“Don’t fuck with the truck”. Thus reads the maxim of a band destined for the Chuck Norris Most Butch Band Name Award (sadly not a real award). Monster Truck started out as a light-hearted side project alongside the quartet’s other, ‘serious’ bands. But be in no doubt that they mean business now.
Monster business, in fact, as this part-classic rock, part grungey stoner delivery attests. Capturing heavy Deep Purple-esque grooviness, sludge sound, contemporary drive (à la Soundgarden) and southern streaks, Furiosity successfully channels enough shades of rock to compel zillions.
Psychics is an especially propulsive, elegant manifestation of this, elevated through wah-infused soloing. Meanwhile, single Sweet Mountain River generates (appropriately) a Mountain-style hook and roving southern-rock chorus. Attractive but tough, it’s music to wander Canada’s forests, catch a moose, light a fire, barbecue said moose and revel in nature too.
Gung-ho suggestions aside, much of the record is set to a reflective key — providing a flexible canvas for subtle mood changes, sassy alt-rock grooves (e.g. Oh Lord) and space to cultivate retro but relevant, non-cliched rock. Nice.
