By Jim Rowland
Graduating from the Lynyrd Skynyrd school of spelling, Hastings-based psychedelic stoner fuzz rockers Wytch Pycknyck finally release their self-titled debut album on Property of the Lost Records. A weird, wild and wacky journey awaits…
Whilst the words psychedelic, stoner and fuzz have been used in the band’s PR, and all ring true, there’s so much to this record, and so many styles and flavours thrown into the pot, it’s actually difficult to pigeon-hole the sound of this band.
Opener ‘Rawkuss’ is aptly titled – a raw, raucous, cool riffing slice of high octane rock’n’roll which sets the mood perfectly for the crazy journey to come.
‘Creepin Jesus’ has a hint of Hawkwind in its stoner rock groove before morphing into more high energy rock’n’roll, with ‘Gravity Lies’ following similar lines but adding a ’90s grunge guitar flavour into the mix.
Elsewhere, the heavy riffing of ‘Fire Breathing Dragon’ is the album’s metal moment, ‘Magical Revenge’ has a more contemporary post-punk feel to it, and the up-tempo fuzzy garage rock of ‘Columbo No.5’ has the influence of Sonic Youth brewing in the background.
Arguably, the album’s most weird and wonderful moment comes at the end with the lengthy ‘Frostbite’. Here, an unexpected slice of funky rock/rap comes out of nowhere, before the track heads off into a tasty space-prog groove.
‘Wytch Pycknyck’ is a totally bonkers album, but very much in a good way – clever, inventive, original, eclectic, progressive, punchy and a whole lot of fun.
- ‘Wytch Pycknyck’ is released tomorrow (Friday 21 June).
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