Attention: this review is for TOOL fans.
For those who don't know anything about them, Peach is the former band of Tool's bassist, Justin Chancellor, before he became a permanent member of Maynard James Keenan's lineup.
At first impact, I immediately liked them, thanks to some rather straightforward songs, including our You Lied, which is identical to the live version of Salival. Spasm, Burn, Naked, Velvet... truly excellent tracks. Buy this album; despite a somewhat artisanal production, it manages to hit the mark. Soon, a Volume II will be released with as many songs that didn't make it into this album, and I will definitely get it. On this Give birth to a stone, in the 2000 reissue, the external artwork is created by Adam Jones, and inside the booklet, there are a few words of thanks. For collectors, I believe the previous version, the one without remastering, is much more valuable.
Now, let's talk about the music. This album is a hybrid between psychedelia, the cavernous atmospheres of Black Sabbath, and thus Tool's Undertow (the influence on some tracks is quite evident), and the late '80s English rock of the Stone Roses. Indeed, Peach turns out to be a typically U.K. band. Listening to this album, to make a comparison that I consider spot-on (modestly...), it's like facing Rated R by Queens Of The Stone Age, infused with some more psychedelic tracks by Kyuss, such as Gardenia or Odyssey. In short, it's not a homogeneous album in songwriting, but it is decidedly so in sound, which prevents it from being too disjointed. The song Peach that closes the album is beautiful, a mix between Led Zeppelin riffs and the more psychedelic phases of early Tool. There's a well-executed cover of Catfood by King Crimson from the Larks' Tongues In Aspic era, which becomes more hard rock and less monotonous than the original. Burn was a potential single, with an engaging yet never trivial melody, and a heavy distortion riff disguised by harmonics in the verse... beautiful. Naked is definitely the most Tool-like, and from here you can see how songs like 46&2 and Jimmy are born. The guitarist is excellent because, despite doing nothing new and amidst the promiscuity of the production, he plays like a very experienced guitarist. At times, it sounds like hearing the derailments of Thayil from Soundgarden. Velvet is almost a hard rock reinterpretation of Joy Division, also very valid. The singer Simon Oakes is especially the most typically British element of the band, as he reminds me of Joy Division, Bauhaus, the Stone Roses... and today I'd say Interpol. Dougal is another song that reminds me of a British band: specifically, the Verve with The Rolling People and Catching the Butterfly.
In conclusion, I tell you that regardless of the love for Tool and Justin's bass, this is an album to have because it contains nothing but good music. I don't have many independent label records, but this is certainly among the best. It's incredible how an album like this went unnoticed back then... considering it also contains those 3-4 songs that could drive the album towards good sales. Get it.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
04 Velvet (04:12)
Last night you talked like you were far away,
But now it looks as though you're here to stay.
Here to stay.
Here to stay.
Hey, hey, hey...
But now my eyes are open,
So just tell me what you want from me.
But now my eyes are open,
So just tell me what you want from me.
Let me down gently, let me down today.
Or trick me on, for once and always... Always!
Anyways, just say
And now my eyes are open,
So just tell me what you want from me.
But now my eyes are open,
So just tell me what you want from me.
Last night you talked like you were far away,
But now it looks as though you're here to stay.
Here to stay.
Here to stay.
Hey, hey, hey...
But now my eyes are open,
So just tell me what you want from me.
But now my eyes are open,
So just tell me what you want from me.
Want from me.
05 Dougal (04:42)
You say 'it's a new year'
I say 'I still want you here'
You say 'you'd better get your head together'
Say 'let's wait for better weather'.
Love me through the bad years,
Love me 'til it's Spring again,
Love me through my hopes and my tears,
Love me 'til we have no fears.
Take me there, in your mind's eye, out of time,
Love me again, before we pass out of time.
06 Burn (03:11)
You can't see,
Don't understand,
You must be frightened,
Or just stupid.
You want everything?
Well you must be joking.
Grand Babylon,
So much to answer for,
Black and white,
Corrosion of all.
You want everything? Well you must be joking.
Corrosion, burning it down
Kerosene, burning it down.
You can't hear,
Dialogue of the deaf,
Dumb and blind,
But still in one mind.
You kill what you fear - well you must be joking.
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