Album Review: Masters of Reality - Pine/Cross Dover

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

http://www.mastersofreality.com/