WEEDEATER

It is about damn time that the gods of leafy sludge boogie and doom destruction dropped its third release into the laps of the dedicated and the resin-coated. After several years of label searches and recording interruptions, due in part to vocalist/bassist Dixie Dave Collins' involvement in several other projects (SOURVEIN, BONGZILLA, etc) and non-stop touring, WEEDEATER has found a most appropriate home in Southern Lord. "God Luck and Good Speed" was well worth the wait.

You've heard the trio, which also includes drummer Keko and guitarist Shep, performing the catchy (yes, catchy) title track, instrumental doom rocker "Wizard Fight", the classic "Weed Monkey" (re-recorded for this album),and the lordly cover of LYNYRD SKYNYRD's "Gimme Back My Bullets" on the road for some time. Now you get the studio treatments in all their glory. And that's a good starting point, as each track is a monster. The title track in particular is quintessential down-tuned and fuzzed out WEEDEATER with a simple chorus that is guaranteed to stay with you, even in your sleep. The mix of plodding sludge and up-tempo doom slam that is "Weed Monkey" is pure bliss. Dixie's scratchy howl and molasses-thick bass lines, Shep's bottom-feeding guitar tone, and Keko's caveman drum annihilation are unmatched in the genre. There isn't a dud on the album and that includes creepy banjo number "Alone", which was mastered by CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's Mike Dean and is actually a tune from Dixie's acoustic side project BARSTOOL. As for the production, Steve Albini does an outstanding job of bringing the heavy tones together with instrumental clarity that gives the album the same kind of distortion-drenched goodness heard in the live environment.

Those in love with past releases like "16 Tons" and "…And Justice for Ya'll" will absolutely adore "God Luck and Good Speed". There is enough plodding, molasses thick rhythms for the dedicated doomsters and plenty of quick-paced numbers and compositional variety for those with little patience for typical doom and sludge albums. At a compact 38 minutes, "God Luck and Good Speed" well get you drunk, dirty, stoned, and a little disoriented. The next morning's headache will remind you of the good times spent with the boys.