Released on 17th May, ‘Last Or Later’, debut EP, from multi-instrumental soloist, Greg Green’s one-man project, Burnt Sherpa features a potent cocktail of rock ‘n’ roll, 80’s underground, 90’s grunge and 00’s stoner rock.
Crafted as a nostalgia trip, back to the 90’s, ‘LOL’ is imbued with that sound and energy.
Taking the rough with the smooth, in its evocations, ‘LOL’ leans on varied inspirations, including Soundgarden, ‘Siamese Dream’ era Smashing Pumpkins, Jeff Buckley, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and even vague neo-soul hints.
Ex-Mr Plow, Greg had initially intended to complete some original Plow concepts, via BS, but it rapidly evolved, into a project, in itself. ‘LOL’ was then produced, in collaboration with Dean Dichoso (Candlebox).
Memories Collide – Considered intro, slow paced, with slide riffs digging deep. Quite surprisingly Plant-esque vocals. Comfortable, rhythmic drum bounce. A low-slung central key, with a laid-back emphasis. Very much a combo of stoner rock groove, grunge and traditional rock focus. Ending on a slide riff.
Difficult Gift – Similar slow, but groove-loaded rhythms open. The bass is clear, from the start. The production’s a bit murky, it has to be said, but it’s definitely a very relaxing vibe. Some tinny sounding cymbal action, in there. Very ‘Houses Of The Holy’ era Zep-esque quality to this track. It’s very grungy and casual, in its delivery; fading out on a singular slide riff.
It’s Not The Heat – Intro’ing on light cymbal touches, as if just the very edge is engaged. Into a slide section, with another casual emphasis. As subdued as it may seem, there’s still something fairly inviting about that laid-back fluidity. A bit of wah, around the bridge and more bass emphasis than is usual. Throwing in some stop-start stuff, ¾ in, with a bit more wah and some fuzz tones, bouncing into earshot. Definitive drum hits, ending.
Florida Room – Single finger-picking riff tones open, casually chased by the rest. Vocals very bluesy, with an old school rock tinge. A comfortable confidence infuses them. Sustaining an accessible beat and again, more bass presence than is usual. That same fluidity swims into view. Utilising touches of riff shimmer. It may just be a little monotonous, tonally, but it’s undoubtedly restful.
19 Seconds – Short, but echoed meditative ambient tones enter. More shimmers echo into the following space, with careful touches of very light percussion. There’s a smoky aura present within this sound. The slide emphasis is strong. A bit more vocal peak, here and there. Ending on what feels like a bit of a loose end, but it’s a pleasant listen.
Sugar Rush – Changing things up, here, with a slightly sharper riff style, but the accompaniments still emit that stoner vibe. Cymbals sounding even tinnier. A bell-like tinkle emanates from them, at times. Again, that traditional rock vocal returns, with a bluesy sense inherent. It could be much stronger, though. Strengthening the riffs, at the end.
Overall – A much murkier offering than is standard, ‘LOL’ definitely emits a stoner vibe, though there’s a strong sense, throughout, of being trapped underwater. Very muffled sounds persist, with a lot of tinniness in the cymbals. Even so, it does intrigue, whilst assisting wind down moods, with its restful tones. Stronger production would do it a big favour, in audio terms and a bit more tonal experimentation. So, a vaguely intriguing, but slightly underwhelming EP.
6/10 ******
For fans of The Smashing Pumpkins, ‘Houses Of The Holy’ era Led Zeppelin, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Faith No More.
https://burntsherpa.bandcamp.com
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