This is a Hyper CD which, besides containing regular audio tracks, provides a link to the artist's website with the help of a web browser.
Clutch: Neil Fallon (vocals, guitar, organ); Tim Sult (guitar); Dan Maines (bass); Jean-Paul Gaster (drums).
Additional personnel: Scott "Wino" Weinrich, Leslie West (guitar, background vocals); Joe Selby (guitar); Heartbeat (congas, background vocals); Dan Kevzwyck, Machine (background vocals).
Producers: Uncle Punchy, Machine, Jason Corsaro, Leslie West.
Engineers: Larry Packer, Ben Elliott, Shawn "Gus" Vitale.
Recorded at Uncle Punchy's, Silver Spring, Maryland and live at the 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C. in September, 2000.
Personnel: Joe Selby, Leslie West (vocals); Neil Fallon (guitar, organ); Tim Sult, Scott "Wino" Weinrich (guitar); Jean-Paul Gaster (drums); Heartbeat (congas).
Audio Mixer: Jason Corsaro.
Recording information: 9:30 Club, Washtington, Washington DC (09/2000); Uncle Punchy Studios, Silver Spring, MD (09/2000).
Clutch continue to consolidate their hard rock mixed with funk for their third full-length album, PURE ROCK FURY, this time co-opting former Mountain supremo Leslie West for both guitar and shared production duties. The Maryland quartet has a fine way with an acerbic, absurdist lyric, and at times, as in the Pink Floyd-quoting "Careful With That Mic," they score a direct hit; the aforementioned tune features a hilarious speed rap demolition of many of the acts currently featured on alternative rock radio.
The production highlights the band's unimpeachable musical skills, while avoiding the usual pitfalls of sonic bombast. Clutch's sound lurks midway between metal and R&B, and though this might make them sound like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, vocalist Neil Fallon's lyrics alone place the band light years away from the California combo. Fallon's lyrics make sense in a stream of consciousness kind of way--they're actually fun to listen to, recalling a time before bands like Clutch found it necessary to lace their songs with angst to put across their worldview.
Professional Reviews
NME (Magazine) (4/7/01, p.43) - 8 out of 10 - "...Sheer visceral exhilaration, top frazzled tunes and an arsenal of fiercely intellignet and acidic witticisms..."
