It’s not uncommon for a band launching a come-back to attempt to recapture the mindset of their younger, arguably more successful days. This is exactly what ’90s stoner rockers, Tumbleweed have done – and like fellow slackers, Dinosaur Jr. – they prove you can make a good reunion record.
Sounds From The Other Side is their first new material in 15 years and sees the famous five-piece reunited not just with themselves but with producer, Paul McKercher who did the Galactaphonic album.
The group had some unfinished business to attend to but they still play dark and gritty distorted guitars with fuzzy baselines, drums that pulsate and melodies that sparkle, which prove an excellent contrast and not a complete rehash.
“Mountain” – the band’s initial teaser – is a seven-minute epic, an anthem boasting their quintessentially frantic sounds. It’s a feeling that’s replicated in “Dirty Little Secret”, which sees the guitars crunching as singer Richard Lewis questions a lost love with one of the catchiest hooks from this year.
The mood is slowed down with “Drop In The Ocean” showcasing a mellower, more mature side that seems at odds with the punchy, war cry of “Queen Of Voodoo”. But it’s back to tripping hazes of familiar smoke clouds in “ESP”.
There’s no denying that Tumbleweed have taken their inspiration from a variety of different sources and channelled things into their own honest and organic blend of rock ‘n’ roll over the years. Plus, for every one of these artists there’s a younger band that this group has influenced
Sounds From The Other Side proves that they can remain vital and visceral in 2013 and even as the passage of time threatens to silence almighty guitars and fist-pumping action.
