If you thought you couldn't shake that ass and slap that thigh like it's a hoe-down to heavy metal, then rattle your dags to Clutch, a band where metal and punk meets blues, groove and swing. If you're brave enough, you could even try a bit of wildline dancing to The Devil and Me (where singer Neil Fallon confesses that the devil and him had a falling out), or the frantic and feisty Power Player.
Despite a few lyrical cliches, like the terrible recurring "you can't stop progress" in the otherwise rip-snorting opener, Clutch is making music unlike anything that's out there. They seem straightforward but they take a lot of exploring.
On last album, 2005's excellent Robot Hive/Exodus, they introduced organist Mick Schauer whose smoky keys are a highlight that gives the band an obvious uniqueness. On this album, particularly on the smouldering White's Ferry, the stoner rock of Child of the City, and the short sharp attack of One Eyed Dollar, Schauer is at his best and he simmers through everything. Combine the keys with the relentless riffs - rooted in hardcore and metal - and the band's obvious penchant for straight up rock'n'roll bands like Led Zeppelin and the hick sound of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and you've got a killer album.
Verdict: More stoner metal blues, this time with more killer keys
