Review – Heavy Ripples, Vol. 1

Ripple-Music’s next upcoming release is called Heavy Ripples. It’s a double 7″ release featuring some great music a well as bands signed to the label. The featured artists are Stone Axe, Sun Gods in Exile (on loan from Small tone), Grifter and Mighty High.

“Nightwolf” is one of the bad ass of all bad ass songs Mos Generator ever recorded. So now the question, how do you take a great song and make it better? If you’re Tony Reed, you’ve been there, done that, after all, Mos Generator is your band. Well, the solution is add the vocalist in your new group, Stone Axe, add that distinct Stone Axe sound and there you go. Dru’s vocals are clearly distinct and the instruments remind me a bit of ZZ Top’s “Tush” mixed with a little early Judas Priest. It’s speed up a bit and tuned differently making it a whole new song. This is how you cover a song.

Sun Gods in Exile’s track is called “Over My Broken Bones” and continues the great sound from their 2009 debut, Black Lights, White lines.It’s got some great guitar work. The sound is a bit 70’s southern rock mixed with a little modern stoner and classic rock sound. The addition of the organ is a nice touch to it and highlights the song.

Grifter gets two songs on this release. I’ve been a fan of Grfter ever since I first heard their demo and EPs (FREE). If these songs, “Small Man Syndrome” and “Hey Ron” are an indication of their full length debut (due later this year) then we’re in for a real treat. Both tunes are punchy, upbeat, catchy and memorable. “Small Man Syndrome” is about a tough guy with a small “complex”. If you’ve heard the phrase, or its many variations of “he drives  nice car due to a lack of a big penis”, well, there you go. “Hey Ron” is an ode to porn star legend, Mr Hedgehog himself, Ron Jeremy. Grifter seems to be having a lot of fun with these songs and the end result shows it.

And last but certainly not least, what would a Ripple-Music release be without a track from The Mighty High? For those that don’t know, The Mighty High’s songs are all about or make reference to weed. I don’t know of one of their songs that doesn’t. “Hempophobic” is no exception. Besides Woody’s trademark vocals, the rest of the song is fast, like Grifter it’s punchy and the guitars are tight with hints of a blues tune in between the bong hitting.

This delicious slab of wax is due to hit April 19th through Ripple-Music. The first pressing is limited to 500 copies so don’t hesitate on ordering yours.