 
This review is one that I’m actually extremely
nervous about writing, I absolutely idolise iconic
southern rock band Clutch and have done for quite
a significant amount of time now. Got into them
back in college around 5/6 years ago saw them
perform at Download Festival and most recently
on the road with Thin Lizzy which I must say have
been positively unforgettable experiences because
of the sheer simplicity their setup requires but
the energy they manage to exert during a set is
plainly incredible. I have always wanted to be
able get up there with the hardcore journalists
tackling the long standing heroes and iconic bands
of the past so this will be a test to my ability,
I apologise if this flops but at least I tried
my best and whatever the outcome its all still
my own honest opinion.
Having listened to the thing a few times I’ve
managed to calm down as I’ve got a fairly
good feeling that I can do this now; well enough
stalling, here goes.. I’m not going to break
into a description of all of their albums as I
will sit here for weeks on the subject I’ll
just use their most recent album “Strange
Cousins from the West” from 4 years ago
as comparative reference; this record retained
the twangy tone crossed of old school southern
rock and country rock styles, infectious riffs
and lyrics which together made for some foot tapping
heaven which I have got (and still do get) many
hours of pleasure out of, what “Earth Rocker”
is though is an adrenaline injection of pure rock
straight into this winning formula. Reading up
on interviews with the bands frontman, (striking
beard bearing Neil Fallon) he has stated that
what they’re striving for with this record
is a straight up rock record as he feels recent
years have lacked just that. Well it’s abundantly
clear what they were driving for when you spin
it even for the first time as the material is
so much heavier and has a gritty veil thinly layering
over the top of the twangy southern rock/country
rock trademark they’ve made a name with;
“Earth Rocker” and “Crucial
Velocity” blew straight out of the water
buried themselves deep inside my brain and I can’t
see them leaving any time soon, I was going to
go into every song but this thing is going to
end up too long because I adore the freaking lot
of them. “D.C. Sound Attack!” is a
classic groovy track, “Mr Freedom”
has that irresistible chorus, “Gone Cold”
reels off a man bearing his soul with dramatic
acoustic accompaniment, “Cyborg Bette”
is a display of sheer aggression. See I tried
to go through them all and this thing is getting
so long!
So still after 10 albums and 23 years in the business,
Clutch can still put damn near any other act to
shame and trump any excuses bands can have for
ever releasing a bad record, 23 years and these
guys ain’t slipped up even once! It also
shows just how dynamic they can be, it would be
bad for me to say they have a vast range because
they pull themselves out of their element completely
to dish out some of this material. My jaw is dropped,
there is drool and my parents are very unimpressive
with the level of noise my feet are making, there
is nothing more to want.
5/5
Review by James Webb
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