I’d ask you what has two thumbs and is very much looking forward to hearing what Wino & Conny Ochs have in store for their second collaborative record, Freedom Conspiracy, but I think you already know the punchline. The first Wino & Conny Ochs record, Heavy Kingdom (review here), was a joy, reveling in its own “Labour of Love” as the German singer-songwriter and the frontman of Saint Vitus, The Obsessed, etc., each seemed to sincerely appreciate what the other was bringing to the duo. They’ve been talking about “the next record” more or less since the debut came out on Exile on Mainstream, and on March 31, the label will release Freedom Conspiracy with US vinyl exclusive to Earsplit Distro.

The PR wire tells the tale:

WINO & CONNY OCHS: Exile On Mainstream Confirms Details For Second Collaborative LP From Iconic Singer/Songwriter Duo

Earsplit Distro To Carry Vinyl Exclusively For The US

It is with extreme pleasure for Germany’s Exile On Mainstream to announce the label’s next priority release, with the second collaborative album by one of the most strikingly natural singer/songwriter duos of these troubled modern times, SCOTT “WINO” WEINRICH and CONNY OCHS.

To backtrack a bit, the union of these two gritty, passionate musicians took place in 2010, as American doom/rock legend, WINO (Saint Vitus, The Obsessed, Spirit Caravan, The Hidden Hand) was touring Europe on his own first full solo album, Adrift, which had just been released by Exile On Mainstream. Simultaneously, contemporary German solo vocalist/guitarist, CONNY OCHS, was preparing to release his debut solo album, Raw Love Songs, through the same label which saw the two artists billed together on this European trek. From there, an instant bond was formed, both as musicians as well as just like-minded humans. Instantaneously, musical ideas formed within this new brotherhood, which quickly grew into a courageous collaborative full-length studio album entitled Heavy Kingdom, released by Exile On Mainstream in 2012. The album showcased the organic songwriting skills through an incredibly passionate delivery. Heavy Kingdom elevated both artists as top-notch contemporary singer/songwriters in the eyes of the media and fans alike, and saw the duo taking their songcraft to the road heavily across Europe as well as North America.

That was just the beginning, as, since Heavy Kingdom was just seeing release, the pair had already began talking about “what was to come” in reference to new material they’d began plotting together. The time is now, as the second chapter from WINO & CONNY OCHS has recently been completed, the project actually having remained virtually unannounced and taking place behind closed doors over the past few years. With the artists being based on two different continents and remaining busy with their own solo endeavors, an opportune time to convene for some songwriting time never arrived, and the pair began trading ideas via email. This was not something that at all brought forth the magic and mastery which took place the first time, and after months of writing, the idea was scrapped, and last year, WINO voyaged back to Berlin to rendezvous with OCHS.

Recorded again at Kabumm Studio with producer Thommy Krawallo, as was their Heavy Kingdom LP, the newest collection of ambitious, harrowing and beautiful music created by WINO & CONNY OCHS not only brings forth the same quality of organically conceived folk/rock fans of the previous album should expect, it simply excels in every imaginable aspect, and now awaits release in early 2015 through their trusted alliance with Exile On Mainstream. Bearing the title Freedom Conspiracy, the record was written and recorded entirely with WINO & CONNY OCHS performing all instruments together, the approach slightly different from Heavy Kingdom as it has been created in a much more organic way with rudimentary ideas brought in by each and then carved into songs by both together. Fusing acoustic and electric guitars and with both artists’ standout vocal styles searing through these thirteen well-crafted brand new hymns, the initial recordings of the album date back to over a year ago, but even though the songs were done and recorded, these protagonists felt it had been rushed a bit in the end and final touches couldn’t be made with both together in the same room for reasons of other obligations. So it was put to rest and matured several months. Earlier in 2014 both went back in and basically stripped everything down to the bare bones, started from scratch, arranging the tracks differently and all of a sudden it clicked and brought forth forty-five minutes of some of the most refined, dynamic and unforgettable folk/rock music in years.

