Album Type: Full Length
Date
Released: 30/09/2016Label: Napalm Records
In short, “Tao of the Devil” isn’t much
different than Brant’s other albums in that it’s both a look back and a step
forward. And like his other solo albums, this one can stand alone as a prime
example of what Brant Bjork does best.
‘Tao of the
Devil”CD//DD//LP track listing:
1). The Gree Heen
2). Humble Pie
3). Stackt
4). Luvin'
5). Biker No. 2
6). Dave's War
7). Tao Of The Devil
The Review:
Throughout “Tao
of the Devil,” Brant has gone and mixed all of his solo
efforts together with a few firm shots of tequila. The result of which is an
album that’s as welcoming as a cold glass of margarita on a hot summer day.
There’s plenty of that “Jalamanta”
haze, which is really nice to have back, but the tunes here are mostly a
throwback to Brant’s
time flinging licks with The Bros. Naturally, there’s some Santana
and Hendrix
swing felt throughout, and like these idols, Brant confirms on "Tao of the Devil” that he isn’t only a
songwriter but also a master of groove.
On this, Brant’s tenth solo album, he’s brought
along some heavy hitters for the ride. There’s Dave Dinsmore to handle the
low-hanging four-string, Bubba DuPree checked in on the fuzzy six string, and
the young gun Ryan Gut keeps a heady beat with his open handed delivery behind
the kit. This is by far Brant’s best backing band since the days he
traveled the world with Cortez, Cordell, and Peffer.
With an underlying message of love, peace, and
harmony, “Tao of the Devil” is just
what you’d want from a Brant Bjork album. This Low Desert Punk has always been
about vibe, and on this album he serves it up in spades. A cut like “Luvin,” for example, keeps things
snappy with its stop and go fuzz riffing. The riffs talk back to Gut’s command
of the snare, and eventually even a tambourine during the song’s second chorus.
Here Brant sings “keep on lovin’ like your day is done” as a call to arms for
those listening in. Brant wants us to stop our bullshit and get
down to some good times. This message pops up in “Stackt,” too, though in this cut the lyrics are packaged in the
down and very dirty low end, which is so, so good.
But as the album’s title suggests, these tracks aren’t
all good times and high fives. There’s an overwhelming sense of the blues on
these 7 tracks/ 37 minutes, too. Brant doesn’t even try to hide the sadness or
despair this time around, staking claim in the title track that he’s “got
the blues right down to his bones.” In “Dave’s War,” the band’s attack is at its hardest – though I dare
you to refrain from snapping your fingers to the beat – while Brant
spews tales of running low on things he loves. A lyrically heavy concept, sure,
but it’s a side of Brant that also needs to be shown.
In short, “Tao
of the Devil” isn’t much different than Brant’s other albums in that
it’s both a look back and a step forward. And like his other solo albums, this
one can stand alone as a prime example of what Brant Bjork does best. He is
able to sum up the good life, let us know that it’s all good, and as long as we
keep our cool, we’ll be fine. Brant’s a wise man with many stories to tell
and luckily those of us hanging out in the heavy underground love to hear these
stories told.
