Blending elements of phycadellic rock and funk, Moose Almighty sinks their teeth in for their exciting 4th studio album; Jaws of Life!Active throughout many local bars and other venues in Seattle, Washington, the group has innate skills with tight grooves and improvisation.
Hard Way blast us with the most intense prog rock riff ever heard since Carry On my Wayward Son. The tune simmers down to give us a RHCP type ballad that’s (as the hook of the song will tell you) just the way I like it. Already, the album is off to a good start. Underwater Hotel presents ominous pounding riffs and ambient textures like we’re being submerged inside a sunken ruin with no way to escape. Hitting the road back to Vegas, the boogie rock vibes of Furious Feline goes full steam like a motorcycle on the open road. Complete with a horn section and raspy voice, ZZ Top would eat your heart out if they heard this jam. Play dead keeps it chill with a low laying and funky groove. A sonic display of spacey electric pianos and thumping bass keeps the vibe nocturnal. The chorus switches things up a notch with bright Reggae groove like the sun summoning day. I’m very reminded of how Phish would often switch genres within a song by this piece (and really the band in general).
Chill Till gives us nice bloopy funk reminiscent of Watermelon Man-era Herbie. Love the rise in the morning like vocals that sound like they’re being echoed through a cavern. Centripetal Motion switches gears to a laid back groove similar to Lou Reed’s Take a Walk on the Wild Side. The instrumental interlude Megaloceros phases in like a trance and develops into prog metal drum grooves straight out of an Animals as Leaders. This is the closest I’ve heard Moose tackle djent.
The Last Days of Disco has to be the most energetic track on the album. Love the funky drive and ferocious energy representing the party life. But the cherry on top has to be the full force flashy synthesizer solo interludes sprinkled throughout. The dreaded hangover the following morning shows up on Friday Nights. Sounding like a garage punk band, the tune is an anthem for the weekend everyone is waiting for after enduring life’s chores. Remaining soft and retrospective, Snide Subside moves the narrative forward reflecting on regret and empathy. Normal wraps everything up with a medium paced ballad reminding us that we don’t need inhibitions to have a good time. The outro changes things up a notch with a flurry of guitar notes over pounding keys and a faceted reggae groove. All in all, I’d say the party flow of this record is solid!
Moose Almighty provides a great groove album that represents their live sound. There is a lot of variety and attention to detail throughout the album and an excellent display of music. However, the album is not without its faults. While I don’t think the singing needs to be phenomenal, sometimes the vocalist comes off as a little uninterested and doesn’t match the energy of the more lively songs (Though to be fair, he sounds great on the slower stuff). Regardless, the band is very creative and I look forward to what the future holds for Moose Almighty!
7/10