Posted in Whathaveyou on March 18th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
There’s a lot of information here, but if you’re not already familiar with Orquesta del Desierto‘s two albums, 2002’s self-titled and 2003’s Dos, the relatively short-lived project with the duo of Dandy Brown (also Hermano, The Fizz Fuzz, solo work) and Pete Stahl (Goatsnake, earthlings?, Wool, Scream) at its core might indeed require a bit of context. Intentionally fluid in their lineup with a stylistic openness that speaks to the heart of desert-weird like Master of Reality at their most oddball or the earliest pair of Man’s Ruin-issued Desert Sessions LPs, Orquesta del Desierto pushed further into quirk and became very much the manifestation of their own niche, while incorporating personalities like Mario Lalli (Fatso Jetson, Yawning Man, etc.) and Alfredo Hernandez (Kyuss, Ché, Avon, etc.) and growing willfully more open in songwriting between the first and second albums.
Adventurous as they were, both Orquesta del Desierto and Dos were rife with genre transgressions, and perhaps that’s part of what’s kept them as something of a secret for the last 20-plus years, but what ‘heavy’ and what ‘desert’ mean and include has ballooned in that same span of time, so I’ll be curious to see how both LPs are received when Heavy Psych Sounds issues newly-remixed/remastered versions in June. So far as I know they’ve both been out of print for some time — though I did find a 2023 digipak edition of Dos on the Alone Records Bandcamp page, so not by any means completely lost to the ether — and like a lot of what’s being revisited from the turn-of-the-century heavy rock movement, they’re well worth exploring again for heads old and new to their work.
The more open your mind can be in the approach, the better off you’ll be. From the PR wire:
Cult desert rock project ORQUESTA DEL DESIERTO (w/ members of QOTSA, Kyuss, Hermano) to reissue full discography on Heavy Psych Sounds; preorders available!
European label Heavy Psych Sounds Records welcomes legendary desert rock collective Orquesta del Desierto — the Palm Desert project founded by Dandy Brown and featuring former members of Kyuss, Yawning Man, Queens of the Stone Age, Goatsnake and more — for the reissue of their “Orquesta del Desierto” and “Dos” albums in a brand new remixed/remastered version this June.
Orquesta del Desierto stands alone among the many unique bands to come out of the Mojave Desert over the last thirty years. While the desert is often associated with purveyors of down-tuned, maximum decibel rock, shortly after the new millennium began a fresh sound associated with the southern California desert was ushered in.
For fans of the band, the story of how Orquesta del Desierto came into existence has circulated through desert rock circles for decades. It is a story that actually began thousands of miles away from southern California and has its roots in a recording session that took place in the America’s Midwest. Shortly after completing the recording of Hermano’s Only a Suggestion, producer Dandy Brown accepted the invitation of legendary singer John Garcia to leave the bitter winters of northern Kentucky and to continue their collaborations in the warmer climate of the Coachella Valley.
Dandy Brown recently turned the collections over to renowned engineers Harper Hug (John Garcia, Vista Chino, Brant Bjork) and Jason Groves (Supafuzz, Asylum on the Hill, Floraburn) for complete remixes and remasters of the Orquesta del Desierto catalog for a spring reissue on HPS Records. After an extensive search to find the best home for the albums, Orquesta del Desierto is proud to have Heavy Psych Sounds Records reissue both remixed and remastered “Orquesta del Desierto” and “Dos” collections available on vinyl this June, with preorders available now atwww.heavypsychsounds.com.
Recorded at the Green Room Studio in Palm Springs in 2001 and released on the seminal desert rock label Meteorcity Records in 2002, the band’s debut album immediately gathered critical acclaim for its ability to forge a new dynamic in a genre that was rapidly filling with groups cloning the heavier sounds of Kyuss.
Produced by Dandy Brown. Recorded at the Green Room, Palm Springs, California. Engineered by Mike Riley. Remix and Remaster by Jason Groves at Sneak Attack Studios, Lexington, Kentucky. Design and Photography by Dawn Brown.
