Clutch
Transnational Speedway League: Anthems, Anecdotes, and Undeniable Truths

THE REVIEW

For the series "did we really need it?" And granted, we all love that raucous and ignorant Hard Rock. And granted, also, that from time to time, we willingly let a little bit of Hardcore deviance flow. But this is too much. Clutch know how to play, and they have learned well the commandments laid out by the masters of the aforementioned genres. Clutch also know how to produce truckloads of riffs that are as enjoyable as they are derivative. And, ok, they also know how to structure a mid-tempo. Too bad that in forty-six minutes, there are very few memorable moments. To be fair, we are not dealing with a bad album, but simply with an insipid one. All the tracks seem to travel on the same highway (ok, the Route 66-6, it's cool and Hard Rocker) stylistically, but few manage to stand out for compositional quality. The album's beginning throws a lot of smoke in the eyes. Indeed, the fast and pressing rhythm of "A Shogun Named Marcus" is irresistible, and it's impossible not to nod your head with "El Jefe Speaks", a track with an anthemic and irresistible refrain, preceded by a sultry and redundant verse. Closing the triptych, however, is "Binge And Purge", a sick and Sabbath-like slow song that manages to keep you glued to the seat before exploding in the finale with a relative tempo change. And now the bad news. This is not an EP, and there are still eight more tracks, yet the variety seems to have run out. And then come flat tracks like "Bacchanal" or "Effigy", which almost seem to chase each other in a delightful race to irrelevance. Hard to say which one comes out ahead. Some good insight comes from "Walking In The Great Shining Path Of Monster Trucks" and "Heirloom 13", although the tune is still the same: redundant pace and a big riff ready to explode in a "catchy" chorus, but it's worth saving what can be saved. Clutch later taught us that with not necessarily excellent means, you can churn out great albums ("Clutch" and "The Elephant Riders"), and my advice is to rediscover those. Try again, you'll be luckier, more than a warning, it seems like a premonition. They tried again, and they were!