When asked what the album meant to the artists themselves, CONNY OCHS states: “Freedom Conspiracy means companionship. It means to have each other’s back. This album is about losing and finding belief. And fighting for it.” Adds WINO on the album: “Shits changin’ fast. With war on every corner, political theatre becoming increasingly more offensive, and Big Brother and the Globalists intensifying their slow takeover, we offer sounds and vibrations of love, death, happiness and pain! With this music and verse we hope the songs will inspire and uplift, and hopefully unite our searching spirits.”

With cover art by WINO & CONNY OCHS, Freedom Conspiracy will see deliverance on CD, LP and digital download in the US on March 31st, 2015, both LP and CD versions to be available from Earsplit Distro for wholesale and retail purchase (the LP exclusively) The release will be followed by international touring from the duo to be announced throughout the year. Fans of Woodie Guthrie, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Bob Dylan, The Black Crowes, Scott Kelly, Mike Scheidt and the like should make sure this duo is on your radar.

Stand by for audio samples and further release/tour info from WINO & CONNY OCHS’ Freedom Conspiracy campaign all year.

Freedom Conspiracy Track Listing:
1. Drain
2. Sound Of Blue
3. Foundation Chaos
4. Crystal Madonna
5. Shards
6. Time Out Blackout
7. Timeless Spirit
8. Freedom Conspiracy
9. Dirt Floor
10. Heavy Heart
11. Forever Gone
12. Invisible Bullets
13. The Great Destroyer

http://www.scottweinrich.com
http://www.facebook.com/ScottWeinrich
http://www.connyochs.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Conny-Ochs/112536815501097
http://www.mainstreamrecords.de
http://www.earsplitdistro.com

Wino & Conny Ochs, “Crystal Madonna” Live in L.A., Aug. 8, 2012

Not exactly the most uplifting message ever put into a song, but Wino‘s take on Savoy Brown‘s “Shot in the Head” was nonetheless a highlight of the 2010 acoustic debut, Adrift. That record (review here) came out four years ago this month, and had its fair share of melancholy, with songs like “Whatever” and “Old and Alone,” but despite its foreboding title, “Shot in the Head” was actually more upbeat — frustration rather than depression — and its road-weary lyric fit Adrift‘s personality well, Wino taking the lines, “I’ve had enough of getting shot in the head/I’ve had enough and I wish I was dead,” and presenting them not with a downer woefulness, but something closer to the bluesy humor of the original.

The track opened Savoy Brown‘s 1972 full-length, Lion’s Share, which was the British outfit’s ninth album in six years. Understandable at that point why they might’ve “had enough,” but it’s worth noting that guitarist/vocalist/founder Kim Simmonds has toured and released music ever since, working with well over 60 musicians in various Savoy Brown lineups since starting out in 1967 — up to and including this year’s Goin’ to the Delta — so apparently he was still a ways off from his fill. Wino isn’t quite there in the number of people he’s worked with, though if you count both bands he’s been in and bands with whom he’s guested, he’s got to be over 40, but it’s plain enough to see a correlation there, and he seems to have a good time with the song, doubling his vocals to create a kind of one-man blues chorus and sneaking a plugged-in solo into the second half.

I looked for a live version of “Shot in the Head,” but came up empty. Could’ve sworn I saw him do this song at some point, but there doesn’t seem to be video to back that up. The album version’s plenty raucous, and I hope you enjoy it and have a happy Wino Wednesday:

Wino, “Shot in the Head” (Savoy Brown cover)

Like their third album, 2010’s Concrete Catalyst, the newest outing from German bass/drum duo Beehoover — titled The Devil and His Footmen and out Oct. 22 through Exile on Mainstream — traffics in sounds both large and peculiar. The two-piece of Ingmar Petersen (bass and vocals) and Claus-Peter Hamisch (drums, recording and mixing) tap into tonal thickness and hairpin turns at any given moment, giving their songs a progressive, unpredictable feel. You never quite know when Petersen is going to switch from his Faith No More-style clean vocal delivery into a searing scream or gruffer shout, or when Beehoover might turn a seemingly straightforward heavy groove like that of “Rooftop” on its head with a barrage of start-stop noise rock.