Unable to tour as a group due to commitments to other projects but fueled by the success of the debut release, Brown immediately turned to booking another recording session for the band. Hoping to further expand the group’s dynamic sound, Brown and Stahl solicited song contributions from Mike Riley and Country Mark Engel for the second album. While the core of Brown, Stahl, Riley, Engel and Lalli remained intact for the second session, the group’s diverse approach benefitted from the addition of drummer Adam Maples (earthlings?) and percussionist/drummer Pete Davidson. Additionally, the group was joined at famed Joshua Tree studio Rancho de la Luna by pianist Tim Jones and Bill Barrett on trumpet.
Released in 2003, Dos was immediately embraced as a “… compelling fusion of Latin stylings and psychedelic-tinged blues that is a real alternative these days” (cosmiclava.com). Bolstered by similar acknowledgements and reviews of their second album, Orquesta del Desierto committed to a series of performances throughout southern California and a European tour in 2004. Joined by drummer Bryan Brown, these shows have become legendary among the fans who were able to attend the band’s only active period of live performances.
Produced by Dandy Brown. Recorded at Rancho de la Luna, Joshua Tree, California. Additional Recording at the Green Room, Palm Springs, California. Engineered by Mike Riley. Remix and Remaster by Harper Hug at Thunder Underground, Palm Springs, California. Design and Photography by Dawn Brown.
By the end of 2004, with their two releases achieving overwhelming critical success but realizing that the members of the group were spread too thin with obligations to other projects, Brown decided to disband Orquesta del Desierto. Returning to their catalog years later, though, and considering the limitations of the technology used to capture the band’s two albums, Brown turned the collections over to renowned engineers Harper Hug (John Garcia/Vista Chino/ Brant Bjork) and Jason Groves (Supafuzz/Asylum on the Hill/Floraburn) for complete remixes and remasters of the Orquesta del Desierto catalog.
Orquesta del Desierto is Pete Stahl Dandy Brown Mario Lalli Country Mark Engel Mike Riley Pete Davidson Adam Maples Alfredo Hernandez Sean Landetta Carrillo Bryan Brown Tim Jones Bill Barrett Jackie Watson Emiliano Hernandez
Posted in Bootleg Theater on February 4th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
The roots of The Fizz Fuzz are in the desert in terms of sound, but the collaboration of Dandy Brown and Dawn Brown (née Rich) stems of course from the fact that they’re married. One can hear in the lead single from their debut album, Palmyra, that the two-piece have a musical connection as well as the obvious interpersonal relationship. Dandy Brown is known for his work with John Garcia through various incarnations in Hermano and in the former Kyuss singer’s solo work — the track “Dark Horse II,” which appears on Palmyra, was recorded first by Garcia — but has never shied away from stepping up to the microphone himself, and joined in the endeavor by Dawn, the melodies only become that much richer. Likewise, their two guitars function together to bring a satisfying wash of fuzz to the Slush Fund Recordings/Taxi Driver Records release, lending elements of heavy post-rock to fluid pieces like “Collapse” and the mellower “Shame,” as well as a riffer like “Dear Old” and the penultimate “Loose Lips.”
As regards “Hereby,” it is arguably the most straightforward of the eight tracks on Palmyra, and one could debate how representative it therefore is overall of the larger work. Certainly by the time they get through “Collapse,” “Dark Horse II” and “Shame,” which appear in succession immediately following, the palette has broadened, and as they move toward the acoustic closer “Sunkissed,” The Fizz Fuzz only continue to push into different vibes, whether it’s the unabashed sweetness in the shimmering melody of “Conditional Love” or the more weighted tonal density of “Dear Old.” That said, one can hear Dawn‘s guitar playing off the central riff Dandy brings forth, and the catchiness of the hook is nothing if not a suitable introduction to the record as a whole, however more complex the proceedings might and do ultimately wind up.
