The first Clutch studio release in over two years, Strange Cousins from the West is their ninth studio effort; their second recorded with producer J.
Robbins at his Magpie Cage Studio in Baltimore, MD; and their first original studio release on their self-owned label, Weathermaker Music.
If you're familiar with Clutch at this point in the band's career (after almost 20 years), there aren't too many surprises; it's another album filled with greasy, bluesy, down-home stoner rock.
One slight variation this time around is that keyboardist Mick Schauer isn't on board -- bassist Dan Maines, drummer Jean-Paul Gaster, guitarist Tim Sult, and vocalist/guitarist Neil Fallon recorded as a four-piece -- and the lack of a Hammond organ and the stripped-down production give the album a rawer, more organic, and more spatial feel.
This leaves more room for the beefy bass tone and delirious lyrics ("Anthrax, ham radio...and liquor!") to shine, but because the grooves are a touch slower and more restrained, Strange Cousins from the West is a step down from their last three albums, From Beale Street to Oblivion, Robot Hive: Exodus, and Blast Tyrant.
Even if it's a little less lively, it's still pretty typical Clutch: always heavy, always solid, and ideal background music for driving a semi-truck through a swamp.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motherless ChildClutch | Clutch | Play | 04:15 | 9 MB | 28 MB |
| 2 | Struck DownClutch | Clutch | Play | 04:22 | 10 MB | 28 MB |
| 3 | 50,000 Unstoppable WattsClutch | Clutch | Play | 03:47 | 8 MB | 24 MB |
| 4 | Abraham LincolnClutch | Clutch | Play | 05:58 | 13 MB | 34 MB |
| 5 | MinotaurClutch | Clutch | Play | 04:51 | 11 MB | 30 MB |
| 6 | The Amazing KreskinClutch | Clutch | Play | 04:36 | 10 MB | 30 MB |
| 7 | WitchdoctorClutch | Clutch | Play | 04:10 | 9 MB | 25 MB |
| 8 | Let a Poor Man BeClutch | Clutch | Play | 05:30 | 12 MB | 33 MB |
| 9 | FreakonomicsClutch | Clutch | Play | 03:21 | 7 MB | 20 MB |
| 10 | Algo Ha CambiadoNorberto Napolitano | Clutch | Play | 04:08 | 9 MB | 27 MB |
| 45 mins | 103 MB | |||||
| 45 mins | 283 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clutch | Composer, Primary Artist, Producer |
| 2 | Neil Fallon | Guitar, Vocals |
| 3 | Jack Flanagan | Management |
| 4 | Greg Franklin | Illustrations |
| 5 | Jean-Paul Gaster | Drums |
| 6 | Greg Franklin | Illustrations |
| 7 | Nick Lakiotes | Artwork, Design, Graphic Design |
| 8 | Dan Maines | Bass |
| 9 | Rick Malkin | Photography |
| 10 | Rick "The Drum Guy" Malkin | Photography |
| 11 | Norberto Napolitano | Composer |
| 12 | Jon Nardachone | Label Manager |
| 13 | J. Robbins | Engineer, Mixing, Producer |
| 14 | Tim Sult | Guitar |
| 15 | Bob Weston | Mixing |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |