CHÉ – Sounds of Liberation (2000 Man’s Ruin)
Almost immediately after his debut solo album Jalamanta, Brant Bjork was back with another new project and album. Ché, featuring former Queens of the Stone Age drummer Alfredo Hernández, and Unida bassist Dave Dinsmore, only made one album. But it is indeed the Sound of Liberation.
“It’s the Ayatollah of Rocka Rolla baby!” Seven songs, 35 minutes. Brant Bjork on guitar leads off “Hydraulicks” with a sharp, stabbing riff. The laid back vibe of Jalamanta is gone, though its emphasis on repeating simple riffs is put to good use here. A few vocal and guitar overdubs add some brilliant depth to a pretty raw, live-sounding recording.
“Stabbing” is another good adjective to describe the second track, “The Knife”. Or perhaps hammering, as this song doesn’t let up. The chorus is but a brief reprieve from the relentless rhythm. “We can break the knife, so it won’t cut you, never cut you…” But the instrumental “Pray For Rock” has a completely different vibe, a slow Sabbathy one with a Ward-like drum patter. Then it suddenly goes full U2, if U2 were a stoner rock band from the desert.
The title track “Sounds of Liberation” enters. The main three-note riff has some heft! Solid track followed by another solid track, “Adelante”. Hard hitting, choppy, aggressive. Gets the point across. Awesome drums by Alfredo Hernández. But it’s the second-last track “Blue Demon” that really impresses, as a late-album highlight. “Pick a room, man, ’cause they’re all the same,” sings Brant. The riff has a certain electric aura, and the song just grooves. It’s an ode to living free.
The final track is another instrumental, “The Day the Pirate Retired”. The focus is on the riff, bristling with electric energy. The band really jams here, with the fluid bass providing unexpected smoothness.
The CD packaging is interesting, with the front cover artwork on the back tray, and the back covert artwork on the front. Kind of confusing when you see one on the CD shelves for the first time.
4/5 stars
Was that a Mad Max reference in the opening sentence of the second paragraph
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It’s a lyric, but yes it was.
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I do like me some Mad Max
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So does Brant Bjork!
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He may need honorary Australian status
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Is that hard to get? It used to be all you had to do was commit a really bad crime.
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Hahahahaha! No that’s true Australian status.
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OK so I still have some work to do ;)
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Never heard of them. I’ll add them to the ever growing list of bands to check out. Good one Mike!
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I file it under Brand Bjork just because it sounds like his solo work, and he sings & plays guitar. So yeah, it’s a Brant album. And he puts out so, so, so many. Jalamanta is definitely the album of his that everyone should prioritize first.
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Got it!!
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Love this LP. Bloody great band.
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Brant is a genius.
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I have wanted to be him, he looks wayyy cooler than I do.
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Prove it!!
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Well done Mike, you correctly called my bluff. 20 points to you.
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Disappointed again! Only one guy has ever seen your face, and nobody has ever seen that guy’s face! (HMO)
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I had to kill him Mike. It was nothing personal, just secret identity protocols.
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Scott’s…dead??
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I tried to be humane about it. Jim’s still on the run, I met him too.
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I get to go face to face with Jim on June 11! I hope you can catch that one. I am very excited.
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Check the backdrop carefully, see if there are any clues to his location there, please.
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Why haven’t I heard this!?
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Probably because I just now got around to posting it!
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This is definitely my kinda jams, but I never knew about it. I’ll need to try find a copy.
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Right on J!
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You keep bringing up the work of this guy, and I keep thinking I need to get into it. One of these days I will!
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Brant is such a mega-talent. He really is. Every instrument, singing, writing, albums every year!
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Damn. I feel that’s a slippery slope and still I am tempted!
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I guess this one is good back to front.
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HAH! Yes, yes it is. Front to back too.
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I love this album,I always wondered if the artwork on the back was a mistake,now I know.
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