The video is kind of a goof, but a fun one. They’re dancing with, of course, the kids as judges while the song plays. Parts of the clip would seem to come from a live performance video of “Hereby” Dandy and Dawn filmed and posted in April of last year. That’s obviously not the album version of the track — no drums, for one thing — but it’s another opportunity to hear how their guitars work together, and though “Hereby” doesn’t bring Dawn‘s vocals in nearly as much as, say, “Conditional Love,” on which she sings lead, there’s still plenty of the fuzz from which the project would seem to take its moniker and the spirit is nothing if not welcoming to the listener. They’re pretty much inviting you into their home. Wipe your feet before you go in, the place looks pretty nice.
Palmyra is out March 1 with preorders up now.
Video and more info follow. Please enjoy:
The Fizz Fuzz, “Hereby” official video premiere
Coming together for the first time in the high desert of southern California during the fall of 2017, the FIZZ FUZZ are a blues-rock band formed by Dandy and Dawn Brown.
Dandy Brown is a producer, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist best known for his work with the bands Hermano, Orquesta del Desierto, John Garcia, Alice Tambourine Lover, Yawning Sons, and his solo releases. Dawn Brown is a multi-media artist, guitarist and vocalist widely recognized as a member of the new generation of groundbreaking visual artists in the northern California Bay Area.
Relocating to northern California in the winter of 2017, the Browns immediately began to write a new collection of songs that they debuted during their first European tour in the spring of the following year. Recording and performing throughout 2018 and 2019, the FIZZ FUZZ have a new album that is set for release on Taxi Driver Records (Europe) and Slush Fund Records (worldwide) on March 1, 2020.
Titled Palmyra, the FIZZ FUZZ album features performances by David Angstrom (Hermano/Luna Sol), Steve Earle (Afghan Whigs), Mike Callahan (Hermano/Earshot), Alice Albertazzi and Gianfranco Romanelli (Alice Tambourine Lover), and Mark Engel (Orquesta del Desierto).
Posted in Bootleg Theater on February 28th, 2018 by JJ Koczan
From what I’m told, the new Dandy Brown video for the track ‘This World’ relates to the last one from guitarist/vocalist Dandy Brown and his band, which was for “The Bees” (posted here). Fair enough. If you go back and watch it, “The Bees” has the same young lady hanging out while the band plays and with the progression from downing booze in the earlier video to sleeping on the couch in the new one, well, I guess the narrative at play is easy enough to put together. Fortunately Dandy Brown and company aren’t making too much of a ruckus with “This World.”
Indeed, like much of Scattered Days, which is the Dandy Brown album on Taxi Driver Records on which the track serves the pivotal role of centerpiece, “This World” is an unpretentious and laid back slice of desert rock chill. There’s nothing overblown about it. It’s not overly laid back in terms of “oh the song got high and wandered off” — that is, it has a structure and sticks to it — but Brown commands the song with a lighter hand and lets the tones do the work of reinforcing a sense of heft while his own vocals recall some of the melodic styling of Hermano bandmate John Garcia while also still retaining their own identity.
Scattered Days finds itself nestled into classic rocking moments on tracks like “The Sleeper” and closer “The Swimmer,” acoustics and electric guitars commingling amid a residual sense of ’60s psychedelic influence, but “This World” represents the album well nonetheless. You’ll note the samples in the beginning and end of the video that don’t seem to be on the album, and that in addition to the return of the woman on the couch, we also see Brown don makeup and take on the role of some kind of figure who seems to be outside the sphere looking in on “This World” itself. In appearance I was reminded of Chris Goss circa the last Masters of Reality album. In concept, it was more The Watcher from the Marvel Comics What If…? series. Sometimes the mind goes strange places, my friends.
Anyway the song rocks, and you’ll find the Tyler Geeson-directed video below. Scattered Days is a gem and it’s out later this year on Taxi Driver Records.
Enjoy:
Dandy Brown, “This World” official video
Dandy Brown (Hermano, Orquesta del Desierto) has just published the second single, “This World”, from his upcoming new album “Scattered Days” (Taxi Driver Records, 2018).
