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The perfect blend of Heavy Blues and fuzzed-up Psych for a sun drenched Stoner road-trip soundtrack!

Look, let’s cut to the chase…why would you listen to this?

Well, do you like dirty amped up blues, 70’s rock production stylings and girthy, gristly, booming bass sounds? No?! Then jog on son, you’re not needed here.

For the rest of you lovely, lovely people…may I present Dommengang’s latest; Love Jail. This is sunshine given musical form.

WARNING:

This album will break your damn fingers with a small toffee hammer if you so much as look at the ‘SHUFFLE’ button. This is an album in every sense of the word. Tracks are laid out in a particular order for a reason. Dommengang have forged a journey of rhythmic sights, sounds and smells and you’d be best experiencing it as it was meant.

What does it sound like?

A three-lane-highway journey, veering wildly from snotty snarl to lethargic chillness before tripping the light fantastic…

Bread-and-butter rock’n’rollers set you up with a false sense of security as you shake your thang (such as opener Pastel City)…if you never make it past these you’re missing the best bit!
The door gets kicked in and you’re drinking mushroom tea with some wonderfully winding psych rockers (such as Dave’s Boogie). These blendings of shimmering melodies and rhythms with the grunting grind of an omnipresent bass riff are fresh as a daisy.
Then you’re thrown off the roof by a passing space rock jam of swirling (see the uber-trippy Stay Together). There’s beauty here.

The style changes continuously, but no matter what the tones remain sumptuous and rich, hi-fi but with an edge…and the bass…oh my god the bass. Yum.

What if I hate this 70’s rock thing you keep mentioning?

Okay, so you mention 70’s rock and for some folks instant images of tired and bloated rock behemoths drift into view. Been there, heard that. Sorry, but this ain’t that regurgitated riffage…we’ve even got moments of Beefheart in here! What we have here are hungry, smart, reverential but inventive musicians who have that wonderful knack of making an album that feels like it’s been with you for an age…and yet all sounds so fresh and unexpectedly new.

Where would I spin this joint?

This is the sound of summer, and should really come on an 8-track. If this were a soundtrack the script would read: You’re at the wheel of the minivan, clouds of sweet smelling smoke pouring from the gang in the back seats as you floor the gas. The purr of the engine becomes a roar and you adjust your shades with a smile as the clear blue sky and dusty expanse of the highway becomes your world. The mushrooms are kicking in again, but somebody has refilled the pipe.

This is journey music for good times and spirit lifting. Sunshine in riff form.

What’s that in the rearview mirror?

One last parting note…I liked Dommengang’s first album, Everybodys Boogie. Actually I loved it. On first listen I was actually disappointed that with this second release their style had evolved, their songs developed. I was an idiot. If you dig this record please do go grab their first as well. It’s a rawer take on their heavy blues style but it’s fantastic to hear how they’ve grown since. Slab out.