Brad Frye
Owner/Operator
Desert Records

Pre-orders for Legends of the Desert Vol. 1 on limited edition vinyl, CD and digital are located at:
https://desertrecords.bandcamp.com/album/legends-of-the-desert-volume-1-palehorse-palerider-lord-buffalo

desertrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://palehorsepalerider1.bandcamp.com/
https://lord-buffalo.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/palehorse.palerider.denver/
https://www.instagram.com/palehorsepalerider/
https://www.facebook.com/lord.buffalo.band/
https://www.instagram.com/lordbuffalo/
https://www.facebook.com/desertrecordslabel/
https://desertrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://desertrecords.bigcartel.com/

Palehorse/Palerider & Lord Buffalo, Legends of the Desert Vol. 1 (2020)

Lord Buffalo, Tohu Wa Bohu (2020)

Palehorse/Palerider, Fire Gone Out/Haxan (2019)

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Desert Records Announces Legends of the Desert Splits; Lord Buffalo & Palehorse/Palerider Due Jun 12

Posted in Whathaveyou on February 25th, 2020 by JJ Koczan

Albuquerque-based imprint Desert Records would seem to be working on the Ripple Music model in terms of embarking on a new series of splits, which it has opted to call Legends of the Desert, and you might note that the first installment of the series — which isn’t to be confused with that of the same name run by H42 Records to coincide with Desertfest London and Berlin — comes with a definitive end date in mind as well. Given production schedules and the fact that this isn’t all Desert Records is planning to put out in that time, seven vinyl releases of any sort over two years is an ambitious undertaking, as I think PostWax could probably confirm if Ripple can’t, but they’ve got their modus in the right place with the first pairing, which brings together Austin’s Lord Buffalo and Denver’s Palehorse/Palerider and is due out June 12.

You ever have one of those bands you avoided listening to because you knew you’d dig it and you kind of felt like maybe you didn’t have the energy to spare for the emotional commitment of actually undertaken a considered listen of their work? That’s me and Palehorse/Palerider. I knew I’d be into it, but I hadn’t actually listened to them for the first time until putting this post together. And you know what? I dig it. Not a surprise.

Desert Records sent the announcement down the PR wire. For what it’s worth, I heart-emoji Sister Bar, should you happen to be in the neighborhood:

lord buffalo

palehorse palerider

“Legends of the Desert” new album series by Desert Records

Desert Records is excited to announce a new compilation series called “Legends of the Desert”. The series kicks off on June 12th with the release featuring the split with Lord Buffalo (Austin, TX) and Palehorse/Palerider (Denver, CO).
Spanning seven albums total over the course of two years, the series will include legendary Desert Rock bands (to be announced) mixed in with new and upcoming bands.

“Legends of the Desert” meaning is a double entendre, with the most obvious referring to the legendary Desert Rock bands that will be featured throughout the series. The second meaning is “musical tales or legends of the desert”, reflected in the songs from all the bands.

The artist for the series will Joshua Mathus (Phoenix, AZ) , the creator of the comic Sherbet Lock and stunning album covers for bands over the years.

The albums will be released on limited edition 12″ Vinyl LP, deluxe CD, and on all digital platforms worldwide via Desert Records.

Each album release will be accompanied by the “Legends of the Desert release shows in each of the band’s cities.

Lord Buffalo / Palehorse/Palerider “Legends of the Desert” upcoming shows
June 26th – Albuquerque, NM – Sister Bar
June 27th – Denver, CO – High Dive

https://www.facebook.com/desertrecordslabel/
https://desertrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://desertrecords.bigcartel.com/

Lord Buffalo, Tohu Wa Bohu (2020)

Palehorse/Palerider, Fire Gone Out/Haxan (2019)

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Review & Full Album Premiere: Various Artists, Legends of the Desert Desertfest 12″

Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on March 16th, 2018 by JJ Koczan

va legends of the desert 4 way split

For the last several years, German imprint H42 Records has partnered with Desertfest to create a special limited split release for in honor of the Spring festivals in London and Berlin. Past editions have included Karma to Burn and Sons of Alpha Centauri, Raging Speedhorn together with Monster Magnet, and Greenleaf locking heads with Steak — the tracks generally with some measure of exclusivity, be they previously unreleased, a remastered oldie (which I seem to recall was the case with Greenleaf), etc. In 2018, a year where the entire universe has unveiled its conspiracy against humanity to be completely overwhelming, H42 has also decided to up its game, though it does so in particularly serene fashion.

