Review: Weedpecker ‘IV: The Stream Of Forgotten Thoughts’
With their fourth album (second on Stickman Records), Weedpecker continues to evolve and delve deeper. While further exploring psychedelic and stoner, their sound is refined with a lot of thought put into the songwriting and production, making for an extremely cohesive album you don’t want to miss out on.
Throughout IV: The Stream Of Forgotten Thoughts, Weedpecker alternates between guitar-driven melodies and deeply psychedelic passages drowned in delay and reverb. The ideas and riffs are well crafted, fleshed out and thematic with progression and nuance, reminiscent of the songwriting on recent albums by Motorpsycho and Elder. With influences like these it’s no surprise they’re signed to Stickman Records!
The psychedelic inspired sound is definitely at the core of the album: vocals and guitars swaddled in delay and reverb as well as guitar-harmonies is at the center of almost every song. The opening track No Heartbeat Collective is a perfect example of this, alternating between these psychedelic ideas and harmonies. The riffs on this track work so well when played in harmony, and the dissonant vocals in the verse really make it stand out as well.
vocals and guitars swaddled in delay and reverb as well as guitar-harmonies is at the center of almost every song…
Weedpecker undoubtedly pays homage to the psychedelic rock movement of the late 60s, evident on the lead single Fire Far Away. The vocal harmonies and odd time signatures certainly add to this, but there is also nuance and progression, from the occult and dark sounding bridge to the heavy Elder-esque riff towards the end. These ongoing shifts in tempo and feeling become a signature on the record and illustrate Weedpecker’s songwriting abilities, with Unusual Perceptions being full of surprises, and not least the grandiose and epic closing track Symbiotic Nova.
Although the 60s inspired psychedelic sound is dominant, there is room for some riffs and heaviness, like on Big Brain Monsters. It’s faster, groovier, and fuzzy – more straightforward than the previous couple of tracks. Although it’s a bit of a departure, it’s still crystal clear that you’re listening to Weedpecker. This is in part thanks to the harmonies and the vocals, but also because the production and overall sound on the album is very refined and thought out, making the course of the albums eight tracks very cohesive.
IV: The Stream Of Forgotten Thoughts is a very enjoyable listen showing that Weedpecker is an ever evolving group. Although the style remains consistent across their most recent albums, it’s clear that they’ve put a lot of thought into this one, making for such a cohesive album. The songwriting is creative with a lot of progression, and It’s without a doubt worth your time!
Label: Stickman Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Scribed by: Emil Damgaard Andersen