It’s the sister-piece to the first single “The Bees”, following the same story thread and shot by same director, Tyler Geeson.
Both new songs are included in “Scattered Days”: born in the high desert of southern California, the album is Dandy Brown’s final collection of songs written and recorded in the Morongo Basin. What began with the release of the Hermano and Orquesta Del Desierto collections, “Scattered Days” is the final phase of Brown’s desert writing sessions.
Written and produced by Dandy Brown Engineered by Paul Francis Mixed and Mastered by Paul Francis Get Right Recording, Yucca Valley, California
Dandy Brown‘s first single for Taxi Driver Records doesn’t exactly play it light on the desert ambience. And neither should it. The guitarist known for his work in the John Garcia-fronted Hermano and Orquesta del Desierto comes to the fore on “The Bees,” which arrives with a new video ahead of tour dates for Brown‘s band alongside Arizona’s Fuzz Evil next month. The two acts shared the bill last year in Fuzz Evil‘s native Arizona at Borderland Fuzz Fiesta (review here), and there as in “The Bees,” Dandy Brown‘s unpretentious groove seemed purely driven by desert-minded impulses. No reason the clip for the song shouldn’t work on that level as well.
One can easily hear the songwriting style at root in Hermano in “The Bees” too. That band’s last outing was 2007’s viciously underappreciated …Into the Exam Room, and there has been persistent word of a new Hermano release in the works — they played new stuff at Hellfest in France last year (posted here) — though nothing solid as far as “it’s been recorded” or “it’s coming out on such-and-such date and such-and-such label.” Brown, in the interim, notes below that a full-length from his solo band will be out this Winter through Taxi Driver, though at this point Spring/Summer seems much more likely — unless he’s talking about December and giving himself time to finish. I guess we’ll see when we get there.
But his hitting the road with Fuzz Evil is good news, and the song has laid back, catchy charm, so you won’t hear me complain. I don’t know exactly when the single will be out on Taxi Driver, but if you want to catch onto the vibe of “The Bees” ahead of its arrival — and why not? — you’ll find the video below, followed by more info from Brown‘s website.
Chill out, tune in, and enjoy:
Dandy Brown, “The Bees” official video
During a few days of the most recent high desert winter, we grabbed a camera, a couple of suits, a handful of flowers, booze bottles, some lingerie, guitars, amps and microphones, and set out to make this video for The Bees. Our mission was aided by some fantastic folks: a terrific crew, Nicole Serrano and Dawn Rich . . . a fantastic female lead, the beautiful Tee Marie . . . one of the finest new talents in southern California, our director, Tyler Geeson. We can’t say thanks enough to those folks.
Shot at various locations in Joshua Tree and Morongo Valley, California, The Bees is the first single for DB on Taxi Driver Records (Italy). A follow-up full length LP is expected in the winter of 2017.
Come and see us this spring with Sierra Vista, AZ’s own Fuzz Evil.
Dandy Brown & Fuzz Evil
I-10 Extravaganza 2017 Saturday, April 15, San Diego, CA, Tower Bar Tuesday, April 18, Joshua Tree, CA, The Beatnik Cafe Wednesday, April 19, Palm Desert, CA, The Red Barn Thursday, April 20, Phoenix, AZ, Yucca Tap Room Friday, April 21, Sierra Vista, AZ, the horned TOAD
Posted in Features, Reviews on February 28th, 2016 by JJ Koczan
Another night on the Southwestern front. What portion of the day I hadn’t spent writing, I spent huddled up in a tired mass, the hotel curtain drawn to keep out a punishingly hot desert sun. My excuse was I was saving energy for the show, but I think really I might’ve just been afraid of melting in unfamiliar terrain. Before I rolled back into 191 Toole for the second night of Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016, I walked through a little bit of downtown Tucson — or what seemed to be downtown Tucson, anyhow — and grabbed a cup of coffee and an iced tea.
