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Rating: The Kyuss are children of the desert, of the dust, of the sun that parches the land and causes hallucinations. Their music narcotizes, verbose in its heaviness, hypnotic in its psychedelia. Some say it is inspired by cocaine.
"...And Circus Leaves Town" is the final act of their adventure, the most mature album of their production. After this work, the group disbanded because that "was the only way to save the friendship between its members." A friendship that apparently survived, considering the plethora of collaborations found in the stoner scene (see the various jam sessions presided over by the family patriarch Homme).
Compared to the past, the group shows greater attention to the melodies of the tracks, which in some cases turn out to be highly evocative, true postcards from the desert. "Hurricane" is a vortex of bass and guitar distorted to the maximum, so much so as to be almost indistinguishable, a true sonic hurricane! The relaxing "Phototropic" opens up immense blue spaces in the listener's mind and leaves a strange sense of raw sadness (with Garcia's voice seeming to come directly from hell). Among the most representative images of the desert, there cannot be a lack of "El Rodeo". The battle of the cowboy Johnny to tame the bull is skillfully recreated by repeated starts and slowdowns of the rhythm (credit to the eccentric bass of Reeder and Kyuss-debut drummer Hernandez). In the desert, moving with small airplanes is everyday stuff, and the instrumental "Jumbo Blimp Jumbo" reminds us of it, a disturbed flight by the wah-wah of Homme's super low guitar. He, as always, is superlative in sowing throughout the album psychedelic riffs capable of giving the track more breathing room (fantastic in "One Inch Man") or weighing it down further ("Thee ol' Boozeroony" and "Tangy Zizzle").
The maturity reached by the group is also found in their attempt to tackle rather atypical tracks for their genre. Examples of this are the dark "Gloria Lewis", a kind of stoner-blues, and "Size Queen", an unsuspected reggae-like track with distorted vocals, brought back to the stoner planet by Homme's incursions.
With the long (over 11 minutes) and heterogeneous "Spaceship Landing," the group satisfies the tendency towards suites demonstrated in the previous "Welcome To Sky Valley." The piece amalgamates (with some forcing) heavier traits with others much drier, essential yet always psychedelic.
The real highlight of the entire album remains, in my opinion, "Catamaran" (cover by Yawningman, Hernandez's former group): a never-so-sweet Garcia and a magical guitar paint a picture in the listener's mind in blue and ochre hues, with nocturnal shades brought by the harsher interludes where the bass and drums dominate.
For the more patient listeners, there's even a bonus track, "Day One." A short piece with a "grunge" aftertaste, and it's not a coincidence: it would indeed be a tribute to Cobain, with a dedication to Dave Grohl and Kris Novoselic for their new solo adventure.
The Kyuss circus officially closes its doors but not the great "Stoner" circus family, always ready to amaze (and daze) us with its desert acrobats.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Hurricane (02:42)
I feel nothin', said I don't feel nothin'
And I won't feel nothing at all
I found somethin', said I really found somethin'
And I won't take nothin' at all
Get me up, get me up, now I've suffered
My life has blown me away
I can't breathe, said I can't breathe nothin'
And I won't fuckin' breathe at all
I feel nothin', said I don't feel nothin'
And I won't feel nothing at all
Found somethin', said I really found somethin'
And I won't take nothin' at all
Get me up, get me up, I've suffered
My life has done me away
Can't breathe, said I can't breathe nothin'
And I can't fuckin' breathe at all
02 One Inch Man (03:31)
One Inch Man - lonely soul
Two Inch Man (Two Inch Man) - gimme more
Five steps and back, get him back
Three steps enough, get him up
Always so lonely, lonely, lonely (2x)
One Inch Man, lonely soul
Two Inch Man, gimme more
Always so lonely, lonely, lonely
One Inch Man, he's so lonely, oh, he's breathin'
Damn my thoughts for you, do you really wanna fuck me?
Love my time for you, do you really wanna hold me?
Had my time for you, do you really wanna hold me?
Love my time for you, do you really wanna?
Always so lonely, One Inch Man, he's breathin'
Always so lonely, lonely, lonely
One Inch Man, he's so lonely, oh!
04 Gloria Lewis (04:02)
When the feeling comes it always leaves
To the top of the hill, the hill of thieves
Brush that furious out, hole in the well
You'd like the hole in your head to feel the breeze
If you're gonna ride, baby, ride the wild horse
I can't drink no more, but I'll try
You can't find me, baby, in the basement
And I slug you in your fuckin' head, yeah
If you're gonna ride, baby, ride the wild horse
We can't drink no more, but we'll try
You can't find us, baby, in the basement
And we'll slug you in your fuckin' head, yeah
06 El Rodeo (05:36)
(Johnny) And if you're trying to ride for free
(Oh Johnny) It be the same I do to you
(Johnny) And if you wanna try my needs
(Johnny) It be the same I do to you
(Johnny) And if you're trying to ride for free
(Oh Johnny) It be the same I do to you
(Johnny) And if you wanna try my needs
(Johnny) It be the same I do to you
(Johnny) And if you're trying to ride for free
(Johnny) It be the same I do to you
Rodeo (2x)
And if you're trying to ride for free
Rodeo (10x)
08 Tangy Zizzle (02:39)
"Yeah, yeah put it in gear, baby. Hell yeah, that's what I like about you, baby, you're always on time!"
Wherever you go, is where I go
Whatever you say, keep it running
When the wind blows, when the sky breaks
Hold your eyes in, and believe it
Where you want me to be? (4x)
In the morning, when it's raining
I couldn't believe it, no complaining
Fuck the others, fuck the teacher
They'll never know this, is he crazy?
Where you want me to be? (4x)
09 Size Queen (03:47)
So clean, so blue and it's so deep...shallow
Refreshing bowl and it's so clear...shallow
Best thing I've seen in my whole life...shallow
You must return me to your beach...shallow
So I dive, inches to the ground
Now all right, inches to the ground
So clean, so blue and it's so deep...shallow
Refreshing bowl and it's so clear...shallow
Best thing I've seen in my whole life...shallow
You must return me to your beach...shallow
So I dive, inches to the ground
Now all right, inches to the ground
10 Catamaran (03:00)
Smooth stones beneath me
Cool air surrounds
Soft and savory
Take me to God, you can take me to God
No it doesn't take your
Will to set your brace on me
I never doubt your possibilities
Please let go of my sleeve
Smooth stones behind me
Cold air surrounds
Soft and savory
You can take me to God, you take me to God
No it doesn't take your
Will to set your brace on me
I never doubt your possibilities
Please let go of my sleeve
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By la chica perdida
Homme’s guitar always so damn present, impossible not to love, it slips between your thighs, gets inside, and cuts off your breath, suffocates and liberates you.
John Garcia’s voice is one of the most beautiful voices I know, anger and sweetness, right and wrong, a voice you cannot say no to.
