Black Mountain - In the Future

Jul 8, 2008

When Chris Martin stops bleating on about something or other for long enough to praise your band to all and sundry and take you on a world tour, you know you're on to a winner. If Martin was able to give a leg up to fucking Embrace, then he can surely make and break any band that he wishes.

Not that Canadian retro merchants Black Mountain share too much in common with either. 2005s eponymous debut was an eclectic, at times faintly ridiculous melting pot of 1970s Americana, Led Zeppelin and folk. So to capitalise on the Martin seal of approval, they have followed it up with an LP more diverse, more ambitious, and slightly more ridiculous.

'In the Future' opens with the archetypal stoner groove of 'Stormy High'. It's pleasant enough, with a lolloping riff ensuring that the twin spectres of Zeppelin and Sabbath are never far away. The first surprise comes with the following track, 'Angels', a tuneful jangle which recalls Nirvana at their most melodic, with a hint of Neil Young and a mellotron string refrain that stays just the right side of wilfully epic.

Wilfully epic isn't far away, mind. 'Tyrants' begins with a monstrous riff, before descending into a tribal, medieval bass and drum shambles which, while designed to showcase a love of Pink Floyd, actually succeeds in showcasing a love of Spinal Tap's 'Stonehenge.'

It feels as if In the Future's opening triumvirate is a contrived attempt to scream that Black Mountain can do Loud, Quiet, and Loud and Quiet. Rather than illustrating the band's accomplished diversity though, it hints at the identity problems of the LP as a whole.

'Wucan's propulsive, rolling bassline could come straight from a Queens of the Stone Age track. 'Stay Free' provides a fleeting, folky interlude, while 'Wild Wind' is a Bowie-pastiche that Flight of the Conchords would be proud of. Black Mountain certainly wear their influences for all to see. But that is all they have, a grab bag of rock 'n' roll's great, good and Pink Floyd. Despite sounds that momentarily promise to go to new and interesting places, In the Future summarily fails to transcend its influences, leaving behind an overly ambitious band that need to stop concentrating on showing what a great record collection they have and start honing their own sound.

Oliver W J Rock

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