EP Shakedown: Heavy Ripples, Vol. 1

I'm usually reluctant to listen and review compilation albums/EPs, because of the usual clash of styles and overall skill of the bands featured. It's the only place where you can hear stoner rock sat next to NWOAHM and atmospheric doom. It's just a little too sketchy for a real review... usually.

For the first compilation EP released by Ripple Music, aptly titled Heavy Ripples, Vol. 1, the guys have collected some amazing acts of the stoner persuasion. The album begins within the blues side of the sub-genre, then takes small sonic steps throughout the rest of the album, through excellent song selection, moving towards rock 'n roll and a dash of punk. Normally this shift would have bothered me, but the fellas at Ripple have done a superb job making it all from amazingly.

Stone Axe is at it again, with their real chill, more-blues-then-rock sound. This time turning the Mos Generator song, "Nightwolf," into what seems like a blues standard, something that I wouldn't think possible. This excellent effort is followed by Sun Gods In Exile, a group not on the Ripple Music label - originally from Small Stone - but nice enough to let their music be included (I'm sure the added press doesn't hurt either). Their song, "Over My Broken Body," isn't as blues-oriented as Stone Axe's work, but you can hear the correlation between the pair.

Retrospective: Stone Axe

Also seen on Heavy Planet:

I first found Stone Axe a while ago (I'm assuming 2009, seeing as that was when their debut album was out) randomly on one of the websites I peruse looking for what's new and amazing. At the time, I couldn't find any info on the band, no album reviews, nothing at all really (which makes me think it was closer to 2008 and the album was unreleased), and so their debut LP got shelved into my ever growing collection of music.
Fast forward to 2010, and I discover their second release, this time with a bit of fanfare and a little about the band out there. But still it wasn't enough for me to get excited and listen to the dual releases, and so it, once again, was shelved. Later that year, I decided to take this website thing seriously and I began listening to new music as fast as I could, and I also began reading more and more websites and fellow bloggers, and I began to notice the name Stone Axe popping up over and over. So, earlier this week, I decided to actually listen to the artist that I have been sitting on for at least two years, give them their time in the sun and the attention everyone seems to think they deserve. Well let me tell you, everyone was right. Stone Axe plays a very strong showing of post-grunge mixed in with retro-rock, but with each album taking it's own view of this description.