Written by Marilù Ciabattoni
Discovered via Musosoup
Mortal Prophets bring us some good ol’ country rock with the live recording of their album The Twang Gang. The project exudes tranquility and harmony, as the guitarists, bassist and drummer blend their skills to create a relaxing atmosphere.
“Waltz Across New Jersey” opens the album, giving us a taste of what will come next. The slightly longer track “3 Dolla Holla” follows giving out Far West cowboy vibes. Then we’re introduced to “Mesmerized Stargazers” which starts in a typical country fashion: two guitar riffs intersect with each other as more is happening in the background: electronic sounds seem to play with each other as the musicians seem to be doing their thing.
The homonymous track follows, and we hear for the first time the quiet yet decisive instructions of the front leader, instructing the band on when a turn is happening or when to slow down or speed up. This song would be a great addition to the soundtrack of a movie like Into the Wild or the like. The fact that this album was recorded in Berlin also reminds me of David Bowie’s Berlinese era which gave us tracks like Heroes and Iggy Pop’s The Passenger. In this sense, “The Twang Gang (Live in Berlin)” and the whole album in general convey the same hippy, happy-go-lucky, peace-and-love vibe that people used to breathe during the 1960s and 70s.
Next we have “Pagan Driving School (Square Dance)” which features slightly faster guitar riffs while the percussions follow the same chill pattern, unbothered and uninterested. The following track “Can You Feel It” is a sweet ballad that features some more electronic effects here and there, but is overall danceable. Some notes played on the piano pause the song towards the end, adding an effect of pathos.
“Ride Em High” is pretty psychedelic and it features the first sung lines in the whole album, calling a cowboy and asking him to, as the title suggests, “ride em high.” The singer’s voice is deep and soothing as it floats over the ethereal instrumentals.
“Alamo Aloha” is a very “futuristic” track and it features an interesting use of the guitar in relation to the other instruments. “Dog Face Joe” gives out blues vibes as the leader half-sings and half-talks over the instrumentals.
“Psychotronic Guitar Lullaby” is the longest track on the album, slightly longer than 5 minutes, and it comes right before the closing song “The Bones Go Last.”
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