Customer Reviews

Wretch

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although I am a huge fan of Kyuss, I have to say that the noticeable change they made in their sound after this debut album was released was definitely needed. This album is not bad, at all. If I stumbled into a garage (or onto a generator party in the middle of the desert) and heard a band busting out these songs, I'd be pretty fired up, however when Blues for the Red Sun was released, it quickly put this album to shame. Not a bad debut, mainly because it shows a lot of potential, but any of the other, more recent Kyuss albums show what the band really can do.

This is a great CD and a must have for the complete Kyuss collection. Impressive songs like Hwy 74 will keep you fired up for more. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because I have heard their later work.

While MTV would have us believe that nothing has emerged from the last decade other than an orgy of 70s garage rock rip-offs, an onslaught of boy bands, yet more rappers, and an ever increasingly ridiculous amount of Nu-Metal acts, the Post-alternative 90s were not a complete wasteland devoid of any and all musical advancement. As popular music was becoming more and more dismal and depressingly wretched, a small revolution was manifesting itself and boldly growing within the California deserts. The title of this most recent source of musical salvation has come to be known as Stoner Rock, and Kyuss' Wretch is what started it all. As the band's first album, Wretch captures Kyuss while the band was still in their embryonic stages of development. However, even in this rough, poorly mixed form, the band's cohesive intentions come across surprisingly smoothly. Their updated fusion of melodic song structures and oppressively heavy riffage is nothing new, drawing most notably from 90s grunge, 80s hardcore, and 60s classic rock, but in a generation without any true musical saviors, (the last truly original musical uprising was the Alternative boom in the early 90s) Kyuss sounds fresh and full of life. Furthermore, even though many aspects of Kyuss' sound have been previously innovated and pioneered, (Melvins, Jimi Hendrix, Soundgarden, Husker Du, etc.) the shocking instrumental talent and pure, passion of each one of the band's integral members sets Kyuss aside as a truly unique and individual entity. Despite Kyuss' countless promising characteristics however, the prospect of a truly great band is not quite enough to warrant Wretch the title of a "great album". The ideas presented on Wretch are already strong enough to make for an enjoyable album that is sure to hold most listener's at rapt attention, but the basic sound still needed a lot of improvement and added consistency, which came mainly in the form of Chris Goss, before Kyuss would grow into their legendary status. As an introduction to Kyuss or Stoner Rock as a whole, Wretch is an essential and will most likely come in time once one has purchased the more noteworthy of Kyuss' CDs, but as a stand alone album, it falls just short of it's respectably high ambitions.

1. This music is not for the soft hearted.
2. The tracks elicit wanton desires.
3. This music is pre-QOTSA and is not trendy.
4. The band line up is no where as important as the music.
5. The band line up is very, very cool indeed.

What's going on here is groove metal at it's finest. This music is stylistic in all it's glory, giving you some solid sounds from the wayward desert side.

The guitar drawls and the rhythym is like a steady rip tide of slash & thrash. Snug angry music, the sort of inspiration a young soul needs to DTB (DTB apply's to both genders). I believe this album is best enjoyed pool side with the carné grilln and the ladies serving up the margaritas.

*Band Line up:
Brant Bjork!! on drums.
Josh Homme!! on guitar.
Nick Oliveri!! on bass.
John Garcia!! on vocals.
Chris Cockrell!! on bass.
Mixed by Kris Fuhrman.
Mixed by Michael Mikulka.
Mastered by Carol Hibbs.
Produced by Catherine Enny, Ron Krown & Kyuss.

Wretch is straight out of the garage, quite raw and unpolished, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Josh Homme was 17/18 in 1991 when Kyuss' debut album Wretch was released. Yup, you read that right. His development is apparent in Kyuss' later efforts, but that's not meant as a slight to his hard-hitting riffs on this album. Wretch is a bit slower and bluesier than their later stuff, which can make it sound harder. The sometimes brainless testosterone-charged lyrics (as illustrated by "Son of a Bitch" and "Big Bikes"), won't win any awards, but they mesh just fine with the dirty guitar/bass riffs.

The best tune on the album, and one of my top 5 Kyuss songs ever, is a little ditty called "I'm Not." It might not catch your attention right away, but after a few listens, it makes its way to the top. "Son of a Bitch" is a great example of Kyuss' bass-driven sound and bassist Nick Oliveri's sound comes through loud and clear on this whole album. "Isolation" fills out the top 3 on the CD, probably the fastest track on the album.

I would recommend people who are new to Kyuss to start with Blues for the Red Sun, or maybe even Sky Valley. But once you're hook in Kyuss, you'll want to add Wretch to your collection as well.

how can anyone give this album anything less than a 5? from start to finish it gives the listener a completely unrelentless onslaught of dirty desert rock. The guitar and bass sounds are flawlessly recorded. They fuse together to form a wall of sludgy down tuned mayhem. A must buy for ANY rock and roll fans. To hell with genre classifications. People that feel the need to group everything into a category can suck it. Good music is good music. And Wretch is beyond good.

..okay, maybe not Stoner Rock's roots. However, it is the roots of Southern California stoner rock. This is Kyuss' first album. It's not quite on the same level as Sky Valley or Blues For The Red Sun, but it's a damn good album that rocks start to finish. I must say, the two forementioned albums are the only reason I gave this four stars and not five. Kyuss bloomed right after this album. They were still in the growing process, during this one.

This album is very raw in comparison to all the other Kyuss albums. This is also the one that has the most Sabbath tinge to it. The production is a bit lacking but that feeds the energy that this one unleashes on the listeners ears. Has some good groovin smoke out jams and some driving fuzzed out punk songs. Where as the other albums will make you want to zone out with a couple buddies and a six pack this one will demand you to bang your head thrash. Personally, I think this is the best Kyuss next to Sun Valley.

Other people reviewing this album talked of production value?...This isnt a movie, it is however one of the greatest albums ive ever heard. I dont have a PHD in Stoner Metal, and music taste is completely subjective anyway, this album is excellent. If you enjoy old Metallica, (pre black album), The Misfits (with Danzig),The Dwarves, Zeke, The Supersuckers, Nashville Pussy, BUY THIS ALBUM. there is not one dissapointing song on this album, I believe its Kyuss's best Album, and I have heard all of them.

This album shows a tremendous range of musical tastes... All of them good. Everything blends- The album is a 50 minute journey- one song leads to the other like you're right there with the band, choosing what's going to come next- and there will be NO compromise in the set from the moment you hit the play button. I have four Kyuss albums ... the others are good; but this one is IT. It makes a statement: The music matters.