Posted in Whathaveyou on September 22nd, 2015 by JJ Koczan
Norwegian purveyors of rock-blues righteousness Spidergawd have entered the studio to begin tracking their third full-length. Presumably titled Spidergawd III — at least judging by the hashtag they’ve given it — their next offering will follow this year’s excellent Spidergawd II (review here) and 2014’s already-masterful self-titled introductory statement (review here). Comprised of guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Per Borten, bassist Bent Sæther, drummer Kenneth Kapstad and saxophonist Rolf Martin Snustad, the four-piece have gotten some looks over the course of their first two albums in Europe thanks in part to Sæther and Kapstad pulling double-duty in heavy-prog stalwarts Motorpsycho, but they remain thoroughly underappreciated to date for the quality of songwriting and force of groove they’ve brought to their two albums thus far, both of which were released on Crispin Glover Records and Stickman Records in Norway and the rest of the EU, respectively.
Spidergawd III finds Sæther at the helm of Soergarden Studio in Melhus, and as the second album was a leap a year later from the debut in terms of the burgeoning psychedelic influence in their sound and the fluidity with which it offset the classic blues/heavy rock vibes, I wouldn’t bother making any prediction for what to expect from the new full-length before it arrives other than to say I’m looking forward to it. Seeing Spidergawd live was a highlight of Roadburn 2015, and only affirmed the suspicions I’d had about their studio work being true to the live dynamic. The short version is I’d shout it from the rafters if I had rafters to shout it from that this band is frickin’ awesome and if they’re not on your radar, they should be. Can’t wait to hear what they’ve come up with this time around.
If you’ve got a list of albums to look forward to in 2016, put this one on it. They posted the following pic and update to show work had begun:
First day with Bent! What does it sound like? Supernice! #spidergawd3
Posted in On Wax on February 2nd, 2015 by JJ Koczan
The languid flow of Black Moon Circle‘s Andromeda is exceptionally well-suited to the vinyl treatment that Crispin Glover Records (distribution through Stickman Records outside Norway) has given it. I don’t know the pressing numbers for the late-2014 release, but the single LP arrives complemented by a CD in a quality matte/gloss cover with a thick sleeve for the record itself, the vinyl a gold and black swirl (solid gold or black also available) that matches the artwork of the sleeve, the front cover a play on the artwork for the Trondheim, Norway, three-piece’s 2014 self-titled debut (review here). It is a spacious presentation and that also fits with the musical thematic with which Black Moon Circle works on the five included tracks, recorded live instrumentally with guest appearances from Scott “Dr. Space” Heller of Øresund Space Collective (who also produced the first album) adding swirl to opener “The Machine on the Hill,” the subsequent “Jack’s Cold Sweat” and side B standout “Dragon,” and Marius Pettersen, who adds vocals to those of vocalist/bassist Øyvin Engan and guitarist/vocalist Vemund Engan on “The Machine on the Hill” and the 15-minute closing title-track, and the three-piece of the Engans and drummer Per Andreas Gulbrandsen show marked growth in expanding sound-wise and time-wise on their first outing, solidifying their craft with memorable tracks even as they leave room for the occasional psych freakout.
A guest spot from Heller is never going to hurt in that regard, and even as Øyvin‘s bass makes a rich tonal impression on “The Machine on the Hill,” “Jack’s Cold Sweat” takes the emerging duality in Black Moon Circle and runs with it, a blend of heavy psych jamming and grunge-styled heavy rock resulting in a memorable, heavy feel that’s laid back and exploratory but still reliant on structure to move forward. The foundation for the trio working in this style was laid on the self-titled, but as an opening salvo, “The Machine on the Hill” and “Jack’s Cold Sweat” delve further, and in terms of providing a shifting dynamic across Andromeda‘s span, the lack of synth on side A’s third cut, “Supernova,” winds up making it sound all the more spacious, a subtly shuffling snare from Gulbrandsen and warm bassline serving as the foundation for wafting guitar and the melodic, echoing vocals that wrap the album’s first half on a sweetly jamming note as the guitar leads the way out topped by a few last lines in a progression that one imagines could have easily kept going ad infinitum. On the CD, that leads directly into the near-nine-minute “Dragon,” but a vinyl flip to side B makes the introductory acoustic guitar of the latter track all the more distinct. The unplugged layer turns out to be the hallmark of the song and the theme it moves around, a carefully woven build given added pulse with the third and final synth guest spot. Sooner or later, Heller might have to just join this band.
