REVIEW: UNCLE ACID AND THE DEADBEATS – WASTELANDS (2018)

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Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats are the creation of dynamic Cambridgeshire mystic Kevin Starrs and have been making unusual but fascinating music since 2009.

The sound not easily pigeonholed has elements of psychedelia, hard rock, blues, doom and sonic rock. `Wasteland` is the band`s fifth studio release following up 2015`s `The Night Creeper.’

The album opens with the powerful `I See Through You`, a real statement of intent with it`s challenging entrancing full on musical verve and lyrics layered on top of this musical cacophony. The repetition of the hook line of “I see through you” giving the song a real unsettling edge. `Shockwave City` is a further hypnotic oeuvre with a wonderful thumping driving beat with words almost layered atop almost as an accompaniment to the instruments. It harks back to the best of seventies progressive rock. A change of pace comes with `No Return` a real slow burn cut, the music building up as it progresses, vocals are quietly shared almost overwhelmed at times by the music. It had a sort of malevolent, mesmerising undercurrent. The last couple of minutes play out with a discomforting organ sound with some words shared eerily adding to the intensity of this piece and to top it all, we get a few church bells peeling at the death, marvellous. `Blood Runner` is more of a straight up, fast-paced rock offering. `Stranger Tonight` has some nice psychedelic undertones, I felt myself drifting along and away to, one to just jump on board to.

An acoustic guitar opens title track `Wasteland` a sort of sixties psychedelic ballad, a very reflective offering and a change of tempo that also highlights the musical dexterity of the band. `Bedouin` again has its roots in sixties psychedelia and benefits from some great guitar colourings, the vocals splashed atop adding to this composition. The album closes out with a musical cacophony of sounds with the track `Exodus` It`s a phlegmatic musical jam that again will have you drifting away in a pleasurable way.

I have to say, I really enjoyed this album. It may not be everybody`s cup of tea but it really floated my boat. There are obvious influences from psychedelia to doom and stoner rock, but I felt that blend made it all the better. There are some marvellous high-octane tracks and some real mellow almost bewildering offerings on this cracking opus. The title would suggest a wilderness or something barren, believe me this is far from that. This is one form of acid that I would recommend imbibing in large quantities.

Rating 9 /10

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