Review: Dali’s Llama ‘Dune Lung’ EP
Desert rock is a genre that has been around for quite some time but I’m only recently learning how amazing a genre it really is. Before this year, Kyuss and Fu Manchu were the only desert rock bands I knew of. Today, I have grown to truly love the genre by learning of bands like Yawning Man, Brant Bjork, Masters of Reality and Red Mesa. The recent discovery of Dali’s Llama is just solidifying my love for desert rock.
Dune Lung is the new four song EP released on March 1st. Originating in 1993 in the Palm Desert area of Southern California, Dali’s Llama helped shape the Palm Desert rock scene with fifteen, yes fifteen releases. The husband and wife duo, Zach and Erica Huskey, take the roles of guitar, vocals and bass respectively. They have added Craig Brown on drums and Joe Dillon on guitars and keyboards. It’s sad I’ve only recently discovered this astounding band, but the good news is I have twenty eight years of music to go through now!
The EP kicks off with Nothing Special, but, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Immediately, the opening fuzz soaked riff lets you know how special this song is, which then leads right into an inspiring solo. As it ends the bass carries the song nicely into the first verse. The opening comes back throughout the song leading into a second solo that is just as awesome, if not more so than the first. The song clocks in at six minutes seven and as it leads into the next, you can’t believe that time has elapsed already.
Complete Animal steps up the fuzz levels a little more and it hits the sweet spot for me. The guitar sounds perfect on its own and when the thundering drums chime in, it only enhances the heavy feel. You immediately start moving to the groove no matter where you are. It’s about half the length as the opener but it keeps you moving throughout.
The guitar sounds perfect on its own and when the thundering drums chime in, it only enhances the heavy feel…
Merricat Blackwood continues the fuzzy goodness, but takes the tempo back a little. It’s a song I could put on and relax to. It’s got an incredible sound with a relaxing feel. It’s a song you just want to put on and listen to without distraction, soaking up the sublime musicianship these bandmates share.
The closing track is an important one to me because it’s the last thing I’m left with after a swift, yet phenomenal journey. Like any movie or TV show, I don’t want to be sucked in only to be disappointed at the end. (…Game of Thrones…) Luckily, Dali’s Llama does not take that road and shows us how to close an EP properly. STD (Suits) creates a wall of sound that fills up the room with outstanding tones and an epic groove carrying you through its four-minute runtime. The final chord rings out into silence allowing you to imagine what the inevitable sixteenth release Dali’s Llama will gift us.
I like to write a closing statement about the band and the release, but as stated earlier, I’ve fourteen more releases to get caught up on and if they’re anywhere as good as Dune Lung, well then, I don’t have time and NEED to start listening. I suggest you do the same!
Label: Independent
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp
Scribed by: Josh Schneider