People outside, in shorts, enjoying the weather and each other’s company. Sitting outside of restaurants and markets, speaking English, Spanish, some mixture of the two. Awesome. Families with babies, couples, singles, loners, and me and my coffee lumbering back toward 6th St. Doors were 6:30, first band 7PM. I found fest organizers Joey and Wayne Rudell of Fuzz Evil near the back of the venue in a conversational round with much the same group as yesterday as bands were making their way in. Immediately it was more crowded than night one had been, and only became more so as bands swapped back and forth between the floor and the main stage.
That process was smoother than it had been on the first night of the fest, somewhat expectedly, but I think a big part of that was that everyone showed up. No food poisoning. So it was easier to get a sense of what Wayne and Joey — both sociable, friendly, gracious guys, but with different enough personalities that one imagines they could’ve had some real knock-down-drag-outs as kids — were going for in structuring the lineup, moving from the desert to crunchier fare and finally out among spaces so vast that they might as well be space itself. We’ll get there.
Once again, the show featured the fantastic talents of Lance Gordon and Mad Alchemy. Things seen and heard:
Sounds Like Murder
Each night of Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 featured two bands from Arizona. Phoenix trio Sounds Like Murder lead off the second night of the fest with gritty metallic push. Sounds more like riffs than murder, but they got their point across. Vocalist/bassist Dirty had the low-garble vocal thing going, and he wouldn’t be the last of the night, and could barely be understood talking between songs — in my head I heard David Huddleston call it “authentic frontier gibberish” — but while much of their output came from the post-Down school of dudely chug, they had some funk in their opener that showed there was more going on under the surface. That may have come via Clutch, it was hard to tell from the stage, but either way, the place was more crowded early and the Southern style Sounds Like Murder proffered effectively foreshadowed Switchblade Jesus‘ set later on and Dirty, guitarist Irish Mike and drummer Opie had a strong idea of what they were going for, even going so far as to add some throat singing at the end of “1340,” which was a genuine surprise.
Dandy Brown
A quick swap in vibe brought up Dandy Brown, guitarist for Hermano, playing with a solo band. A double-guitar four-piece who would share bassist Damien Lautiero with Waxy later on, they ran through a set of fluid desert rock, brought a crowd with them, and emphasized quality songcraft from the very start in swaps between restraint and letting go. Brown himself seemed right at home in classic structures, familiar but not necessarily derivative, and his and the other guitar meshed fluidly throughout the songs, also adding backup vocals on “The Sleeper.” While they were still playing, I wondered if they had records for sale — even better, turned out they had CDs for free; I grabbed two — and though they didn’t have time to get to their planned cover of Floyd‘s “Astronomy Domine,” that spirit came through nonetheless. In front of the stage, kids played while wearing earmuffs, giving the set even more of a wholesome feel as Brown worked in his John Garcia-style croon and the righteously laid back feel of “Santa Fe Trail” before new song “This World” finished out. Hermano reportedly have new stuff in the works, following up on 2007’s underrated Into the Exam Room, but whenever/whether it comes to fruition, that spirit was served and represented well at Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016.
Cloud Catcher
Denver trio Cloud Catcher damn near ran away with this entire festival. I mean it. I dug the hell out of their debut album, Enlightened Beyond Existence (discussed here and here), and was thrilled to find that the live delivery was no less vigorous. Guitarist/vocalist Rory Rummings, bassist Kam Wenworth and drummer Jared Handman were only on the second night of an 11-show tour, but they were air tight through upbeat twists and tempo changes, dead on grooves culled from ’70s giants transposed onto thick tones and shredding leads, propulsive crash and rumble. When they’re done with this tour, they’ll record a new album — exactly the right time to do it — which they should send everywhere, because frankly I can’t imagine some label wouldn’t want to pick them up based on what I heard. They posted a demo for “Celestial Empress” last month, and that song was aired along with “Visions” and others from the forthcoming release. Watching the crowd have its ass handed to it, I couldn’t help but hope they expand their geographic reach for the sophomore LP, because while Cloud Catcher had the West Coast heavy thing down, set-finale “Righteous Ruin” shifted from its twists and turns into a big, bluesy slowdown that showed they’re bringing even more of themselves to the table. Hands were up for high fives before they even finished playing the song, and rightly so.
