Hedvig Mollestad Trio – All of Them Witches (2013) review
Hedvig Mollestad Trio “All of Them Witches”
(Rune Grammofon, 2013)
(Rune Grammofon, 2013)
Quick – name a female-fronted power trio.
Female guitar goddesses are few and far between – the short list includes
obvious choices like Lita Ford (The Runaways) and the late Kelly Johnson
(Girlschool), but there are other accomplished string benders that have been
flying under the radar and Norwegian Hedvig Mollestad Thommassen should be at
the top of your list of guitar heroines worthy of serious investigation. Her
trio (including bassist Ellen Brekken and drummer Ivar Loe Bjørnstad) delivers
a barnstorming set of fire-breathing instrumentals that’ll set your pulse
a-throbbing and your head a-banging.
Female guitar goddesses are few and far between – the short list includes
obvious choices like Lita Ford (The Runaways) and the late Kelly Johnson
(Girlschool), but there are other accomplished string benders that have been
flying under the radar and Norwegian Hedvig Mollestad Thommassen should be at
the top of your list of guitar heroines worthy of serious investigation. Her
trio (including bassist Ellen Brekken and drummer Ivar Loe Bjørnstad) delivers
a barnstorming set of fire-breathing instrumentals that’ll set your pulse
a-throbbing and your head a-banging.
Right
from the start, “Sing, Goddess” sets the scene for a tight collection of
explosive, riff-driven rockers that’ll pummel your brain into a freakazoid
frenzy. “Lake Acid” adds some jazzy licks to the attack and answers
emphatically that chicks can play Hendrix. If Sabbathian sludge is more to your
liking, then treasure the Iommi-like finger-flexer “The New Judas”. And that’s
not all , folks. Mollestad knows her Japanese speed metal improvisers like
Keiji Haino, Michio Kurihara, and Kawabata Makoto and extracts much inspiration
from their reckless abandon and avant garde meanderings.
from the start, “Sing, Goddess” sets the scene for a tight collection of
explosive, riff-driven rockers that’ll pummel your brain into a freakazoid
frenzy. “Lake Acid” adds some jazzy licks to the attack and answers
emphatically that chicks can play Hendrix. If Sabbathian sludge is more to your
liking, then treasure the Iommi-like finger-flexer “The New Judas”. And that’s
not all , folks. Mollestad knows her Japanese speed metal improvisers like
Keiji Haino, Michio Kurihara, and Kawabata Makoto and extracts much inspiration
from their reckless abandon and avant garde meanderings.
The key to instrumental, guitar-based
albums is the variety. No one wants to listen to the monotony of the same
chords pounded into their head over and over again. Thankfully, Mollestad has a
number of tricks up her sleeve, such as “Achilles”, which trades on blues licks
that’ll impress Page fans and “Indian River”, which gives her rhythm section a
chance to shine in the spotlight with tasteful soloing that doesn’t wear out
its welcome or have you reaching for the Skip button. And fans of Nick Saloman
will relish the gentle floating psychedelia of ”Shawshank” or “Ghrá Rúnda”,
that would not be out of place alongside his early “bedroom” recordings like
“The Shrine” or “Song For The Sky”. Overall, a very impressive follow-up to her
2011 debut (Shoot, also on Rune Grammofon). This “Heddy Witches’ brew”
(apologies for the multi-level pun!) is highly recommended to fans of metallic
energy, free-jazz skronking and psychedelic navel gazing.
albums is the variety. No one wants to listen to the monotony of the same
chords pounded into their head over and over again. Thankfully, Mollestad has a
number of tricks up her sleeve, such as “Achilles”, which trades on blues licks
that’ll impress Page fans and “Indian River”, which gives her rhythm section a
chance to shine in the spotlight with tasteful soloing that doesn’t wear out
its welcome or have you reaching for the Skip button. And fans of Nick Saloman
will relish the gentle floating psychedelia of ”Shawshank” or “Ghrá Rúnda”,
that would not be out of place alongside his early “bedroom” recordings like
“The Shrine” or “Song For The Sky”. Overall, a very impressive follow-up to her
2011 debut (Shoot, also on Rune Grammofon). This “Heddy Witches’ brew”
(apologies for the multi-level pun!) is highly recommended to fans of metallic
energy, free-jazz skronking and psychedelic navel gazing.
Review made by Jeff Penczak/2013
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http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2013
http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2013