It’s this very aspect, of course, that makes The Devil and His Footmen such a satisfying listen and gives it its pervasive sense of originality. Petersen and Hamisch have a decade of experience behind them, so as they move from Helmet-style crunch to oddly atmospheric low end on “Boy vs. Tree” or delight in playing tempos off each other in “My Mixtapes Suck Big Time,” their songs remain fluid and the album never loses its step. Ultimately, Beehoover hit on a particular balance of engaging and challenging that’s using familiar methods — complex drums, weighted tones, alternately harsh and clean vocals — in a manner almost entirely their own. It might take a few listens for the full impact ofThe Devil and His Footmento sink in, but once you’ve been through it a couple times, the elements that at first seem unsettling become exactly what keeps you coming back for more. Even as you’re trying to figure out what’s going on at a given moment, the songs are working their way into your subconscious.

And while that sounds like a warning, the results are undeniably positive. Today I have the pleasure of hosting “My Mixtapes Suck Big Time” for streaming in advance of the record’s release, and it’s a song that exemplifies how well Beehoover are able to craft a linear feel throughout weirdo choruses and a tension that seems to build even as it’s paying off. Unless you spend the rest of your day listening to Beehoover, chances are you won’t hear anything else quite like it.

Check out “My Mixtapes Suck Big Time” on the player below, and please enjoy:

[mp3player width=480 height=150 config=fmp_jw_widget_config.xml playlist=beehoover-mixtapes-suck.xml]

The Devil and His Footmen by Beehoover is out now in Europe and will be available in North America on Oct. 22 via Exile on Mainstream Records on CD and vinyl (limited to 500 copies). More info at the links below:

Beehoover’s website

Exile on Mainstream

Hard to determine what’s my favorite thing about this clip of Wino performing the song “Manifesto” live at Substance Record Store in Vienna on his 2010 European tour. He laughs as he breaks a string about two minutes in, and that’s pretty enjoyable — probably less for him at the time — and he takes his guitar and walks out into the crowd, troubadour-style, toward the end. Plus the song itself, which lives up to its name in continuing Wino‘s penchant for socially conscious lyric-writing — something that arguably was most present in the word of The Hidden Hand but has been a factor all along — while the quick acoustic strumming provides a kind of tension that usually comes coated in fuzz where his songwriting is concerned.

Either way, it’s a winner, and for me, even more interesting in context. Toward the end of last year, I posted a video shot on the same tour of the same song, and he did basically the same thing — out into the crowd and all that. That video was shot in Belgium on Oct. 10. This one was Vienna just 10 days earlier, and what’s really great about it is Wino, fresh off a tour with Premonition 13, had been on the road for about two weeks at the time, so basically you get to see him become more comfortable with the idea as you go from the earlier video (this one) to the later one. Maybe that’s me putting a narrative to it, or just a bit of super-nerdery, but it’s pretty cool to see, either way, since by the time October rolled around, it was a spirited protest-song bit of populism and here it’s getting there, but not quite as triumphant yet.

Keep your eyes open for that and the broken string, and have a great Wino Wednesday:

Wino, “Manifesto” live at Substance Record Store, Vienna, Sept. 30, 2010

German doomly foursome Obelyskkh left an impression with last year’s White Lightnin’ sophomore full-length (track stream here), and the band just announced the quick turnaround on a follow-up. Titled Hymn to Pan, the third Obelyskkh album is set for release in August in the band’s native Germany and September in Europe and the US. If the last record is anything to go by, Exile on Mainstream (who will be handling this release as they did the last) aren’t kidding when they say it’s “nodding time.”

Get ye informed:

OBELYSKKH thunder growls on the horizon !!!!!

