Black Mountain – In the Future (Jagjaguwar, 2008)
Whatever manner in which you want to refer (not reefer) to these Canadians lends no insight into what this music was, is or will become. In the Future has the ability to touch upon every music you love and probably some that you really don’t ever want to think about. From a referential stand point, one must know that Black Mountain and Pink Mountaintops share members – and I’m sure comparisons can be leveled, but really it won’t matter.
Even the unsettling, yet plain cover art seems to recall bloated bands, or maybe Uriah Heep, but a bit less colorful. And if you like Uriah Heep, all the better. If you like T-Rex, that’ll bolster your ability to appreciate this disc. Mentioning every musical reference point, for any band currently, seemingly becomes an exercise in time murder.
The sticker that arrived on the jewel case along with this disc states that Black Mountain are “Psych-and-prog-spiritual pioneers.” I believe that if you refer to musics that have already been created, merged, exploited and regurgitated, there can’t be new pioneers. Obviously, Black Mountain suffers from an overtly constructed image, or their handlers are a crew of stoned-dolts.
I’m not really afraid of anything from Canada except for D.O.A. and Wayne Gretzky. But the positioning of this group as bringers of apocalyptic doom, potentially depicted on their discs cover, is immediately refuted during any keyboard line from “Stormy High” or “Wucan” (which does have a very surprising and pleasant kraut feel).
Some of the bands’ offerings stray from their overwhelmingly proggy posturing. There’re a few enlivening points when it seems as if the group wants to launch into country-rock mode. The problem with this and a good portion of the album in general, is that lyrically, much of this disc deals with being trapped and needing to escape those that intend to do you harm. Unfortunately, the culprits often time end up being witches or demons, which are way less scary than D.O.A. or Wayne Gretzky.
