Haze County/ Crypt Trip - rock
















By NARENDRA KUSNUR



Album: Haze County
Artiste: Crypt Trip
Genre: Eclectic roots rock
Label: Heavy Psych Records
Rating: ****

A trio formed in Texas in 2013, Crypt Trip made headlines with last year's album Rootstock. Their sound is a heady mix of late 60s psychedelic rock, 70s hard rock, southern rock, jazz, blues and country, making it a very American sound.

On their new album Haze County, vocalist-guitarist Ryan Lee, bassist Sam Bryant and drummer Cameron Martin are joined on some tracks by Geoff Queen on the pedal steel. It's a short album, with nine tracks spanning just over 36 minutes. And it's something that sounds equally good in your living room or while driving.


The highlights of the Crypt Trip sound are the catchy, guitar-based hooks and subtle tempo changes. While the basic melodies remind you of the Allman Brothers, Grand Funk Rail Road, Grateful Dead and in some cases The Who and Led Zeppelin, the drumming patterns are a well-structured mix of jazz and hard rock.

The opening track 'Forward' is a soothing mid-tempo pedal steel-driven instrumental that sets the pace. The drumming gets heavier on 'Hard Times', but blends smoothly with the guitar riffs and bass line.'Wordshot' and 'Free Rain' are rooted in the southern sound, The songs talk of mortality (on 'Life After Death'), love ('To Be Whole'), or the desire to break free (the anthemic final track 'Gotta Get Away').

The pedal steel is used with great effect on '16 Ounce Blues', and blends perfectly with the acoustic guitar on the instrumental 'Pastures'. What's praiseworthy is the fact that the album flows smoothly, and there isn't a song one would want to fast forward.

Of the bands that have sprung up in the past five years or so, Crypt Trip definitely shows signs of promise. Though the roots are many, there's a certain uniqueness in the mix of genres. If the brilliant and supremely popular Greta Van Fleet has evoked comments for their regular similarity with Led Zeppelin, or if the Struts have tended to sound like Queen or the Rolling Stones, there's no very obvious influence on these songs.

Or maybe you feel you're listening to a number that begins like the Allman Brothers, gets into a Led Zeppelin mode and uses a Grand Funk Railroad rhythm. Even if that's the case, this is a smooth ride,


Comments

  1. Ramprasad IyerJune 8, 2019 at 4:52 AM

    Great blog. Bro. ...pleasure reading and definitely makes me want to listen to them. ...Crypt Trip. ..Thanks for posting it and best of luck to your blogspot.

    ReplyDelete

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