Various Artists: The Grand Astoria / Montenegro: The Body Limits / El Matadero

A few promos that have come my way in recent months seem to have been stuck in a time vortex, with this two track album from the Flower Punk/Sick-O-Delic Records stable actually seeing the light of day back in 2014. As you’ll maybe have gathered from the ‘various artists’ tag and the fact there are merely two tracks here, we are also in the dubious world of the ‘split’, where two bands share equal billing on one release.

The Grand Astoria are handed ‘side one’ of the CD, the near 30 minute stoner grind of “The Body Limits� a slow building piece that eventually spends a great deal of its time in explosive outburst mode. Hailing from Russia, this outfit know how to lay it down thick and with a real sense of urgency that’s offset by a neat line in meandering, spacey passages. Admittedly, that the slower, more considered sections merely bookend proceedings, does leave a slightly formulaic feel, but there’s more than enough here to make The Grand Astoria into a Monster Magnet meets Hawkwind hybrid worth investigating further.

On ‘side two’ Montenegro, who obviously hail from…. Argentina…. take a similar ideal and present it in a much more stark, gruff and grating style. Imagine Paw shoved through a blender and you’ll have some idea what we’re talking about. Once again the longer format than this stoner fixated style usually receives results in a long, slow build up, but this time you can’t escape the feeling that its more because Montenegro have the time to fill, rather than because “El Matadero� really has all that much to say. Thankfully the full on upping of the ante that closes the track is a smart pay off. Does it leave me feeling desperate to discover more? Nearly, but not quite.

Fans of either band will be desperate to own this beautifully presented mini-LP style CD release - inner sleeve and all - but in truth there’s not that much here for the rest of us. The Grand Astoria clearly have talent and ability, but I’d rather hear it on their own terms, whereas Montenegro simply have too many rough edges to truly make them stand out.

Track Listing
1. The Grand Astoria : The Body Limits
2. Montenegro : El Matadero

Added: March 10th 2019
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: The Grand Astoria - Montenegro @ bandcamp
Hits: 891
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend ]