Red Desert Post “Free Your Mind” Video From Horizon
With an immediately thick tone and a quickly-established moody groove, “Free Your Mind” makes a sound argument for Minneapolis-based troupe Red Desert, whose Horizon EP came out in March 2020 as their first offering since 2012’s debut long-player, Damned by Fate and their contribution to Ripple Music‘s The Second Coming of Heavy (review here) in 2016. The rolling hook and Sabbathy turn ahead of its solo are on ready display in the new video for the track, which you’ll find below. And yeah, Emily Easton, who plays the lady on the motorcycle throughout the clip, should probably have a helmet on. You’re absolutely right.
My knowledge of the laws concerning such things in Minnesota are, let’s say, minimal. However, digging into Horizon for the first time — yeah, I missed it when it came out; can anyone think of something happening around March 2020 that might’ve distracted attention elsewhere? — provides a welcome immersion in straightforward heavy rock fare, unpretentious and not trying to change the world so much as kick ass, blow off steam and, presumably, have a good time doing it. There’s some ’90s attitude in the noise of EP opener “Downside,” but that bassline under the two guitars is pure heavy rock and roll and that suits me just fine. “Freedom Machine” janga-jangas a little quicker than the leadoff initially, but works its way into a C.O.C. chug in the middle and some more melodic vocals near the finish before “Free Your Mind” begins its own rollout, so if you’ve found anything to complain about thus far, it’s probably not the music.
Side B — as it were — is shorter and quicker, as none of “Horizon,” “Boozed Again” and “Desert Dream” touches five minutes long and none of the first three tracks 5:05. I guess it’s an arbitrary line, since “Boozed Again” is at 4:49, but it, the title-track and “Desert Dream” legitimately feel speedier in tempo, and as Red Desert work to sludge the start and then run it out, it’s never really a challenge to keep up with where they’re headed. “Boozed Again” is mid-paced and keeps an impressive solo in its pocket for its back half, and “Desert Dream” builds on that sharper execution, teasing a more aggro turn with its opening riff but ultimately keeping things in the spirit of good times previously established, chunky-style nod and all.
Which is all just I suppose a long way of saying, well heck, I’m glad these guys decided to make a video. That and the full stream of Horizon follow here.
Please enjoy:
Red Desert, “Free Your Mind” official video
Official video for “Free Your Mind” off the 2020 album Horizon
Merch, stream/purchase, social media:
https://linktr.ee/reddesert
“Red Desert conjure the spirit of the barren wasteland by way of low-end groove, high octane fuzz and riff wielding hook. Going strong for almost two decades, Red Desert remain a vital contributor to the modern era of heavy rock and roll with a steady flow of fiery records and countless live shows alongside acts such as Sasquatch, Nebula, Freedom Hawk, Wo-Fat, Truckfighters, Mondo Generator and Kadavar. Their loaded discography consisting of, 18 Wheels (2008), Damned By Fate (2012), Chapter 2 on Ripple Music’s Second Coming of Heavy (2016), and Horizon (2020) lay to waste our ears with sultry, psychedelic melodicism. THIS IS desert rock from The Land of 10,000 Lakes.”
