Album Details

• Artist: Fuzz Beloved
• Album: Fuzz Beloved
• Label: Intrepid Sound Recordings
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2008-05-30

Originally recorded in 1995, Fuzz Beloved's debut-and only-record has gathered dust until now. It was worth the weight. Recorded in the era of grunge and the dying days of hair-metal, Fuzz Beloved's juices were channeled into making heavy stoner psych. Given all that has after them the last ten years, with the explosion of psychedelic rock, new weird folk and retro-70s boogie, this record sounds like it was made last week. This release may serve as an inspiration to many bands who never knew these older, kindred spirits. Fuzz Beloved belong in that long and sad category of ahead of their time but ignored bands.

From an intro that sounds like a clip from a hypnosis tape, the band ambles into the slow trippy "Happy Communing." Tracks that keep to the mellow vibe are "Dead Balloons" and "Solipsism." But the power trio format of the band was made for the heavy, bass-dominated "Sweet Devil Child," "As It Were" and "Fleeting Planet Earth." These feature gloriously distorted and majestic guitar work, long snaking lines and hard riffs. Each track has something memorable to recommend; that only makes the band's failure more poignant. This was a band with vision, humor and the chops to realize that vision.

They did manage an ill-fated summer tour in 1994, and also helped organize a couple of desert psych festivals, but for the most part Fuzz Beloved disappeared quietly.

You need this record, and they need the love from you once you do hear it.

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