MONSTER MAGNET

'Dopes to Infinity' is still the high-watermark for Monster Magnet for me. I doubt that'll ever change; it represents a certain stage of my life, triggering certain memories, so cannot be replaced. However, 'Mastermind' is as good as a modern Monster Magnet album could be. In fact, had this followed 'Dopes...’ I might not have lost interest in them all those years ago. Dave Wyndorf sounds like he's having fun again (check track 2 'Bored with Sorcery' for an example) and has shed those past demons. I hope so because, even though bad Monster Magnet albums are at least interesting, it's great to be able to rock out in their trippy retro way with an album as good as this. No one else does this sort of thing quite as well; yes, Fu Manchu, I'm talking about you. Previous album '4-way Diablo' suffered with the post-drugs thing quite badly; excellent catharsis for Mr Wyndorf, but an unnerving experience for us mere listeners. No such problems here as the songs groove between typical stoner crawls to funky retro rock. If there are weaknesses, and I'm reaching here, it's in tracks like 'The Titan Who Cried Like a Baby'. It's not a bad track, but it disrupts the flow quite badly, and takes you out of the general vibe. 'Time Machine' on the other hand does almost exactly the same thing, it's what you might erroneously class as a ballad (somewhat akin to 'Dead Christmas' from 'Dopes...'), but somehow feels more 'in place' in context. So, a great album, worth your money and time. Buy it, listen to it and, more importantly, love it.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Napalm Records

Album

MASTERMIND

Review by Steve Cowan

RUNNING TIME:

60:09

RELEASE DATE:

1st Nov 2010

TRACK LISTING

1) Hallucination Bomb
2) Bored with Sorcery
3) Dig That Hole; 4) Gods and Punks
5) The Titan Who Cried Like A Baby
6) Mastermind
7) 100 Million Miles
8) Perish In Fire
9) Time Machine
10) When The Planes Fall From The Sky
11) Ghost Story
12) All Outta Nothin

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

USA

"...as good as a modern Monster Magnet album could be."