Retrieving their sound in a much more thronging way than ever before Obelyskkh seem to be picking up speed and urgency. And this not only musically but also in their pure existence. Of course, parts are still there – the bridging leads sit enthroned on swarm-like riffage, vocals meander between cutting serenity and harsh shrieks, giving the music enough time to breathe and adding an unusual element to what you would expect from a band coming out of the Sludge/ Psychedelic Rock scene. So far so familiar. But it doesn’t end here. Obelyskkh manage the impossible at ease: maintaining a trademark while simultaneously adding another complexity, another approach, another dimension and thus reaching freedom in a stunning way. It’s a rare treat nowadays and a venture to unbuckle yourself from expectations and strictly focus on an organic creation – especially for a band existing only for a few years (but already having 3 albums under their belt).

Theory aside – beware of a fucking riff-fest! This album contains enough for any other band live on for 10 years. Nodding tyme!

Release Dates:
30 August 2013 (Germany)
2 September (Europe + UK)
24 September (USA)

Hymn to Pan Tracklisting
01 Hymn To Pan
02 The Ravens
03 The Man Within
04 Heavens Architrave
05 Horse
06 Revelation: The Will To Nothingness

The album is released on CD, digital and 2LP, containing 3 sides. Side D is a blank mirror and gives a great tool to adjust your vinyl player’s antiskating properly.

Obelyskkh, “Abysmal Desert Cavern” Live in Leipzig, 2013

Yesterday the announcement came down the wire that Wino would be opening for Clutch‘s holiday tour this coming December. It’s the kind of news I like to get. If you missed the dates, here they are:

WINO w/ Clutch, Mondo Generator, Saviours:
12/26/2012 9:30 Club – Washington DC
12/27/2012 The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC
12/28/2012 Buster’s Billiards & Backroom – Lexington, KY
12/29/2012 Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH
12/30/2012 Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ
12/31/2012 The Palladium – Worcester, MA

It’s a pretty killer bill, and Wino will be performing solo acoustic to open the shows, as the PR wire confirms:

Following the ongoing Saint Vitus North American tour, his thriving recent tours of Europe and North America alongside his comrade Conny Ochs in support of their collaborative album Heavy Kingdom, preceded by several tours with close friend and Shrinebuilder bandmate Scott Kelly in support of their split 7” release last year, today the legendary SCOTT “WINO” WEINRICH confirms his latest round of live performances, as the man will bring his solo acoustic set to the road once again, this time in support of the almighty American rock machine Clutch.

WINO has supported Clutch on tour in recent years, with both his backing band as heard on his 2009-released Punctuated Equilibrium album as well as solo as his 2010-released debut acoustic album Adrift. On this special run of year-end dates WINO will join Mondo Generator and Saviours supply opening support for Clutch, with a six-show run from Washington DC up the East Coast and ending in Worcester, Massachusetts on New Year’s Eve. Tickets for this short but incredible tour will go on sale this Friday, September 21st.

Given all that newsly awesomeness, I thought it was a good time to take the opportunity to revisit Wino‘s 2010 acoustic debut, Adrift (review here). That record seems a long time ago now, but it’s only long in terms of all the stuff Wino has done since, with Saint Vitus, Premonition 13 and the Wino & Conny Ochs collaboration — not to mention touring for those projects and playing live with The Obsessed for the first time in more than a decade — and one track that has continued to stand out from it is the closer, “Green Speed.”

It helps that it’s a wailing heavy rock song — whatever kind of guitar it’s played on — with an uptempo chugging riff and buzzsaw-sharp electrified solo, but what really gets me in listening are the vocals, with have that seething underpinning of righteous anger that’s unmistakably his own. “Green Speed” was kind of buried at the end of Adrift, and sure enough, was different from a lot of the rest of the album, but it’s a cool track nonetheless, and seemed to me easily worth highlighting in honor of the upcoming tour.

