CLUTCH — Earth Rocker (review)

CLUTCH — Earth Rocker album cover Album · 2013 · Stoner Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"Earth Rocker" is the 10th full-length studio album by US hard rock act Clutch. The album was released through Weathermaker Music in March 2013. It´s been four years and a lot of touring since the release of "Strange Cousins from the West (2009)", but Clutch has always been a band that did things their own way and when they wanted to. "Earth Rocker" is produced by Machine, who also produced "Blast Tyrant (2004)", and because of his way of working, the band had to plan and compose the tracks in detail before entering the studio. A lot of their earlier albums were more or less written in the studio while jamming.

That has resulted in a more trimmed and "to the point" sound. They haven´t sounded this energetic and hard rocking since "Blast Tyrant (2004)", and while all intermediate albums have been of the band´s usual high standard, they have generally been more laid back in nature, and "Earth Rocker" is to my ears a welcome return to a more hard rocking concise sound. There are mellower moments on the album too, most notably in "Gone Cold", but they are generally few and far between.

...and damn they rock hard! The opening title track positively blew my away, and fortunately "Earth Rocker" is one of those albums where all tracks on the album are memorable. Of course the excellent musicianship, charm, and great warm humour of the band will always save them, but this time around the material is simply on a higher level than usual. The sound production is spot on too. Warm and organic, yet sharp and powerful. Other highlights, in addition to the title track, which I have already mentioned, are "D.C. Sound Attack!" (that harmonica is so charming), "Book, Saddle, & Go", and "The Wolf Man Kindly Requests…". It´s through and through a great album though and a 4 star (80%) rating is fully deserved.
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