Repetitions of the lines “I feel the dragon rising/I feel the dragon rising again” make for Andromeda‘s most resonant hook in “Dragon,” the far-back drums scaled to suit the acoustics in the earlier part of the song, coming forward later with a full-breadth kick-in of heavier tones and lead swirl, an engaging payoff topped with fading amp noise that provides transition into “Andromeda,” which closes out. Black Moon Circle‘s Black Moon Circle was structured similarly, with a longer opener and longer-than-that closer sandwiching shorter material, but Andromeda is longer and more developed, and its finale is likewise, the trio’s chemistry evident in the pre-freakout guitar swirl and the assured direction-pointing of the bass and drums. As one might expect, a jam takes off from the soothing verses, and a guitar solo drives home an organic peak that pushes through the last several minutes of the album, Black Moon Circle managing to affirm their songwriting by bringing back the chorus amidst all the surrounding movement. That’s impressive in itself, let alone the solo that follows, but by then their hypnotic prowess is well established. The progression at Vemund, Øyvin and Per show in these tracks (and how they blend them together) is no less fitting than the physical presentation of the album. It’s been a year since Black Moon Circle was released — “Dragon” was recorded earlier, but the rest was tracked April 5, 2014 according to the back cover — and in less than that time, trio whose name that album bears have learned from what they did on that outing and brought a sense of creative development to Andromeda. One can only hope they continue to evolve in such a manner and at such a rate.
Posted in audiObelisk on January 5th, 2015 by JJ Koczan
Trondheim, Norway’s Spidergawd will release their second album, Spidergawd II, at the end of this month through Stickman Records (EU) and Crispin Glover Records (Norway). The special edition with poster, screened cover, etc., has sold out on preorders and it’s little wonder. Their first album (review here) was one of the best debuts of 2014, a self-titled out through the same labels that refined classic-style boogie rock with a progressive edge so that not only did the four-piece groove and shuffle their way through memorable tracks with natural sounding tones and a ’70s-inspired vibe, but they did it with a fresh take on what, in Europe for years and of late in the US as well, has become an established subgenre of heavy rock and roll. Their turns were blinding, but executed with a sense of class that was pervasive throughout the two-sided platter with its somewhat bizarre artwork.
Spidergawd II follows the theme, both in its cover — the idea seems to be to give us a sense of the artificial even as we engage something very real — and in the music contained within. The returning lineup of Per Borten, Rolf Martin Snustad, Kenneth Kapstad and Bent Sæther (the latter two also of Norwegian prog magnates Motorpsycho) push forward from what they were able to accomplish on the debut, and whether it’s the sax-laden jam of “Caereulean Caribou,” the Robert Johnson-style acoustic plucking that commences opener “…Is all She Says” or the near-KISS stomp of “Get Physical,” the album offers genuine, intelligent variety and a persistent flow that makes the shifts within and between songs not only believable — the bass-led “Our Time (Slight Return)” and Thin Lizzy strum-and-bouncer “Sanctuary” close out side B with little to no visible seams — but natural, while still keeping an element of the unexpected about them.
It’s an admirable accomplishment, if I haven’t made that plain enough, and Spidergawd II plays out its accomplishment early without relenting for its entire 42-minute span. The opener’s bluesy pulse gives way to “Tourniquet,” a catchy fuzz-blaster that’s an album highlight and should thrill newcomers and those who heard the self-titled alike. I have the pleasure today of hosting “Tourniquet” for streaming ahead of the record coming out later this month and Spidergawd embarking on a European tour in Feb. following an Jan. 16 performance at Eurosonic at Groningen in the Netherlands.
More info on the album and the band’s tour dates can be found under the “Tourniquet” player below. Please enjoy:
Two years ago Spidergawd was a new entity. A band of veterans maybe, but a new band and a new sound for most people. Initially a laid back concern between friends Per Borten, Rolf Martin Snustad, Kenneth Kapstad and Bent Sæther (Motorpsycho), the music the quartet came up with soon proved itself too good to contain in a rehersal room. Starting out as a loose amalgam of blues and hard rock, the music evolved rapidly and the band soon found its own voice. Their self-titled debut album was recorded at their fifth rehersal in May 2013.
This year the Norwegian hard rock quartet is releasing their sophomore effort. Self produced and recorded at main man Per Borten’s own studio at Ler just south of Trondheim in September 2014, the album contains nine new songs that both continue and expand on the sound Spidergawd established on their first record: the blues stylings are more pronounced, the grooves are fatter, the light is lighter and the shade is deeper, and the songs are perhaps even better. One thing is for sure: the Spidergawd brand of boogie is if anything even fiercer this time around, and as their recording career gains momentum through the efforts of Crispin Glover and Stickman Records, promotors, hepcats and fans everywhere eagerly await another round of rock’n’roll goodness this spring. The web is woven, Spidergawd is on the prowl! Spidergawd brings the boogie to Norway in Ferbruary and to Europe in March. They’d love it if you gave their second album a listen while you’re waiting.