Waxy
By the time Waxy — the Palm Desert-dwelling trio of guitarist/vocalist Robbie Owen. Damien Lautiero and drummer Jeff Bowman (Unsound) — took the stage, the momentum of the night was set. Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 was moving quickly, but smoothly, and Waxy would follow-up on the desert stylizations of Dandy Brown with more solidly constructed desert rock, delving into an earlier Queens of the Stone Age vibe, which of course is nothing to complain about. Their latest album, Without Any Explanation Why (get it? W-A-X-Y?), was released in 2014, and “Motorcade” from it (also from their 2007 debut, Chainsaw Holiday) was a highlight, richly toned and catchy in a Kyuss-style mid-paced push. Laid back until they weren’t, they effectively switched up moods while keeping a steady flow throughout, Lautiero backing Owen effectively despite being a little low in the mix at first. That got worked out as they went on toward “Disaster” from their 2011 self-titled second record, which of course was anything but, as they provided a last look at the desert before the evening dipped into harder-edged fare. I don’t know if they’re planning a new release, but they were an easy sell for the crowd, myself included.
Blackwülf
Back on the floor stage, Oakland aggro punk-metallers Blackwülf boasted both the weekend’s only umlaut and the weekend’s only standalone frontman (apart from Sean Wheeler guesting in Fatso Jetson) in Alex Cunningham, and even he had a tambourine and some maracas on-hand. They made their Ripple Music debut late last year with Oblivion Cycle (review here), their second offering overall, from which the hook of “Never Forget” stood out thanks in no small part to its fist-pumping riff. Guitarist Pete Holmes, bassist Scott Peterson and drummer Dave Pankenier fostered a tense vibe under Cunningham‘s shouts, sneers and singing, but wanted nothing for tonal heft either in “Faith Healer” or “Acid Reign,” the creeping guitar progression of which felt less “South of Heaven” live than on record. Their set seemed to end abruptly. Not sure if they got cut off for time or were just done quick — seemed like some acts played it looser than others when it came to how much time they spent on stage, as will happen — but it felt short, which I took as an encouraging sign either way. Everything they played came from Oblivion Cycle, and in addition to the accent in their name and the lack of a guitar or bass in Cunningham‘s hands, they were also distinguished by being clearly the angriest band of the fest. They won the title outright, and then, presumably, stomped on it because they were so pissed off.
Switchblade Jesus
Blackwülf may have been the angriest band of the two nights, but Switchblade Jesus I think were the loudest. I didn’t have a dB meter to confirm that or anything, but god damn, the Corpus Christi, Texas-based four-piece were loud. Most notably in Jason Beers‘ bass. The punch of his Gibson Thunderbird came through the 191 Toole room mix in full assault, and the effect was that the dual guitars of Billy Guerra (who played on the dark side of the stage) and Eric Calvert (also vocals) sounded viscous as they conjured dudely chug, nasty and grooving. Burl. All the burl. Songs about whiskey. Drummer Jon Elizondo, encased in shadow behind Calvert, served as the foundation on which all of it was laid, and to go along with “The Wolves” and “Sick Mouth” from their 2013 self-titled debut (review here), which was subsequently reissued via both Kozmik Artifactz and Ripple Music in 2014 and 2015, they had a host of new material in “Snakes,” “Bastard,” the plus-sized nod of “Wet Lungs” and closer “Mountain” to show where they’re at now. Their cap was preceded by Calvert asking the crowd “You want it heavy or what?” The answer was clear as they brought it for “Mountain,” its rolling chorus sure to catch attention when their next record shows up.
