Blues for the Red Sun

Kyuss

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 30, 1992)
• Original Release Date: June 30, 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Chameleon / Wea
• ASIN: B000001A3H
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (82 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #27,020 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Blues for the Red Sun is the finest album by short-lived rock gods Kyuss. With guitars tuned way down and amps turned way up, Kyuss's deafening assault switches from light to hammering in a blink on some tracks ("Thumb," "Thong Song"), while slowly building on others ("Freedom Run"). They achieve full rock bliss when they're relentless. By updating Black Sabbath from the perspective of psychedelic jammers out of the Arizona desert, Kyuss established the blueprint for the entire stoner rock movement with this 1992 release. Even its makers never matched it, let alone beat it. --Robert Burrow

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blues for the Red Sun - A Landmark Album, April 12, 2001

By A Customer

If you're unacquainted with Kyuss, this is the place to start getting acquainted; Blues for the Red Sun is more mature and deep than Wretch, but not quite as psychedelic and sprawling (in terms of track length) as Kyuss (Welcome to Sky Valley). Ignore the constant comparisons to Black Sabbath -- Kyuss rocks more than Ol' Man Ozzy could ever dream of rocking. In fact, Kyuss rocks more than pretty much anyone could ever dream of rocking, and the same can be said of this record.

"Thumb" starts off with a quiet but ominous riff and slowly builds to a bludgeoning swirl of guitar, bass, drum, and visceral vocals. Kyuss only lets up sporadically throughout the rest of the album, playing softly just long enough to lull the listener into a comfortable position and then -- WHAM! -- they assault you with thunderous guitar riffs, explosive basslines, and pounding drums. It's truly something you have to experience to appreciate.

A lot of people criticize John Garcia's vocals as "unoriginal" or "unimportant." Maybe singing and lyrics were (and are) not the point of Kyuss; still, his vocals add quite a bit to the songs. What would "Thumb" be without John Garcia's primal roar? What would "Allen's Wrench" be without his grabbing yells? What would "Thong Song" be without him? John Garcia is a vital component of the music and truly an underappreciated singer who can do it all with his voice.

Another incredible thing about this record is that the band members were in their late teens and early twenties when this was recorded. Josh Homme, Kyuss' guitar god and primary songwriter, was a mere nineteen. To write music this complex (music that puts practically every other artist out there to shame) at nineteen is unbelievably. Josh Homme (as well as Brant Bjork, the wonderful drummer) is truly one of the best artists out there now. Before he's done, he may be this generation's answer to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Hendrix, Clapton, and Page.

Another criticism about this album is that it's heavy on instrumentals. While it's true that almost every other song is an instrumental (or close to one), the instrumentals serve as bridges between the other songs, as well as some of the album's most interesting pieces. Try not to like "Apothecaries' Weight," I dare you. Try to tell me that "800" is a throw away track. The instrumentals are great, just like everything else on here.

As for standout tracks, everything here rocks. When I first bought this record, I hated "Thong Song." Now it's possibly my favorite song. It starts slow and turns into one of the most crushing songs on the record. "Freedom Run," "Mondo Generator," and "Thumb" are other top picks that'll have even the most steadfast music fan rocking out.

To sum it up, this album is very highly recommended.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars cali style, December 25, 2002

By	RxxktheVote (maryland) - See all my reviews

This is the album that put Kyuss on the map back in 91, the fuzzed out meisterwork that spawned a million imitators and turned young children across the country onto generator powered, marijuana fueled grooves of the southern california desert. Although I prefer Welcome to Sky Valley, Red Sun is a classic in it's own right.

For the uninitiated, Kyuss played fuzzed out, reverb soaked, Sabbath tinged metal, and were one of the most important bands of their 90s. Describing their sound w/out relying on stupid metaphors or labels is fairly difficult, so I'll just say that they kick arse. A lot of it. Atlantic records signed them in the early 90s and dropped them after a tour w/ metallica failed to help them catch on to the mainstream. Posthumously, their legend and influence grew and now they have a huge cult following and many side projects, most noteable of which being Queens of the Stone Age.

Blues for the Red Sun contains many classics, the most prominent being Green Machine, a stoner anthem if there ever was one, a burner that sounds like the Stooges on overdrive. Thumb, Freedom March, and (my personal favorite) Writhe represent the jam nature of Kyuss, particularly Josh Homme's fuzzy, droning guitars and John Garcia's (one of the best vocalist all time IMO) searing vocals.

So if you want to get to the roots of stoner rock and take a 50 million year trip, pack your bowls tightly and let Kyuss work their magic.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An phenomenal achievement, February 6, 2005

By	BlackAsteroid (CA) - See all my reviews

There is little written about Kyuss. They truly were a band ahead of their time. While the grudge scene was at full swing, this record slipped through the cracks of the music scene and entered only into the minds of those who sought for music beyond what was being handed to them by MTV. Blues for the Red Sun is a testament to one of the most underappreciated bands on Earth. The power and feeling of the opening song captures perfectly the sentiment of the whole album: Loud crunching guitars, soothing arrangements, blistering bass and powerful vocals. It was like nothing ever done before, or, dare I say, since.

Black Sabbath influences are evident, but to write them off as ripoffs is a gross understatement. Kyuss's second album is a great record because it pulls you in and never lets you go. Even the short instrumentals are worthy of a listen. This is also a great introductory stoner rock album, although that title is misleading. The stoner title refers to just how much this album sucks you in and leaves your senses altered, just like a drug.

Seriously, Blues for the Red Sun is great because it has great songs paced evenly throughout the album. Check out the cuts, "Thumb", "50 Million Year Trip", "Allen's Wrench" and "Freedom Run". Afterwards you may question whether you go back to listening to what you were before. By far, one of the best albums of the 90's.