Pound Hound
Massive Grooves From the Electric Church of Psychofunkadelic Grungalism Rock Music
Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt
After swallowing the mouthful of a title that also serves as the album's introduction, you are taken on a wild ride that runs from Jimi Hendrix psychedelia to P-funk to Dogman dirty low-end crunch. Fans of King's X will miss the harmonies, but get a healthy dose of the heavy side of King's X. Doug Pinnick here claimed to have recorded some of this in the key of B, which makes for quite a low sound (check out the intro to "Shake"). Other King's X characteristics, like repeated lines of a chorus ("Friends"), appear as well, making no mistake about who you're listening to. After hearing Doug talk of his varied influences for years and how he wanted to do a solo album, I'm surprised at how similar this album is to King's X! I expected total departure. Although very unconventional, Doug's music and words create almost an electric church service: "Close your eyes and hear the music / close your eyes and feel the music / open your mind to know the music / let your soul come taste the music...let it be good, good, good to ya. Somebody's words, and then there's music...no need to fear, it's only music!" But what about references to: the God of dysfunctional love? Shake your thang? Wrangle-jangle something to believe in? The lyrics here raise a few questions. "My world just got darker?" For those wanting their faith wrapped up in a nice, neat package, you won't get it here. But those wanting to know if this record is "safe" to listen to will be glad to know that it is. While Doug may have some ideas and thoughts that might challenge a believer's mind, but he doesn't really push the envelope here.