Big Scenic Nowhere is the supergroup featuring members of Fu Manchu, Yawning Man, Mos Generator, WaterWays, and other acts, who collaborate when their schedules permit during breaks from their main bands. The Waydown is their latest full-length studio album from Heavy Psych Sounds, and features Gary Arce (guitar), Bob Balch (guitar), Tony Reed (bass, vocals, keys, guitar), and Bill Stinson (drums). Also on board as guests are Per Wiberg, Eliot Lewis, Reeves Gabrels, and Gar. The Waydown is a real fun, heavy, and quite psychedelic album. Those who can't get enough of Balch's crushing riffs in Fu Manchu, or who enjoy his more exploratory stuff alongside Arce in Yawning Balch (a spin-off of Yawning Man) will be in heaven here, as this album is both quite heavy but also features the psychedelic and proggy side to those bands as well. The opening 1-2 punch of the title track and "Summer Teeth" are just glorious, with waves of crushing riffs, Reed's velvety and quite high in-the-mix bass lines, as well as his strong vocals, just take the listener along for a total head-trip of a journey. "Surf Western" swirls, drifts, and floats, while the murky "Bleed On" is another heavy, melancholy slice of stoner rock, Reed's vocals again well done amid all the booming riffing and synth washes. Hall & Oates band member Lewis appears on the cover of "Sara Smile," which is nicely done, but a really strange fit here as it matches the tone exactly and doesn't try to add anything different to the arrangement. "BT-OH" is a complete crusher (what a riff!), and the brooding "100" is a lengthy, psych/doom trip that could be a distant cousin to Sabbath's "Planet Caravan" or Alice in Chain's "Angry Chair"...good stuff.
The Waydown is a real corker of an album and further proof that when Arce and Balch join forces outside their regular bands, the results are still top-notch. Recommended.
Track Listing
1.
The Waydown 07:41
2.
Summer Teeth 04:57
3.
Surf Western 05:49
4.
Bleed On 04:23
5.
Sara Smile 04:26
6.
BT-OH 04:50
7.
100 07:37
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