Spirit Mother represents the post-grunge era, entwined with Stoner Rock in a way that blurs the line between where one begins and the other ends. On Thistle (Sound of Liberation Records), they touch on a few different sounds from the nineties and bring them into a more modern focus rather than just trying to pay homage to an era. “Violent Son” has a moodier swagger and syncopated riff that finds the guitars adding atmosphere that allows the vocals to coast between it all. The vocals here are in a mellow croon that is possibly drug-induced. The strength of the vocals is not in their range, but in how emotion is conveyed and where he puts his voice. 

“Coat of Arms” finds the rock energy in a reflective melancholy, almost like what Elliot Smith or Conor Oberst might have sounded like if they fronted a band in the early nineties. There is little in the way of studio sheen as they captured a very organic feel, like you are in their rehearsal space and they just pressed record. This is despite multi-layered guitar tracks that bring contrast tones to life. Their cover of Jethro Tull’s “Locomotive Breath” is one of the album’s hardest rocking moments. Armand Lance’s vocal cords tense into a scream to accent phrases. 

There is almost a Southern Rock vibe to the guitars strolling through “Good Faith” as the song unfurls in a cloud of pot smoke. Often when we talk about grunge, we think about the radio staples that chased hair metal off the air rather than the more drug-influenced ambiance that bands like Screaming Trees brewed within. This serves as a fair point of comparison once you delve deeper into the album, and the songs become more jam-like. On a song like “Crux,” they still maintain a maple rock backbone. The vocal melodies slowly latch into your subconscious without overt hooks, but lines found in the refrains they build into. It is easy to hear how this narcotic-tinged malaise found in the vocals could be compared to Queens of the Stone Age in how it glides over the riffs. 

It’s hard to say this album is dark, but there are some more introspective moments of downtrodden gray that bubble up on songs like “Odetta” as it builds up into a hypnotic throb.“Strange You Are” also shuffles with a bleak tension. Both songs have excellent nuanced phrasing in their guitar part rather than just rocking off a riff. Bass lines fit into the pulse of the title track that harkens back to an old-school sound, with twisted remnants of Classic Rock haunting the hook-tinged riffs and explosive swell of dynamics. What works the most about these guys is not shredding guitars or punishing playing but outstanding songwriting that tells heartfelt stories with enough surreal metaphor to leave you guessing. If you want rock music that does not sound like a beer commercial and casts a heady shadow over your bong, this album is a must. 

Buy the album here:
https://www.spiritmotherofficial.com/ 

9 / 10 
WIL CIFER
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