major stars: decibels of gratitude

Limited vinyl version of the eighth full-length studio album by this long-running Massachusetts ensemble; CD version is on Important Records. What to say about a band who continuously claims Otis Rush and Buddy Guy as its primary influences, but usually finds their records filed in the "noise/experimental" bin? Any mention of Major Stars tends to send some scurrying for the most obscure psychedelic references, but one need look no further than The Who or Cream to find the primary ingredients of melodic songwriting combined with an over-the-top instrumental assault. As a few noticed, the title of their last album Return to Form wasn't entirely intended to be tongue-in-cheek. Their music seems to be more "psychedelic era" than "psychedelic," and they themselves like to just be thought of as a Rock group (early '70s capitalization intact). But there has always been something different about their arrangement of common influences compared to their contemporaries, and over the past 15 years they have developed a loyal base of followers who seem to quite like the way they put things together. So Major Stars continue to put it together, like on this one: Decibels of Gratitude, from them, to you.

Major Stars - Blank Slate