Enjoy and have a happy Wino Wednesday:

The band is Obelyskkh, not to be confused with The Obelisk, which is the site you’re on right now, and the song is “Mount Nysa,” which comes from the German psych doomers’ new album, White Lightnin’, not to be confused with their prior full-length, which was also called Mount Nysa, and which was released last year. Everybody on board?

Well, you probably should be, because the track is some heavy shit. Obelyskkh brew up a potent cask of doom and heavy psychedelia, crafting ambience as weighted as the lumbering riffs they use to offset it. In its six and a half minutes, “Mount Nysa” builds to a massive, apocalyptic apex with blown-out vocals that remind of some fanatical chanting — never far from a sense of ritual, but still grounded in sludge — like if your totalitarian nightmares came true. But there’s still room for melodic complexity as well, and the guitars of Crazy Woitek Broslowski and Stuart “The Whiz Kid” West display that with a fluidity that in no way contradicts the riff-led groove at the core of the song.

Deadpan vocals highlight the monotony of the plod following the ethereal beginning, and as they gradually join in, bassist Dirty Dave (not to be confused with Dirty Dave of The Glasspack) and drummer Steve “The Krusher” Paradise both underscore and thicken the lumbering root appeal. Excellent and engrossing.

I count myself lucky to be able to host “Mount Nysa” from White Lightnin’ for streaming on the player below. The album is due out Sept. 28 in Germany, Oct. 8 in the rest of Europe and Oct. 16 in the US. More release info (courtesy of the label) follows the stream.

Please enjoy:

[mp3player width=460 height=150 config=fmp_jw_widget_config.xml playlist=obelyskkh.xml]

Available on CD in a high-glossy varnished 4panel digifile and on 180 g Double LP in a gatefold LP cover  (LP is limited to 500 copies)

LP contains download coupon for the whole album incl. the non-LP tracks “The Enochian Keys” and “Abysmal Desert Cavern”

“White Lightning” is a monstrous pound of sonic heaviness, psychedelic approaches and emotional riffage – ingredients that, if mixed together with love for the music can bring stunning results. Like here. OBELYSKKH fear no boundaries and no flavour of the heavy: “White Lightning” draws from pure sludge filth through psychedelic soundscapes into postrock and back. Sure, this album is heavy and massive but it also breathes some kinda repetitive mantra-like ambition, which clears the air here and there and thus declines total negativity.

„White Lightning“ was recorded, mixed and mastered in winter 2010/2011 by BILLY ANDERSON (Sleep, Neurosis, Mr. Bungle, Eyehategod, High On Fire, Melvins – to name a few) providing the record a raw live sound that gives you a hint to what an immense experience it is to witness OBELYSKKH live – clearly something you shouldn’t miss.

Tracklisting
01 The Enochian Keys (CD only)
02 Elegy
03 The White Lightning
04 Mount Nysa
05 Amphetamine Animal
06 Abysmal Desert Cavern (CD only)
07 Invocation To The Old Ones

Obelyskkh on Thee Facebooks

Exile on Mainstream

This week’s Wino Wednesday clip comes courtesy of one Andrew Lusby, who along with sending in a few much appreciated kind words about the site, included a link to some HD video of Wino & Conny Ochs performing their new song “Crystal Madonna” on their current US tour in support of their debut collaboration, Heavy Kingdom. His story to tell, so let’s let him tell it:

I recently saw Wino & Conny Ochs in L.A. and I was blown away. I happened to record most of their set and the quality came out pretty good. They played a new song titled “Crystal Madonna” which I think sounds great. Figured you might want to use it for a Wino Wednesday or at least enjoy for yourself. I’m guessing it will show up on the next album which Conny told me was definitely going to happen…

Besides playing most of Heavy Kingdom and some of Wino’s solo material they also played some great covers including “Hellbound Train” (Savoy Brown), “Hotel Vast Horizon” (Chris Whitley), and “Isolation” (Joy Division).

Badass. Thanks to Mr. Lusby for the clip and the info. The complete list of Wino & Conny Ochs tour dates is here.

Have a great Wino Wednesday: