Earthless and Heavy Blanket at Roadburn

So I’m sitting on my couch. I often do that after a long day of work, and when the dog is using my chair as a canine throne. Today though, I chose the couch. I like to sit on the couch when listening to new vinyl. Yesterday I received not one, but two new albums in the mail. The first was A Sunny Day In Glasgow’s Sea When Absent. I will talk about this one at a later date as it’s a stunning record in its own right. But right now I’m spinning Earthless meets Heavy Blanket’s In A Dutch Haze and my mind is blown. It’s a double album that’s nothing short of a brilliant chunk of psychedelic jams. It never lets up, and I wouldn’t expect any less.

Okay, so who’s Earthess? Really? You don’t know? Okay, well they’re a three-piece psych and space rock band that release these immense records filled with Cream and Hendrix-inspired instrumental rock that teeter dangerously close to improvisational metal. Their albums ebb and flow with a fluid stream of guitar, bass, and drums that would make even the most powerful power trios hang their heads in shame. Their last record From The Ages was one of the best albums of 2013 and should be owned by any person that’s ever played air guitar or pined for the first thirty seconds of Sabbath’s “Supernaut”.

Heavy Blanket is a grungier, swampier, and janglier version of Earthless that consists of the master of the Jazzmaster J. Mascis and a couple of supposed old high school pals of Mascis’. What I really think is that it’s J. Mascis playing everything in the studio and coming up with some awesomely loud psych instrumental music. You should check out Heavy Blanket’s 2012 self-titled debut.

So what’s Earthless Meets Heavy Blanket’s In A Dutch Haze? Well it’s Earthless sans main guitar hero Isaiah Mitchell and in his place is J. Mascis and Graham Clise having and epic psych rock super jam at the Roadburn Festival. Lucky for me(and you) they had tape rolling and recorded the whole thing for me to enjoy on my couch. Right now. Sure, it would’ve been great to be at the Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands and see this thing go down live, complete with a warm belgian ale and a serious contact high. But it’s just as nice sitting right here on my couch and writing about the experience of hearing it for the first time on my little Chromebook as I wait for my adjunct-style American lager to cool in the freezer. There’s an italian sub in the fridge as well waiting for me to devour it. Mascis freaking out on his Jazzmaster will help the digestion I think. And I can’t say enough about Mario Rubalcaba, Earthless’ drummer. This guy is a MONSTER! You should check him out on the OFF! albums as well. He’s a drumming beast.

So that’s what’s going on right now. If you’re a fan of psych rock space jams, Earthless, and J. Mascis then you need to seek this album out. Mine’s in yellow fade vinyl, although it looks more like “hemp” green which is fitting I think. Oh, and the album artwork is pretty awesome as well.

I’m outta here, man.