Album Details

• Artist: Monkeywrench
• Album: Gabriel's Horn
• Label: Birdman
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2008-03-12

A cause to celebrate! This is the first release from Monkeywrench since 2000, and while this surely is not as mighty as "Broke As A Dead Dick Dog," it is still a fine addition to the catalog of sludgefest goodies from singer/guitarist Mark Arm (Green River, Mudhoney).

The familiar sonic touchstones of those bands-Blue Cheer riffs, 13^th Floor Elevator's bubbling backgrounds-are honed into a more manageable stew on this release, which at times sounds almost slick. However, repeated doses of "Black Plastic Tarp" or the particularly greasy cover of George Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today" ought to reassure you.

In all of his bands, Arm has perfected a sound-muddy, sarcastic, occasionally majestic, that, as far as formulas go, has never played itself out. OK, the last couple Mudhoney records sounded phoned in. But "Gabriel's Horn," while subdued, is a welcome return to form for Mark Arm, and a cool revival of a great band that began as a side-project.

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