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Lonely Kamel: Shit City

Heavy/Stoner/Desert Rock

3.5/5.0

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Napalm Records
Words: Craig Hartranft    Added: 21.08.2014

Norway isn't the first place I think of for heavy stoner rock, but that's where Lonely Kamel comes from. With their fourth album Shit City, the band sounds, once more, like they rode out of some southwest American desert, apparently on a lonely camel.

Lonely Kamel: beer city.

At first spin, I wanted to say that this album seemed a slight departure from their previous work. More like a straight heavy rock album, less the stoner, blues, and psychedelic rock of the past. At least, that's the feeling I got from the title track, BFD, White Lines and the rollicking Nightjar. But then Is It Over offers some of that psych/blues feel and, no matter how often a play it, I keep hearing shades of Foghat in the guitar line. Weird.

With the pace and thud of the riffs within Seal The Perimeter, the stoner groove returns. You get some of the same in Falling Down, the longest song here, but this is twisted with some psychedelic guitar groove as well. Perhaps not much has changed from Dust Devil. But this song, among others, betrays one singular characteristic to the album: this material is definitely guitar drive, both in riffs and leads. Not bypassing the thumping thick rhytym section by any means, but the guitar line clearly self-evident. Another noticeable characteristic is how muted or muffled vocals of Thomas Brenna. It's on most every song, so I'm thinking it was intentional. Alternatively, the vocal mix is uneven: more muted on the title track, more clear on Nightjar. Regardless of their point of origin, Lonely Kamel still delivers the groove of heavy, stoner, desert rock with skill. Fans of the same will be pleased.

Lonely Kamel - Shit City (Preview)

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Regardless of their point of origin, Lonely Kamel still delivers the groove of heavy, stoner, desert rock with skill. Fans of the same will be pleased.

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The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]