Random Jammers Edition: Rose City Band, Juju, The Blank Tapes, Monarch & Elder
By Aaron Stein Nov 6, 2019 • 9:48 am PST
Rose City Band: Rose City Band
The end of the year is in sight and I still have a couple pallets full of listen-now recs for you. So, how are we gonna manage this? I’ll kick off the month of November with some random jammers I’ve got in the queue that absolutely need to be on any JamBase reader’s radar if they aren’t already. First off are Rose City Band from Portland, Oregon. These guys hit a bunch of sweet spots: a musical pint of Rocky Road with chunks of cosmic country, laid back stoner haze and little bits of folk-jam. Mostly, it’s just great music from a band you’re going to want to keep your eyes on. Dig it!
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Juju: Maps & Territory
Next up are Juju who put out Maps & Territory back in the spring. The record is out on Fuzz Club records, who have gotten in the habit of putting out one RecommNedsable album after another and this one is very rec-ready. Some deep Afrogrooves meet dark psychedelia with some extended jam-outs and delightful weirdness. Apparently, one of the members of personal faves Goat even makes an appearance. It’s that kind of stew, bubbling with meaty mindfuck flavor. Grab a fork and dig in.
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The Blank Tapes: Look Into The Light
Los Angeles musician Matt Adams is just one of those guys. I have no clue about his creative process, but he just continues to put out music as The Blank Tapes, writing new songs, releasing EPs and full-lengths, rejiggering old stuff in the studio and playing gigs around LA and beyond. Caring about whether people actually listen is probably secondary to the urge to just create it. Even so, you should definitely listen to all of it, a brilliant throwback garage/psych/take-a-toke rock that’s tough not to love. The most recent drop is Look Into The Light. The opening title track squishes an extended LA-psych jam into a tidy five-and-a-half minutes and it’s all must-hear from there. Check it out!
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Monarch: Beyond The Blue Sky
I consider it my duty to make sure albums as freakin’ jamming as Beyond The Blue Sky do not escape your attention. So listen up, friends, and get a hold of the newest from Southern California brain-benders Monarch. The album is out on the El Paraiso label which, if you’ve been a regular around here, you know is responsible for many of our favorite Eurojams around these parts. But they dig up some AmeriJams as well from time to time and Monarch are blistering hot rock-out, mixing elements of all your favorites, from Allmans-y Southern double-guitar derring-do to expansive Dead psych to bombastic Zeppelin bang and beyond. Seriously, do not sleep on this one.
Elder: The Gold & Silver Sessions
Look, I know you love the jams and I hope you found some good ones in this week’s crop, but just know I saved the jammiest for last. The band is Elder, somehow both from Massachusetts and Berlin. The Gold & Silver Sessions came out this summer and it immediately had me doing my “who are these guys?” thing. Over three tracks, and about 30+ minutes, these guys take you on an epic journey, total brain-turner improvisation with moments of subtle interplay, heavy duty fuckyeahness and just the right dose of killer build-to-peak to get the adrenaline pumping. Honestly, some of the best studio jams you’ll hear this year, or any year really. Check it out, I think you’ll dig.
