CLUTCH — Transnational Speedway League: Anthems, Anecdotes, and Undeniable Truths (review)

CLUTCH — Transnational Speedway League: Anthems, Anecdotes, and Undeniable Truths album cover Album · 1993 · Stoner Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Kingcrimsonprog
Clutch’s debut full length studio album ‘Transnational Speedway League: Anthems, Anecdotes, And Undeniable Truths,’ was released in 1993 as the band began their career with the same line-up that would grace every single release of theirs to date (minus the keyboards) Dan Maines, Tim Sult, J.P Gastor and frontman Neil Fallon are all present on this record, showing flourishes of the incredible band that they would soon become.

Being the band’s early nineties debut, obviously in terms of production it was less polished than any other Clutch release (although songs from this album sound great on their live albums) and in addition to the production; Neil Fallon’s vocal style is almost unrecognisable to his trademark style found on the rest of their albums.

Musically; most of the material on this album was very different to that on subsequent albums as well, there is a more obvious hard-core influence and much less blues and country in the overall sound. Fans who got into the band on more recent albums may out and out dislike the direction here, or take many listens to acclimatize to it.

Stand out tracks include ‘A Shogun Named Marcus,’ and ‘Rats,’ both of which are often played live, as well as ‘Walking In The Great Shining Paths Of Monster Trucks.’

Even though a lot of the music and most of the vocals may be off-putting for newer Clutch fans; Lyrically the album fully formed Clutch stylistically and a lot of the drum fills and the solos here and there help it from sounding like completely different band.

Overall; Transnational Speedway League is definitely not the go-to album for Clutch beginners, and if you are new to the band you should really look elsewhere for a first album. While it is a fair album in its own right, it sounds so different from what the band became that you probably shouldn’t start with it.

If you are an existing fan however and want to hear where the band came from and how they began; while you won’t find yourself listening to it as much as their other albums, there is enough good material to warrant a purchase or curiosity listen. However, definitely try if you like Clutch’s heaviest moments.
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