Customer Reviews

Wilderness Heart

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

 

 

It's hard to look back to the days of classic rock for inspiration without being pegged as a mere imitator. Black Mountain are clearly disciples of genre forefathers like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, but they bring a certain harmonious folk element to their work that helps to keep it from being mere derivation on the themes of those bands. Naturally, you're going to find that kind of heavy stomp that is synonymous with Zeppelin and Sabbath, but Black Mountain do things their own way, and they are given to long, proggy outings over tighter rock 'n roll. Wilderness Heart is a blend of heavier, driving rock songs and ominous folk numbers. Most songs feature both of the bands' singers, both talented and carrying the necessary bravado for their roles, but I wish that when singing in unison that they would sing more harmonies, where instead they are usually singing the same melody in a different octave.

I love the growth of this band. From Black Mountain through In the Future to this new album, I like the expansion of their sound. Evolution implies some kind of improvement, but that's not the case: the previous albums were excellent. This album is definitely more straight-edged, a rock album with driving songs like Let Spirits Ride and slower, heavier tracks like Rollercoaster. However, the gorgeous harmony and counterpoint of Stephen McBean and Amber Webber's vocals comes to the fore more than in previous albums (on tracks like Buried by the Blues) like a heavier version of The Decemberists (but not like the heavenly power of Kylesa). There's an awesome 70s feel all over this album with the right amount fuzz in the guitar and great layering of organ and synth. A really great album, and one of my best of 2010 so far.

On Wilderness Heart, Black Mountain has further matured from their second release In the Future. This album finds them balancing the heavy Sabbath/Zeppelin/Judas Priest-sounding riffage of "The Hair Song," "Let Spirits Ride," and "Wilderness Heart" with the more delicate "Buried by the Blues," "Radiant Heart," and "Sadie." There's even "Old Fangs" which could have been recorded by corralling The Cars, Weezer, and The Smashing Pumpkins into the studio and locking the door. While the experimentation and heavy 70's psychedelics seem to have been scaled back on Wilderness Heart, it's still brutal and beautiful. This band knows how to rock.

On their 3rd album, this Canadian band plays with an authentic & powerful 60s/70s West Coast
rock vibe that succinctly combines hard, crunchy riffs with psych-tinged metal, power and grace.
The guitars punch you in the face with fists of hard-assed love, while the male/female vocal
harmonies caress your brain, and old school keyboards ride the wave of potent retro-rock that
incorporates bits of punk/metal/Americana & bong drippings. Overall, this is an incredibly well-
played, genuine, ass-kickin' guitar rock album. Members are also in Pink Mountaintops, Lightning
Dust. You'll hear bits of Sleepy Sun, Black Sabbath, Big Brother & the Holding Company, Fuzzy
Manta, Velvet Underground, Led Zeppelin, The Warlocks, Queens Of the Stone Age, Quicksilver
Messenger Service.

This was my introduction to Black Mountain. They have a new fan. Not one skippable song on the album. Get the vinyl version, its super tasty!

I love this album. I loved their previous album after hearing a track on KEXP and picking it up. The songs are much more to the point on this album but I like the vocal dualities much more. Maybe next time they can bring back some of the psych-prog elements but on Wilderness Heart it really isn't missed. While many reviews have stated Sabbath and Zeppelin as obvious influences, I also hear Jefferson Airplane, Heart, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd and Tom Petty. These influences don't really prepare you for the modern visceral approach that their sound reaches. It's raw and produced very cleanly at the same time. The songs are loose and warm but also dark and foreboding, reminding you that the apocalypse is just around the corner. The vocals harmonies are enchanting and dangerous like sirens calling you to your doom. This record is beautiful and I wish I had written/produced it.

Disappointing to say the least. I've been a fan of Black Mountain sence the self titled album, and since I saw them on tour with Coldplay of all bands. this album marks a departure from their hazy, melodic, poetic, haunting stoner roots for something much more arranged and orchestrated. Gone are the raw garage rock that captivated me in favor of something much more produced and polished. the production on the album is absolutely stellar, the mixing and layers of sound might be exactly what some are looking for. on a personal opinion, they're going down a rabbit hole I just cant follow. I miss the stoner vibe that is only hinted on, but never built on in this album, as opposed to their previous albums.
Overall, I'd say you should download this and sample it before you even think about dropping cold hard cash.

If you like what I called it, you'll like the music. I just can't listen to it, as I thought for some odd reason that it was catergorized as metal. Middle of the road -not metal, sounds like the 70s music that has good base lines. Can't say that there's a whole lot of demand for that, these days. Unless you came to the same revelation which I have... the new rock is nothing like Pearl Jam, Aerosmith, or actually anything happening during the nineties or earlier. Half of which, you could actually listen to and enjoy.