Fuzz Evil
Before Fuzz Evil started their set proper, brothers Wayne Rudell and Joey Rudell — also the showrunners for Borderland Fuzz Fiesta — took a couple minutes for a guitar and bass jam. Drummer Marlin Tuttle seemed to have loaned some drum hardware to Switchblade Jesus, so the changeover wasn’t as immediate, and while they may have just been filling time noodling, that jam came to inform everything they played thereafter, resulting in a much more psychedelic set than I expected from either their 2015 single “Born of Iron” (streamed here) or prior 2014 split with Chiefs, both of which were more straightforward. That surprise made it for me. It was a thrill to see Joey, his machine-gun bass held aloft, and Wayne, his guitar coated in tone worthy of the band’s name, work side by side to carry across a set of mostly new material. As to when they might get around to a full-length debut, they weren’t forthcoming, but I’ll hope they capture some of that impromptu spirit, because as it blended with their established penchant for fuzzy hooks and driving, straightforward songs — see the swinging “Glitterbones” — it made their time on stage that much richer to experience. They moved the progression of the evening away from the burl of Switchblade Jesus and provided a transition into Yawning Man still to come, but more than that, they gave the assembled crowd, which included Dead Meadow, who showed up to watch, a set worthy of headliners while at the same time not being afraid to smile onstage and actively have a good time. Mirroring their start, they ended with an effects-drenched jam, Wayne twisting pedal knobs while Joey and Marlin held the flow together, so that in addition to having put on a killer show, Fuzz Evil put on a killer show. Go figure.
Yawning Man
I’ve been fortunate enough to see Yawning Man before (review here), so in a conceptual sense I knew what was coming, but until I stood there and had the bliss of tone provided by the guitars of Gary Arce and special guests Mario Lalli and Dino von Lalli (both Fatso Jetson) oozing forth from the stage, I don’t think I really had any idea. All three were recognizable, clear in the mix — which, taken with the keys of Malene Arce (also LewdFlesh), the bass of Justine Summer Heaven and Bill Stinson‘s cymbal wash, felt like a friggin’ miracle — and each added something different, Dino holding down rhythms, Mario tearing into leads and Gary finger-plucking strings to emit serenity through his years-in-the-making tone, as signature to the desert as sand and dry air. Long a power trio, as a six-piece, Yawning Man bordered on orchestral, and while parts were definitely recognizable, a good portion of their time was spent moving into, through and back out of open jamming, keys adding to the airy feel and Stinson and Heaven and sometimes Dino marking out a rhythmic terrain and holding firm while Arce and Mario traded adventurous leads. It was glorious. Liquid enough that you wanted to swim in it, warm enough that you wanted to get a sunburn, and raw and creatively vital. Glances from Arce and Mario guided the band through peaks and valleys in new song “Wind Cries Linn” (streamed here), its core guitar lines memorable and built outward on stage, and “Dark Meet” from the band’s 2013 split with Fatso Jetson was the foundation for an extended final jam, Dino keeping a start-stop rhythm line that gave a progressive, languid space rock vibe. The crowd had thinned out by then, but those who remained knew they were seeing and hearing something special. Yawning Man carried that jam up, down and around again, deconstructing it only to put it together again, Mario pulling an ebow out of his pocket and Bill leaning his whole body into his cymbals, which seemed to have moved somewhat away from where they started out. As the four-piece of Gary and Malene Arce, Heaven and Stinson, Yawning Man will reportedly have a new EP out this year, and I can’t wait to hear what spaces they explore next. Like Dead Meadow the night before, they closed out Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 on an otherworldly note and offered a prime example of why they’re so often given the “legend” tag.
—
When they were done, I hung around for a few minutes to say a couple goodnights and thank yous, so I’ll do the same here. First, to Wayne and Joey Rudell, without whose support and efforts this trip simply wouldn’t have happened. Thanks also to The Patient Mrs. for her coordinating prowess, to Todd Severin, Randy Blood, Bucky Brown, Mark Aceves, Rory Rummings, Mario and Dino Lalli, Gary Arce and everyone else I was lucky enough to hang out with over this weekend.
