Pendu Magazine

Om – God Is Good (Drag City)

Although there’s a new drummer in the midst, have no fear. From the opening notes of God Is Good, it’s obvious that Om are continuing to do what they do best; ecstatic head-nodding stoner jams lead by Al Cisnero‘s repetitive bass-riffing and hypnotic mantralike vocals. This is a new era for the band, as Emil Amos of Grails replaces Chris Hakius, but this has not taken away from all that makes Om great. On this effort they also invited Robert Lowe, aka Lichens, to play tamboura (an instrument similar to the sitar) on two of the tracks including the opening 19-minute epic track “Thebes,” which is able to stand equally alongside any of their previous albums. The last two songs feel a bit like filler, and yet they are strong tracks. They almost evoke a sense of aimlessness; like a nice walk where the goal isn’t really to get anywhere. God Is Good is not necessarily treading new territory here, but that’s doesn’t appear to be the aim; Om is far more interested in exploring nuance of textures and they continue to make great and complex music out of what on the surface sometimes appears simplistic.

-Todd ‘Pendu’ Brooks

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Gary Higgins – Seconds (Drag City)

For fans of the influential 1973 Red Hash album by Gary Higgins, this brand new album is a true gem and a great story. This is yet another artist from the late-60s/early-70s era along with Simon Finn, Vashti Bunyan and others who has been saved from obscurity and given the chance to once again do what they love: write great songs for an audience that is eager to listen; something these artists barely had in their supposed prime. Thirty-six years is an amazingly long time between albums and to hear him play now, other than the clarity of newer production, one could hardly tell. Don’t get me wrong, this record is not a “rehash” of Red Hash by any stretch, and it could be said that some of the mystique has been removed. Nonetheless, it holds up on its own. Truth is, without knowing any of Higgins’ history, the album itself stands alone as a strong, introspective folk record. Opening with “Demons,” the record moves seamlessly along hitting the “The 5AM Trilogy,” a 12-minute epic near the end of the album that floats along fluidly between an intricate instrumental feel and back to Higgins’ soft voice. The album closes with “Don’t Wanna Lose,” an uptempo song that feels like an earnest statement to holding on. Let’s hope another record follows.

-Todd ‘Pendu’ Brooks

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