Clutch - Robot Hive / Exodus Review

Travis Becker's review - He gave it a rating of :  Brothers and Sisters, the church of Clutch is once again open for business and bringing its own particular brand of salvation to your town, nay to your very own home. Can I get a Hallelujah? I thought so.

Now, get ready to drop a dime in the collection plate and receive the newest offering from Maryland's prodigal sons. The release of a new Clutch record is a revival of Biblical proportions for their ever-expanding faithful, and a chance to convert a few more lost souls, but mostly it's a chance to go out and grab your next record of the year. With the release of their seventh full length album, Robot Hive/Exodus, Clutch expands upon the sound of last year's, Blast Tyrant while simultaneously making an about-face from that record. 

The band has crafted a looser album while at the same time fine-tuning their attack even further and honing the groovy, "hits you like a ton of bricks" sound they've been making famous for over a decade. They get down and grow up. In short, while Robot Hive/Exodus is a record with a single purpose, burning and salting everything in its path, it is ultimately an exercise in duality. 

Expectations are never a good idea when approaching a Clutch album, the band seems born to defy and exceed them, as long as their listeners come to the table with open minds and a willingness to learn something new. Even bearing that in mind, a strange alignment of stars surrounds this album, and the constellations created are nothing short of awe-inspiring. First of all, Robot Hive/Exodus comes hot on the heels of their last release, as hot as any of their releases have ever come on the heels of another. Barely fifteen months have passed since the tightly woven and hard rocking, Blast Tyrant. The band has also enlisted the services of a well known producer outside of their inner circle for the first time since Elephant Riders back in 1998, as J. Robbins of Jawbox fame mans the boards this go round. Finally, for the first time ever, Clutch adds a new full time member in keyboardist/organist, Mick Schauer. 

For every New Testament, though, there's an Old Testament lurking in its midst, ready to inspire fear and trepidation. The spacey, experimental guitar-playing of Tim Sult is still there, as is the titanic rhythm section comprised of rock solid bassist, Dan Maines and drummer J.P. Gaster, who lays down an impressively creative and technically superior clinic on the skins. 

And of course, the James Joyce-esque lyrics of vocalist Neil Fallon are in full completely hilarious form, complete with references to mythology, science fiction, religion, and pop culture. On what other album are you going to hear lines like, "Tipping cows in fields Elysian" or ""Swan diving from the tongues of crippled giants" or my personal favorite, "Ribonucleic acid freakout!" In short, the new and old live in peace and harmony, as much as can be found on a hard rock record. 

The very title suggests duality on par with the new and old evidenced above. In fact, the records plays very much like an old two-sided LP. The first half of the record, highlighted by tracks like, "Mice and Gods" and "Burning Beard", rolls on with the heaviness of Blast Tyrant and remains very much akin to that sound in production and overall feel. This is the more traditional Clutch sound that most listeners will be used to. The exclamation point on the first half is the punchy, "10001110101", perhaps the first rock chorus sung in binary code. [actually Rush beat them to that –ed]

Side two emerges in a more subtle way, with a looser groove and a much more patient approach. It kicks off with the bizarre, "Circus Maximus" sandwiched between two funky, almost jazz-informed instrumentals in "Small Upsetters" and "Tripping the Alarm". This trifecta is where the album really settles down into the pocket. Through the end of the original material on the record with "Land of Pleasant Living" the listener is guided along gently and allowed to take in the entire soundscape. The addition of much more prominent organ and keyboard parts leaches out to the forefront of the band's sound in this phase of the album. 

Covers of two blues giants, Mississippi Fred McDowell and Howlin Wolf, wrap things up with a gritty workout that leaves the wolves at the door hungry for more. When Fallon growls, "Who's been talking?", you almost have to answer. 

Clutch definitely steers clear of the straightforward rock workouts that littered Blast Tyrant and Pure Rock Fury. Instead, they allow the ship to drift into the cove of groovecentric jamming and relaxed good (and bad) times, drawing a much closer comparison to Jam Room. Clutch's musical palette has matured as well, as the album contains nuances of gospel and blues accenting the straight ahead rock and soul.

