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slowbellie's take on: black mountain

Finally! A successful indie band out of BC that truely rocks and… (sorry, Hot Hot Heat and The Unicorns) are not image-obsessed pansies.

Black Mountain's sound has been described as a melting pot of sorts, combining blues, psychodelia, and acid rock (think Velvet Underground-goes-psych rock). Singles such as "Druganaut", "No Hits", and "Set Us Free" do just that – set us free, that is – in to a world where intoxicating ballads and dark, tripped-out melodies prevail... and not to further the drug-infused, too-cool-to-care persona of the indie rock scene, but I couldn't help cracking a smile when I read a quote on the band's website describing an early-morning television performance on CBC: There are some very nice shots of Jeremy's hand imitating a prancing spider. Matt was on acid during the filming which is why he looks so damn good. Call them unprofessional, but there is something so refreshingly Vancouver about their laid back, stick-it-to-the-man-'cause-I'm-a-filthy-hard-rockin-hippy attitude. Aaaah! Joking aside, four out of five members are social workers in Vancouver’s downtown eastside, sooooo Black Mountain provides a healthy injection of politically-infused, socially-conscious undertones. Plus, they rule.

If you plan on checking out one of their upcoming tour dates, leave the two-hundred-dollar vintage Chuck Taylors at home, kids – this is not a fashion show. Instead, opt for the cheaper garb at the bottom of your laundry basket that may best be suited to a poser-free evening of rocking out. It's safe to assume that they're blowing minds everywhere. If ever there was a reason to support the long-suffering BC independent music scene, Black Mountain is it. Shine on, you crazy diamonds.

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