Graham Reid | | 1 min read
Mezcal Eye Drop
Troy Kingi can at last see the finish line of his 10/10/10 project: 10 albums in 10 genres in 10 years. He's knocked off classic soul, reggae, cosmic rock, folk . . .
This impressive double album – which debuted at the top of the New Zealand charts – is number eight in the projected series and in the TVNZ+ documentary series Troy Kingi's Desert Hīkoi about its creation, Kingi admitted he'd struggled with the past few.
The first ones came easily, he said, but he was feeling stale and needed a new environment to get past creative blockages.
And so to the famous, eccentric Rancho De La Luna studio in the Mojave Desert where influential artists like Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age had recorded, out in that unique, dry and weirdly spiritual Joshua Tree landscape of southeast California.
Kingi undertook ceremonies with Cahuilla people and local shamen, and afterwards -- feeling more grounded and mentally expanded -- the songs came in a rush.
And a lot: this double album – in a cover which refers to King Crimson's classic prog-rock debut – sounds like an immediate adrenalin and inspirational injection. It opens with an urgent spoken introduction then roars into life with the appropriately titled Ride the Rhino, a smash-up of hard rock and glam pop stomp.
Thereafter is a thrilling, desert rock journey: a mix of hard rock/pop (Silicone Booby Trap, Tipping Point), stoner escapism (Cactus Handshake), punkish speed metal (Mezcal Eye Drops), tough reggae (Geronimo) and a campfire singalong at the end (Praise the Sun).
And damn if Dynamite Yourself doesn't nod to Split Enz' Dirty Creature.
The surreal lyrics, perhaps unlocked by the opening of chakras or the mushrooms given him by the healers, may be better understood after seeing Desert Hikoi.
Make what you will of Ocelli: “Clasper, makes entering abnormal. Fin fold, yet tigers stay informal. Blood bath, beyond the nasal curtain . . .”
The short spoken word pieces by Rancho locals are bizarre and don't stand much repeat listening.
On the mainline of desert-inspired psychedelic rock from Meat Puppets (out of Phoenix) and Giant Sand (Tucson) to influences from Rancho's illustrious alumni, Kingi – with guitarist/singer Ezra Simmons, drummer Treye Liu and bassist Marika Hodgson – uncorks exciting, lyrically bewildering and enormously energetic rock.
If the last couple of Kingi's went past you, come back for this. Loudly.
.
You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here
post a comment