Musky, Scuzzy Blues

What to make of the self-titled album from Oakland's blasted bastards Musk? Out on Holy Mountain (who had a diverse roster in the past, with the likes of James Ferraro and Country Teasers passing through their corridors), Musk is a heaving, roiling, gnashing beast, unable and unwilling to stay on the melted tracks. 'Funny Feelings' may be emblematic of the blues rants that many critics have stuck bloodily to their lapel (think JSBX with rotted teeth and cardboard bedspreads), but 'Rot Soft' is just as ready to take a wild detour into pigfuck country, as if the four-piece rutted down in the bayou and fucked Jesus (Lizard). 'Trash Roof' devolves like Aussie reprobates Deaf Wish scratching at their cold sores and two-bit whores. But above all else, the majority of Musk rolls out the fetid carpet into the quagmire of insanity, taking the redneck road less travelled - something another Antipodean act, Six Ft Hick, have made their own. No matter the fisticuffs or the rough-and-tumble, Musk is a grotty powerhouse of rancid rock that I hope I can bathe in forever.

Grab Musk here - you really must.

The Horrortones

The next band to come off the Mere Noise Meltdown honour roll is...

The Horrortones. This behemoth of a Brisbane supergroup slash institution slash intermittent rockabilly raconteurs are currently working on a triple 7" box set, which is hugely exciting. The band revolves around ex-Vegas Kings frontman Pete, with a steady backing band and a revolving door of hangers on. The bands cover the gamut of ace Brisbane band - the aforementioned Vegas Kings, The Grates, Texas Tea, SixFtHick, The Stress of Leisure, Wiseacre, The Tremors, Gin Club, Giants Of Science, Butcher Birds...the list goes on and on. The membership is fluid, its all about drinking with buds and having a good time (space permitting). The M.O. is to funk the fuck out, have a hell of a time, systematically destroy everything and everyone in sight, and wake up the next day in a perpetual state of amnesia and pain. And seeing as they list King Khan, The Dirtbombs and Reigning Sound as influences, there isn't much else to do than ensure you catch one of their shows... (And due to their reticent nature to get things down, all I have is this not so great video of them covering King Khan & the Shrines' 'Saba Lou' from back in 2009. Still, as more about the box set comes through, I will let you know).

Separating The Blues Brothers At Birth

No, I wouldn't do that to you! But what I will do, is give you a taste of The Owsley Brothers new album, Separated At Birth. We posted about the Florida blueshounds here, but a bit has changed since then - namely that JE Reynolds' wife has left the band (but not him), to be replaced by "Young Ricky", who plays drums and banjo. And as you can hear below, the new duo is just as blustery as the old duo. This is a solid blues dirge of a record, harnessing the likes of early Kills, a bit of White Stripes, a bit of Six Ft Hick - it feels dirty, but oh so gooood! Put this on, swig whiskey from the bottle and start gyrating in the dirty bar down past the boonies - and damn if it wont suit you to a T...

What's more, you can get Separated At Birth for free over at Last.fm! So go get it!

The Owsley Brothers - Under The Shade Of A Live Oak
The Owsley Brothers - We Are Wolves