This year’s Desertfest split is titled Legends of the Desert, and in addition to jumping from 7″ vinyl to a full 12″, it also doubles the amount of acts included from two to four, bringing together the interrelated projects Fatso Jetson, Yawning Sons, WaterWays and Mario Lalli und Matthias Schneeberger to each present one cut seemingly representing one aspect or another of the Californian desert that the principle figures involved call home. Speaking of, while there are four groups included on Legends of the Desert, the platter is really telling the story of two key figures of California’s initial low desert rock scene in Mario Lalli and Gary Arce. Arce‘s trademark shimmering surf-derived guitar tone features on two of the four inclusions — Yawning Sons’ “Down in the Street,” and WaterWays‘ “Three Rivers” — while Lalli is aboard for three as a member of Fatso Jetson, WaterWays and of course his solo-project with Schneeberger, whose production work not only for Fatso Jetson but also the likes of earthlings?, Nick Oliveriand Gutter Twins, among many, many others, has made him a crucial presence behind the board in that scene.

As they should, Fatso Jetson lead off the proceedings with “Semi Lost,” which even if it weren’t the only track to include vocals would probably still be the catchiest song here. Aside from their “desert legends” status, which is basically irrefutable more than 20 years into their career, Fatso JetsonMario Lalli on guitar/vocals, Dino von Lalli on guitar, Larry Lalli on bass and Tony Tornay (now also of All Souls) on drums — have retained the experimentalist sensibility of their songwriting. As their last album, 2016’s Idle Hands (review here) reminded, their songwriting process is deeply varied, and as they open side A with “Semi Lost,” it’s a more laid back feel than some of their more forward punk-blasting groovers. Just so happens — total coincidence, I’m sure — that in addition to providing that landmark hook, it suits the vibe of the split really well.

Last I heard, Mario Lalli and Tony Tornay were both in WaterWays as well, featuring as the rhythm section alongside Gary Arce‘s inimitable guitar tone, derived from surf and goth rock but unmistakably of the desert itself. Though the two groups are very different, Arce serves as the uniting force between WaterWays closing out side A with the four-minute just-too-active-to-really-be-drift-but-kind-of-drifting-anyway “Three Rivers,” his guitar tone echoing out spacious as ever and evocative of the desert in a manner that groups from around the world have done their best to emulate and generally fallen flat in the effort. “Three Rivers” is resoundingly hypnotic, despite being just four minutes long, and though it’s twice the length and has a much fuller arrangement owing to the complete lineup of UK progressive instrumentalists Sons of Alpha Centauri, Yawning Sons‘ “Down in the Street” might dip lower in low end tone, but ultimately winds up in a similarly broad sphere, the ambience stretching out comfortably and patiently for the song’s duration, no less trance-inducing leading off side B than “Three Rivers” was in capping side A, though I will readily admit to being a sucker for Yawning Sons as I still consider their lone full-length, 2009’s Ceremony to the Sunset (review here, vinyl review here), among the finest releases Californian desert rock has ever produced. Anything new from them is welcome as far as I’m concerned.

Legends of the Desert ends with a particular note of intrigue in Mario Lalli und Matthias Schneeberger‘s “Spector,” which at 4:17 brings together the clear collaborative elements of the former’s guitar and the latter’s keys, but there are also drums and bass involved and I’m not sure who handled them. If it’s a studio project, it could’ve certainly been either party or someone like Tornay stopping through for the afternoon, but the real question is why “Spector” isn’t a Fatso Jetson song. Sure it’s instrumental, but Fatso Jetson have done plenty of instrumentals over the years, and Schneeberger, aside from producing, has been a regular guest contributor to their work. One can easily imagine, then, it was a conscious decision to adopt the Lalli/Schneeberger banner, and extrapolate from that the curiosity as to whether the two will collaborate directly on some future release apart from Lalli‘s work in Fatso Jetson, and what that might sound like. “Spector,” for what it’s worth, continues in the open-feeling spirit of Yawning Sons and WaterWays before it — a bit darker in tone — and whether or not it’s a harbinger of things to come, it makes a satisfying closing argument to Legends of the Desert, each side of which tells the tale of arid-climate-born fluidity and resonates with a creative force unlike anything from anywhere else. These Legends are still being told, still being shaped, but there’s no question that the impact they’ve had on the worldwide underground is massive, and if that’s what’s being celebrated here, you’ll get no argument from me.

I have the pleasure today of streaming the complete Legends of the Desert 12″, which officially releases May 4. You’ll find it below courtesy of H42 Records and Desertfest, and it is presented with my gratitude to both of them as well as to you for reading and listening.

Please enjoy:

DESERTFEST is just around the corner in May. 2018. For the past three years we contributed in collaboration with the DesertFest team the vinyl for the FEST. We decided to change the format into the 12″ vinyl format this year.

And what fits better to the DesertFest, as an album with bands with a very big relation to the ‘desert’? So we called the album LEGENDS OF THE DESERT (RELEASE MAY 4th 2018). For this fantastic vinyl we could won great bands and musicians, each of them with a previously unreleased song:

FATSO JETSON, YAWNING SONS, WATERWAYS and a solo project under the direction of MARIO LALLI & MATHIAS SCHNEEBERGER. As always ALEXANDER VON WIEDING was responsible for artwork and layout: a slightly variation of the original 7″ art.

Desertfest London website

H42 Records on Thee Facebooks

H42 Records on Bandcamp

H42 Records website

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