On their first three albums,
Radio Moscow
weren't so much a band as
Parker Griggs
' personal project, with the guitarist and singer usually overdubbing himself into a full group in the studio rather than dealing with other musicians. That all changed with 2014's
Magical Dirt
, which found
Griggs
working for the first time with a rhythm section that lived up to his standards. With bassist
Anthony Meier
and drummer
Paul Marrone
,
was now a real and functional power trio, just like obvious inspirations
Cream
Blue Cheer
, and
the Jimi Hendrix Experience
seemed delighted to be able to concentrate fully on his guitar freakouts for a change. 2016's
Live in California
, recorded during a pair of Los Angeles gigs in December 2015, documents just how deep
has gotten into his guitar heroics since then, and he has impressive chops. He's assembled a solid musical vocabulary from the blues wailers and pre-metal heavy dudes he clearly worships.
' jams are full of energy, with
Meier
and
Marrone
kicking him into overdrive from beginning to end as he pumps out wave after wave of thick, distorted riffage.
honestly sounds better and more fluid as a genuine band than they did as a one-man studio project, and this album will be manna from heaven for a certain breed of stoner rock enthusiasts. The liner notes do include the helpful note, "Play this album as loud as possible and as high as possible." ~ Mark Deming