16/01 EUROSONIC, Groningen, NL 12/02 FOLKEN, Stavanger, NO 13/02 SKALA, Haugesund, NO 14/02 HULEN, Bergen, NO 19/02 LUNDETANGEN, Skien, NO 21/02 ROCKEFELLER, Oslo, NO 27/02 SAMFUNDET, Trondheim, NO 08/03 STROM, München, DE 09/03 LEGEND CLUB, Milano, IT 10/03 BAD BONN, Düdingen, CH 11/03 GASWERK, Winterthur, CH 12/03 FORUM, Bielefeld, DE 13/03 CAFÉ GLOCKSEE, Hannover, DE 14/03 SOJO, Leuven, BE 15/03 HEDON, Zwolle, NL 09/04 ROADBURN, Tilburg, NL
Posted in On Wax on October 9th, 2014 by JJ Koczan
A spirit of reverence is immediate, even before you put on the self-titled debut full-length from Norway’s Spidergawd. The vinyl — now in its third pressing, as I understand it — comes courtesy of Crispin Glover Records, and is presented in bright red, 180g form, housed in a blue transparent plastic sleeve. Already we see the interplay of color that the album itself will proffer. Its striking, thick-glossy-stock pagan-futuristic cover art follows suit, the tracklisting and recording info hidden inside, waiting to be found, and the whole package, which also includes a CD, is housed in a clear plastic sleeve that boasts the band’s logo for a layered-over effect when the put together. Spidergawd‘s music is as intricate a take as I’ve heard on ’70s-style boogie, with at-times manic progressive rhythmic turns matched to upbeat, classic heavy forward motion, and clearly the 12″ was meant to be a multi-sensory experience. Even unto how the texture of the sleeve feels in your hands, it offers more than just the audio.
The name Motorpsycho won’t be as immediately familiar to Americans as to Europeans, but the rhythm section of the long-running prog pioneers features here, bassist Bent Sæther and drummer Kenneth Kapstad joining guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Per Borten and saxophonist Rolf Martin Snustad in the Trondheim-based Spidergawd, the self-titled also boasting pedal steel from Roar Øien and trumpet from Kim Alexander Eriksen. The horns are used well beginning from side A opener “Into Tomorrow,” accenting the chorus of the album’s shortest cut without being overdone, adding to the excitement of the song itself, Borten‘s vocal command — readily on display throughout — and the instrumental chemistry between the guitar, bass and drums. “Into Tomorrow” is a forward, driving heavy rock song with an ear toward ’70s rock, but nothing on Spidergawd‘s Spidergawd is particularly retro-sounding, the production clear and full and not necessarily geared toward playing up a vintage style, though “Blauer Jubel” or “Southeastern Voodoo Lab” definitely lean more into that influence stylistically.
Even aside from Kapstad‘s gonna-put-on-a-clinic-and-still-sound-like-I’m-having-fun drumming, there’s a lot about the LP that’s easy to get into. Borten‘s guitar jangles and swaggers over Sæther‘s twisting fuzz jam, and though Spidergawd obviously have the chops to pull off the blinding shuffle of “Blauer Jubel,” technical prowess isn’t shown off at the expense of songwriting. “Master of Disguise” sees fit to out GraveyardGraveyard, a tense verse opening to a raucous, full-speed-ahead chorus of classic pursuit, and even if they hadn’t built such momentum over the course of “Into Tomorrow” and “Blauer Jubel,” the play of guitar and bass in the solo section — that low end tone — is a firm signifier these cats mean business. Still keeping a modern production, they update the best aspects of classic heavy rock and deliver a style both familiar and their own wrapped in virtuosic performance and variability, the horns returning on “Southeastern Voodoo Lab” to help round out side A in swinging fashion, pushing toward a guitar-led blues-solo apex with Kapstad pulling back to a half-time crash before once more joining the air-tight rush for a return to the verse.
A flip to side B brings more surprises in the form of the 14-minute “Empty Rooms,” an extended heavy psychedelic jam that begins with a solid minute-plus of Snustad‘s echoing sax before the guitar and bass begin to swell into the mix. Fuck, it’s righteous. They bring the volume up and hold a ringout as Kapstad‘s snare drumrolls a quick build, and Borten starts the vocals of the first verse about four minutes after the song began, backed by Sæther‘s bass. They take off from there, once again at barnburner speed, and a solo at around eight minutes in brings a tempo change to a more languid groove, the bass and guitar fuzzed out in a descending progression toward what would seem to be a finish before start-stop chugging revives the movement, bass once more serving as the foundation for the guitar and Soundgarden-gone-psych compressed vocals that carry past the 10-minute mark. A jazzy, airy, unhurried solo caps over the last couple minutes, the sax gone, pedal steel buried deep in the mix but there enough to be in conversation with Borten, and the jam gradually fades out past its 14th minute, a jarring last minute swell signaling the shift into closer “Million Dollar Somersault,” its title and its initial bassline reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age but ultimately working on a different plane, like the embodiment of everything hyper-stylized indie rockers fall short of conveying, ultra-swinging and poised even as its noisy apex approaches, fittingly grounding after “Empty Rooms” but still way, way out there, coming to a sudden finish as the needle returns, daring you to go another round.
Spidergawd have a couple singles under their belt on Crispin Glover, but this is their first full-length. One doesn’t want to get into they’re-gonna-be-huge kinds of hyperbole, both because it’s useless and because it ultimately detracts from conveying the actual value of the album, but there’s nothing Spidergawd sets out to do that its six tracks don’t accomplish, and front to back, the record breathes life into ’70s influenced heavy, showing there’s more to be done than simply trying to ape the sound as best as possible. I’ll say flat out it’s a hell of a record. If you don’t take my recommendation to heart, I hope it finds you some other way.
