Brant Bjork

Mankind Woman

Another long strange trip through inner space. The last time Classic Rock experienced the smoky magic of a Brant Bjork show, the whole evening was overshadowed by the (unfounded) news (and subsequent rumours) that Josh Homme was in town and would be visiting the stage to perform an encore set of Kyuss – a band they both played a very large part in – classics. Eventually we got Kyuss, but without Homme. Which is a shame, as they’ve both come out of the desert with a uniquely skewed musical world view that incorporates psych rock and a defiantly fuzzy and bluesy bottom end.

Mankind Woman, Bjork’s thirteenth record, plots a familiar trail, and while he insists he’s forsaken some of his retro feel the title track owes more than a passing nod to Deep Purple in their pomp. It’s hard to complain, though, when you’re revelling in the undulating groove of Lazy Wizards (yes, really) or the cool spark of a song like Charlie Gin. There’s much to admire too in the southern twang of the punchy Swagger & Sway, with its genteel, dropped-down mid-section groove, and the Hendrixy, King’s X-infused Pretty Hairy.