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Clutch – Weathermaker Vault Series Vol. I

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Clutch - Weathermaker Vault Series Vol. I

Clutch - Weathermaker Vault Series Vol. I
4.1

Rating

 4.1/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Powerful and versatile rock
  • Some nice covers
  • Nice trip through band history

Clutch are an East Coast rock band, who steadily grew since their band founding in 1991. With the Weathermaker Vault Series Vol. I, they present a very special album partially even illustrating the band’s history. The album will be released on 27th November 2020.

 

Clutch – About The Artists

Clutch is an US-American rock band, which has been found in 1991 in Germantown, Maryland, Northwest of Washington D.C.. The original line-up was Dan Maines (bass), Jean-Paul Gaster (drums), Tim Sult (guitar) and Roger Smalls (vocals). Maines, Gaster and Sult are still part of the band, they are nowadays joined by Neil Fallon (vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards). The first major success by Clutch was the 1998 album The Elephant Riders, which headed the US Heat Charts. Especially since the millenium, the band steadily increased their popularity – all albums since Pure Rock Fury (2001) made it to the Top 7 of the respective genre charts (US Heat / US Indie). The band also gained more and more popularity in Norway and the United Kingdom, where they have a signfiicant fan base. All 2010’s albums, Earth Rocker (2013), Psychic Warfare (2015) and Book of Bad Decisions (2018) made it to the Top 20 of the (overall) US Album Charts. The Weathermaker Vault Series is the band’s set of digitally released singles. Weathermaker Vault Series Vol. I is the 13th album of the band.

 

Clutch – Weathermaker Vault Series Vol. I – Track by Track

The ten track album lasts 38 minutes.

1. Passive Restraints

Bang your heads! There is no slow start into this album. The band give a full force to their guitars, so that the first track Passive Restraints feels like a metal band. The lyrics are rather hip-hop style, though – the song is thereby very present and catches you from the very beginning – great way to start the album.

My father was Black, my mother was Decker
Believe me my friend, it doesn’t get any better
Than rack and pinion reasoning, add a little seasoning
Cook at ninety eight point six degrees

2. Electric Worry

Bang, bang, bang, bang
Vamonos, vamonos
Bang, bang, bang
Vamonos, vamonos

The chorus might not be the most complex lyric ever – but the song is just another power-track. Electric Worry feels a mixture between Southern Rock and Rock’n’Roll. The song makes several short breaks and almost feels to start from the beginning then. Cool composition.

3. Run, John Barleycorn, Run

Run, John Barleycorn, Run (John Barleycorn is a synonym for alcohol) is again driven by strong electric guitar play, but rather feels like a blues rock track.Simply a cool track.

Run, John Barleycorn, Run!
Now run on home
The miller’s cup is empty
And his fire’s going cold
Run, John Barleycorn, Run!
Now run on home
He intends to cut you down
And put you to the stone

4. Evil

Evil is a cover, the song has been originally recorded as a blues track by Howlin’ Wolf in 1954. The track written by Willie Dixon is getting quite a bunch of additional rock feeling when interpreted by Clutch – great way to honor this classic tune.

5. Fortunate Son

You might not have the 1954 blues history in mind – but here’s another cover: Fortunate Son is a new recording of the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic. The version by Clutch has a lot of power and speed – so it is a real treat on this album.

6. Algo Ha Cambiado

Algo Ha Cambiado (“Some have changed”) is adding Spanish to the album. A straight rocker, nice tunes for electric guitar lovers.

7. Spacegrass

From Algo Ha Cambiado, which is the shortest song on the album (2:10 minutes) to the epic track Spacegrass, which is lasting 7:06 minutes. The song describes a road trip with quite space-alike comparisions, driven by Spacegrass (aka weed). Maybe the weirdest track on the album with experimental-alternative tunes. Fits perfectly to the lyrics, so I feel that many people will enjoy it (more than I do…).

8. Precious and Grace

With Precious and Grace the album is back to covers. This time, Clutch is quoting ZZ Top. Nice, powerful rock with a touch of dark atmosphere in it.

9. Smoke Banshee

Ooo, plum been running, buck a doz
Ooo, smoke banshee’s honey bee sting buzz

Another straight rock track, which again comes with a grooving touch of blues. Cool one.

10. Willie Nelson

If you do a good album, you might even be able to do better if you praise the legend of country music in the final track?

Well I don’t know if I’m coming or going
If it’s them or me
Oh, but one things for certain
Willie Nelson only smokes killer weed

Might not be an homage in a straight way, but a powerful Hard Rocker at the end of the album. Cool song, which has been released in 2003 originally.

Clutch – Weathermaker Vault Series Vol. I – Spotify

Here is the Spotify widget to the Weahtermaker Vault Series:

 

Clutch – Weathermaker Vault Series Vol. I – My View

The Weathermaker Vault Series Vol. I is indeed a fun album. The songs are powerful, the cover versions are good as well – overall, Clutch are delivering a great set of their work. No matter if you are a fan of the band already or just want to given them a try, this album is definitely worth a listen.

 

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