Masters of Reality - Pine/Cross Dover
Release Date October 12, 2010 (United States)
Brownhouse/Mascot Records
It has been six years since the United States has seen a
release from Masters of Reality and
nine years since their last studio album. Granted, during that time the
internet was graced with The Ballad of
Jody Frosty, the unreleased third album. However, Masters front man Chris Goss
has been busy with Goon Moon and
producing The Duke Spirit, Mark Lanegan, and Queens of the Stone Age, but the time has come for another Masters album. After a seemingly
endless string of delays, Pine/Cross
Dover hit U.S. record store shelves yesterday. Teaming up with long time Masters drummer John Leamy and several
guests such as Eagles of Death Metal
bassist Brian O'Connor, earthlings? guitarist Dave Catching, Masters alum Brendon
McNichol, and others, Goss creates
another album, in traditional Masters style, different than previous releases,
but with the same unique Masters
vibe.
With inspiration stemming from Presence era Led Zeppelin,
the darker side of rock 'n roll shows through on Pine/Cross Dover, it seems as if it is a natural progression from
the spacey Deep in a Hole. However Pine/Cross Dover is more in the
Troposphere than in the Exosphere.
Get it?
There are no acoustic guitars or shuffle beats on this
album, it's a far cry from Sunrise on the
Sufferbus and The Ballad of Jody
Frosty.
The album is broken into two parts, if you haven't gathered
that by now.
Pine begins with "King
Richard TLH", a traditional guitar driven rock track that really doesn't
set you up for the rest of this part of the album. As a matter of fact, to me
this is the most out of place track on a "side" that seems to be very
focused. Don't get me wrong though, this is probably one of my favorite cuts on
the album. It is co-written by Dave Catching of
earthlings? I'd like to point out resemblance
in tone in the intro guitar tone of the earthlings? song "Stoner Rock Rules" and this
song. Or maybe I'm just crazy.
"Absinthe Jim and Me" is a down tuned crawler with
sprinkles of big synthesizer that Goss likes
to use on occasion (think "Boymilk Waltz" but in shorter spurts). Repetitious rhythms
is the theme to this album and this song is no exception. The drum and bass
really take the lead in most of these songs as you will probably notice while
listening to the album.
Next is "Worm in the Silk" which has one of the
best bass lines and tones on the album. With the rhythm as the driving factor
in this song and the occasional dreamy guitar piece on top of Goss' drone, this "Dub-Steppy" song was an early favorite of mine. "Always" is a
stomping, lumbering track with all the instruments harmonizing in the chorus. The guitar tone sounds like a
bee on LSD. "Johnny's Dream" is a short jam that closes the Pine section of the album. It's spooky,
crank it up for Halloween.
The Cross Dover
section of the album kicks off with head bobbing "Up in It", another
straight forward rock track with a Homme-esque
riff that dominates most of the song.
"Dreamtime Stomp" is defiantly the "single", so to speak, of this
part of the album. The title of the song is exactly what the song is, a dreamy,
rockin', stomp with a fun little lead. There's even a "woo".
"Rosie's Presence" is probably the most direct nod
to Zeppelin. Vocals that sound like
they're coming from 10 feet down in a well, a dirty riff, and slide guitar. It
may as well go along side "Candy Store Rock" or "Hots on for
Nowhere" off of Presence. Split
into three parts, "The Whore of New Orleans, The Pharacies Fall, and The
Wicked Flood" suite is, obviously, the prog track on the album. Clocking in at only 4:43, the song treks
through those parts pretty quickly, though it all seems to meld really well.
"Testify to Love" is kind of a strange track. The
intro is probably the "doomiest" the Masters
have ever been while the chorus is sort of a cheery sing-a-long of the line
Hooooold On. The song is like a Cream and Black Sabbath in a blender. "Alfalfa" is a twelve minute
free form jam between Goss, Leamy, McNichol, and Mark Christian.
If you dig jams, you'll like it. If not, the album is over for you when the
tiny bell chimes at the end of "Testify to Love". Personally, I love
tracks like this. If you like to sit and zone out like I do, this is for you.
Overall, this is another solid Masters release and well worth the wait. However, this album may be
a grower for some of you. I was unsure how I felt about the album after the
first few listens, but a year later (I got the import) I believe that Pine/Cross Dover is an excellent
addition to the Masters
discography. Goss went a little spooky with some tracks and there are a lot of
nods to a wide range of musicians but it all kind of works out in the end.
Granted, this album does not top my all time favorite Masters release Welcome to
the Western Lodge, but because of the Masters
diversity in albums this could be the Masters
you've been waiting for. On a scale of "Loves it" to "Not so
much" I give it a "I like like
it".
Pine
1. King Richard TLH (4:20)
2. Absinthe Jim And Me (3:03)
3. Worm In The Silk (4:23)
4. Always (3:24)
5. Johnny's Dream (4:38)
Cross Dover
6. Up In It (3:43)
7. Dreamtime Stomp (3:59)
8. Rosie's Presence (3:12)
9. The Whore Of New Orleans (4:43)
10. Testify To Love (4:16)
11. Alfalfa (12:07)
Length - 51:48
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