Classic is the term you’re going to get from me when I wax favorably over IV. As you may know (or not), IV is the new album from Black Mountain.
Black Mountain has a charged recording history with excellent music that remembers and celebrates the music of the past era of Rock and Roll, namely the late ’60s, very early ’70s. These aren’t cover tunes. They’re originals that could easily have given any of the bands from that time frame a fit as Black Mountain would have challenged those genuises with potential high charters. There’s not a doubt in my mind that Black Mountain would have led the pack. They certainly do now.
However, in this day and age, the many of us time-displaced “ancients” are warmly receiving of the music of such a band. Black Mountain sounds like the psychedelic Rock that thrived. But there is a hint of several other bands including Black Sabbath, and Jefferson Airplane. Unmatched at vocals is the lovely and talented Amber Webber, whose shimmery vocals highlight everywhere she appears. The guitars are heavy, the drums and bass sure-footed, and the keyboards a strong display of classic Rock and Roll.
IV contains ten new tracks, three of which exceed the 8-minute mark (YAY!). Those belong to the already released “Mothers Of The Sun: (see video below), “(Over And Over) The Chain”, and the album closer, “Space To Bakersfield”. The rest are still heft in time span with the least consuming is “Florian Saucer Attack”. In short, IV is a genuine classic that will sit well with their other classics, In The Future (2008), and Black Mountain (2005). And yes, I do love their Wilderness Heart from 2010. It just seems to fare less well than the other three. But that’s just me.
My suggestion is to waste little to no time to jump on this band’s wagon. With Amber Webber a part of the music, it just makes it all the more wondrous an experience. I just hope we don’t have to wait another six years before we get another Black Mountain release.