In Walked Barbarella – Clutch

A bit mo’ real time fandom unfolding before your very eyes right here…

Clutch have just released a new album entitled Book Of Bad Decisions. In reaction to this news, much of the rock world has gone somewhat ga-ga for it. I confessed over at Stuff And That to the fact I’d never really given Clutch much attention. I always suspected I’d quite like them but never really listened to them when I had the chance. You know how it is right? So many heavy groove bands, so little time.

J from Resurrection Songs pipped in that I should try their earlier Psychic Warfare album as a good jump off point. That second tip off, coupled with lyrics posted on S.A.T from the new record made the whole Clutch thing now seem more fun than I’d expected it to be from the mental aural image (it’s a thing) I’d preformed of the band based on the fact their name sounded to me like it’d fit somewhere between Thrice and Filter.

Then I had a rough day at work and decided I wanted to pummel my ears on the drive home with something which would sort me out before I got back indoors. On impulse I bought a download of Book Of Bad Decisions before logging off the office WiFi and I hit the road.

Gimmie The Keys started things off well enough but I was still brooding about the bad day at the coal face. Three tracks in and I was thinking this album purchase might have been a suitable entry in to the Book of bad decisions itself. It was all OK. Serviceable enough heavy rock. If I were to play the ‘sounds like’ game (and of course I’m going to play the ‘sounds like’ game) I’d have said A Post-Grunge Alice In Chains without all the jokes or Volbeat minus the crazed Danish Elvis impersonator on vocals (and that’s not a Volbeat I want in my life).

Just then things started to get a bit more gonzo as How To Shake Hands kicked in. I knew my mood was lifting. Great groove, posturing ludicrous lyrics and a bag of fun for all who attend. This was the track with the bit S.A.T had quoted that made me smirk.

By track five a blistering intro riff was being matched with horns and stop/start heralding of a heavy metal party. In Walks Barbarella rang in my weekend with a cry of

“Weaponised funk”

All this talk of def cons, tractor beams and gamma ray guns got me over the bad vibes and into my Monster Magnet meets Rocket From The Crypt happy place. It occurred to me this must be the single from the album based on it’s immediacy. It’s got clever clogs culture trash lyrics and a real sense of humour. It’s safe to say by track five of BOBD I’d become a Clutch fan. Clutch (it turns out) play heavy rock for well read mad scientists who like to party. My kind of people.

They really pushed the boat out further on the rest of the album. Hieronymus Bosch is In Control and Ghoul Wrangler especially are the wrong side of barking toads and all the better for their System of a Down covering Grand Funk lunacy. This album comes with some leaden moments but also some heavy metal party monsters and the scales are undoubtedly tipped towards the latter.

WordPress is an amazing place for talking to like minded people who can change the quality of your day in less than the time it takes to drive home. This sort of thing is exactly what the internet’s original vision entailed.

Now I’m home, dogs walked, kettle boiled and this hilarious comedy video on my TV.

Cheers Fellas. The weekend has landed.