All other praise aside, Robot Hive/Exodus is a great listen, although if helps to have some patience. It's not a record that jumps out of the stereo and smacks you in the mouth. After a few listens, you just have to sort of lay it under the tongue and let it all soak in. It probably dwells as close to late night album territory as any hard rock album ever has. 

For the congregation, Clutch has delivered another sermon from atop the mountain of rock, and life will once again be good until the next installment. For all of you heathens out there who aren't on board, this album won't be the one to lay hands on you and pull those demons out. Similarly, for all the Old Testament dogmatists, this record is a long way from "A Shogun Named Marcus", and Robot Hive may not pull you back into the flock. For the uninitiated, however, pick this up and get saved right now, your soul is depending on you. 
 

Syllypryde review: The musical perfection continues with Robot Hive / Exodus! You can never go wrong with a Clutch record. They not only continue to mature, but evolve each time they hit the studio. They bring a new definition to the phrase "the more things change, the more they stay the same." That is what Clutch does. The theme and music may change with each new record, but the proverbial Clutch sound is always intact. From the angry, the futuristic, the Civil War past, the jamming, the instrumental side band, the fury of pure rock and roll, the live show, the rarities, and the stories of the Blast Tyrant and the Worm Drink, they now bring you the corruption of the robot church and its cleansing by the new robot messenger. RH/E brings pure rock and roll with the elements of groove, funk, blues, and jazz all mixed into one beautiful work of art. One minute heavy, another groovy, but all catchy and 100% Clutch. 

This is an excellent follow-up to Blast Tyrant. The fab 4 of Neil Fallon, Tim Sult, Dan Maines, and Jean Paul Gaster is now 5 strong with new keyboardist Mick Schauer joining the fold. The keyboards mixed with the groove of the bass and drums really does enhance the already great tunes and even sounds well with the great guitar playing of Sult. The production here is great and the artwork is definitely amazing. For those of you who have not been keeping your CD's in their cases for the last ten years just might want to keep this CD in this case, because the artwork really adds to the charm of the music the disc spins for its listeners. "Gravel Road" and the cover of Howlin' Wolf's "Who's Been Talking?" are very pleasant surprises to the album, showing off the musical talents of the band. 

To those long-dead Clutch fans who stopped listening to Clutch at the release of The Elephant Riders just because they are "no longer angry" are really missing out on a life-pleasing rock and roll experience of the mature and multi-talented Clutch of the present. To those skeptical due to the increased religious references in the lyrics should not take them at face value. Long time Clutch fans are well aware of the vagueness ever present in Fallon's words, knowing full well they could have hundreds of different meanings. Take what you will from them and do not let that ruin your listening enjoyment. These lyrics are pure Clutch all the way. Fallon has always been a great story teller and let these stories tuck you into bed and kiss you goodnight after they kick your ass and make you bob your head and dance a jig. 

Once you have picked up this CD you need to go hear these songs played live because I cannot stress enough the raw power of a Clutch live show. If you are skeptical in joining Clutch's fanatical fanbase, then seeing them live will definitely convince you. This is not an MTV band! This is not a TRL band! This is rock and roll in its purist form. The self-titled will always be my favorite, but Neil says it best, "Get your evolution on!" 

Stay tuned for the next installment in this series. But for now use the handy links below to preview the album and see why we think it's the sh*t and you can even check out the band's webpage for more info and tour dates. Plus order the new CD online!

Clutch - Robot Hive / Exodus
Label:DRT

Track Listing:
1. Pulaski Skyway 
2. Burning Beard 
3. Land Of Pleasant Living 
4. Gravel Road 
5. Matador 
6. Mice & Gods 
7. Gullah 
8. 10,0011,10101 
9. Never Be Moved 
10. Small Upsetters 
11. Who's Been Talking 
12. What Would A Wookie Do? 
13. Circus Maximus 
14. Flannery 
15. Tripping The Alarm 
16. Bottoms Up, Socrates 

Preview and Purchase This CD Online

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