Customer Reviews

Jalamanta

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't believe this guy used to be the drummer in Kyuss! What a world of difference. The eclecticism of Brant Bjork's solo output proves, beyond a doubt, that Kyuss was a band of many diverse talents. Here Brant displays his multi-faceted arsenal of musical abilities. He played pretty much everything on this album and wears his many influences and inspirations on his sleeve. The album touches on funk, jazz, psychedelia, ambient, garage rock and has traces of folk, avant-pop, punk, metal and improvisational music within it's little plastic borders. It's perfect for a warm summer night, for sitting on the porch with a beer and watching the twilight settle. If Kyuss represents the desert at it's harshest, all heatwaves and howling winds and gila monsters, then the 'Jalamanta' album is the desert at it's most tranquil; peaceful, spacious and calm. The cd is varied to say the least. The first track 'Lazy Bones' and 'Low Desert Punk' meld backwards guitars and drums, in a nod to psychedelia, before locking into these casual/semi-heavy groove swings. I'd heard that Bjork helped write some of Kyuss' best tunes and it's no surprise judging by his output here. The instrumentals are top-notch, namely 'Defender Of The Oleander', an exercise in the rythmic hypnotism that I can listen to forever, and the impossibly double-mellow 'Sun Brother', a track with a bass-line that so deep and quiet and cozy it could serve as a blanket, and drumming that sounds like the sticks are just tickling the skins. It's a song that wouldn't be out of place on any ambient compilation. To be honest, not every track is a winner. 'Cobra Jab' is a quick exercise in jazzy noodling that doesn't do much for me and 'Waiting For The Coconut To Drop' is o.k., but I can appreciate the guy giving everything a go and attempting whatever the hell he feels like. Kyuss always had a tight rhythm section that grooved and swung in all the right places and Bjork was largely responsible for that (his replacement Alfredo Hernandez had a choppy, precise metronomic style that was good in it's own right, but was more suited for Queens of the Stone Age rather than Kyuss. They both play together on the Che cd 'Sounds of Liberation'). There's the unmistakable voice of Fatso Jetson's Mario Lalli on 'Toot', a cool tune with a bouncy 70's sort of tempo to it accompanying Lalli's howls. The only thing lacking on this cd is the kyuss-style heaviness that some of us are accustomed to. The only real rave up is 'Her Brown Blood', but it sounds more like Fu Manchu than Kyuss. However, everyone knew that Kyuss had a lot of power. Bjork displays the musical sophistication and different influences that made up the other elements of the sludgy soup that was Kyuss. I like that he wanted to try and play the other types of music he likes. I also love how the cd ends. Indio is just this mellow little thing that goes on and on and then just stops, almost like an indicator that there's more to come, that the journey ain't over. The production on this cd is the definition of warmth. It has an airy quality. Spacious and spacey. You can hear every instrument in it's pristine natural state. Unfortunately, when Man's Ruin records went out of business, this cd went out of print, but it may be re-released in the near future. Find this cd wherever you can! This cd should be listened to outdoors somewhere, with a friend by your side, on one of those nights when you don't really feel like partying and when you feel relaxed and comfortable in your own skin...those nights where you just know you ain't missing out on anything and the best place in the world is right where you're at. I can't believe this guy was the drummer in Kyuss!

Brant Bjork's debut solo album is a mostly mellow trip through rainforests of noodling, warm guitars and laid-back polyrhythmic percussion. It's pleasant enough, but listeners shouldn't expect Kyuss- or Fu Manchu-styled heavy rockers.

Yes he has finally done it. Jalamanta - the first solo album from Brant Bjork, and its brilliant! If you were expecting Kyuss or Fu Manchu you will be very suprised. This album is an icredible piece of work that could only be described as calm desert rock. You will probably find that some critic has gone and used the old term "stoner rock", but this has evolved from that, and has done so in its own unique way.

The album starts off with a short, psycadelic drum loop called "Lazy Bones" and then carries into a song that is proof that 'heavy' does not necessarily mean 'loud'.

Soon after comes the great, but way too trippy song Cobra Jab, which relies heavily on Brant's expert drumming. Then we come to Too Many Chiefs... Not Enough Indians - a song that will blow anyone who hears it away. By far one of the best songs on the CD.

Another great is "The Low Desert Punk". This is in my opinion the best song on the album and one of the best songs ever (it rocks!).

Defender Of The Orleander is another stand out song with a great guitar riff.

Brant plays all of the instruments on the album and is incredibly talented. In my opinion, this is also by far his best work to date. If you're thinking "should I get it, or should I save my money" I would have to say buy it as soon as possible because it is quite hard to get hold of and its also one of the best albums you will ever hear, (it sounds great on vinyl!).

Brant shows his many instrumental talents on "Jalamanta." With this CD being so simple, but so complex. It's nothing close to the heavy dessert sound of Kyuss, Fu Manchu, or Queens Of The Stone Age. Yet, it comes straight from the dessert, and leaves nothing untold.

If you love Kyuss, Queens, Fu Manchu, Che, Unida then I think you might like this. Its low key compaired to bands Bjork had been in but I think any fan of desert fuzzzzz will enjoy this relaxing at times but the throw back Bjork from bands before. Kick back pack one up and chill.

. . . also very hard to find with Mans Ruin having closed. It is a real shame this CD has not been re-released on some other label. There is a note at Duma Records (Brant Bjorks new label) that it will be released on vinyl this year.

This is seriously cool music. Forget Fu Manchu, QOTSA, Kyuss. Jalamanta stands on its own without the crutches that could have been provided by Brant's previous lives. The guy is a genious and deserves some success.

Do yourself a favour and search this CD out - I got my copy from CDConnection.

Brant Bjork is a brillant man and his first solo offering Jalamanta rips. Start to finish is solid head nodding rock, kick back and put Jalamanta on, and feel what is, bud!

This is very good music, although this is not exactly Fu Manchu or Queens of the Stone Age or whatever, because this is a complete drumming record. It is a good thing Brant Bjork put this out, because otherwise, there would be no eclectic stoner rock and it would have all stayed the same. There are no wild guitar solos on this album, just quiet comceptual drumming from the Fu Manchu drummer. Very Dreamy. The best songs on here are Too Many Chiefs... Not Enough Indians, Sun Brother, and Defender of the Oleander. I really do not like this as much as Fu Manchu, but this is good for quiet nights in the desert. For fans of Unida and John Paul Jones' solo outing Zooma.

A fine album from a fine artist. The music is soothing and has no shortage of grooves. Sometimes subtle but never boring, this album is a perfect accompaniament to many activities. It is interesting music- and seems to compliment, but not overtake one's attention. Track #4 is exceptional. Highly reccommended.

Just a heads up to potential buyers: This album is trance-like repetitive music with an overdubbed guitar making nice little interjections. It's very cool; dreamy, groovy, mostly instrumental and laid back. There are two mid-tempo rockin' tunes to break things up. So why the "heads up?" Well.... the other Brant Bjork albums are not like this one. All his other output is more Kyuss-like; more upbeat with vocals. I love this album, but I guess the record company doesn't share my enthusiasm, as "Jalamanta" is currently out-of-print and selling for a ridiculous 40 bucks, and all the other BB solo albums are selling at regular price. WHY ?