In a few minutes, I’ll get the hell out of this hyper-pretentious, Mickey Mouse reggae coffee shop and head to see some desert before I go to the airport. My flight is 11:30PM tonight and puts me into Boston at 6AM, gaining two hours back in the return to Eastern time. I’m looking forward not necessarily to getting back to real life — from which I think I needed a respite even more than I understood — but to seeing The Patient Mrs. and the Little Dog Dio, and that’s enough to get me home.
Thank you for reading. This has been an unreal experience and wouldn’t have happened without your support.
Posted in audiObelisk on February 17th, 2016 by JJ Koczan
Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 is set for Feb. 26-27 at 191 Toole in Tucson, Arizona, and as you can see above, I made a mixtape for it. I’m thrilled to be able to say I’ll be there for what’s the second edition of the festival, which features Dead Meadow, Yawning Man, Elder and Switchblade Jesus as its headliners as well as a liquid light show from the foremost purveyor of such things, Mad Alchemy.
Two nights of eight bands a night means 16 acts in two days, and in acts like Waxy, Dandy Brown (also guitarist for Hermano), Blaak Heat and 3rd Ear Experience, the fest makes its desert-rocking intent plain. There are some harder-hitters in the bunch — the aforementioned Switchblade Jesus, as well as Sounds Like Murder, the punkier Blackwülf, and the persistently enigmatic Funeral Horse (whose song here is an exclusive mix) — but with Zed, Dead Canyon, Fuzz Evil and Big Mean to bridge any sonic gaps, it’s a cohesive roster of heavy that’s sure to please however many boozy heads 191 Toole might hold. I’ll let you know when I get there.
For those making their way through the playlist below, I’ll just put this in caps: IT HAS NEW YAWNING MAN. Yeah, that’s right. New Yawning Man. It’s a rough mix, but screw it, that counts enough for me. Also look out for a new track from Blaak Heat that will reportedly feature on their next album, Shifting Mirrors, which is out in April on Tee Pee and Svart, as well as an exclusive mix from Funeral Horse. There’s more, of course — a lot of it. But all told I think the music does a good job of setting up its own vibe, so please, dig in and enjoy.
Before I leave you to the audio, the lineup and ticket links below, I want to say thanks to Borderland Fuzz Fiesta for having me out and to all the bands involved for sending in their tracks to be included here, as well as to you for reading and listening.
Please enjoy:
Year two is upon us. Feb 26th-Feb 27th in downtown Tucson at 191 Toole. All Ages! Ticket Links and lineups below:
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 1st, 2015 by JJ Koczan
As noted here in August, the 2016 Borderland Fuzz Fiesta will take place Feb. 26-27, expanding from one day to two, in Tucson, Arizona. It will be held at 191 Toole. Aside from seeing the return of the Mad Alchemy Liquid Light Show, the second installment of the heavy rock fest boasts a range of Southwestern styles, from the desert psych of Blaak Heat Shujaa — one wonders if their new album might be ready by then? — to the punked-up garage strangeness of Funeral Horse. Hermano‘s Dandy Brown will also make an appearance, and though the headliner and main support act(s) have yet to be unveiled, it already looks like a damn good time.
More to come as we get closer to the fest itself, still some five months out, but today brothers Wayne Rudell and Joseph Rudell announce the initial lineup and unveil the official poster by the latter’s own Ghost Town Graphics. The central theme? The desert. Makes me wonder in a big way who might be headlining this thing, since it’s looking pretty sandy even as it just gets going.
Dig it:
Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 – First Announcements
We are excited about this year. We have brought in alot of bands I think fans of Stoner Rock, and Psych will love to see. We will have some more announcements in about a month or so for the support and headliners. We will also have info for limited early bird tickets and two day passes.
The flyer design was by Joseph Rudell with his company Ghost Town Graphics. People also might recognize his art from Ripple’s Second Coming of Heavy Series which GTG has been contracted to do the whole series.
Borderland Fuzz Fiesta 2016 Headliner TBA Main Support TBA Waxy Dandy Brown (Hermano) Blaak Heat Shujaa 3rd Ear Experience Cloud Catcher Funeral Horse Fuzz Evil
