#hutto

~Review by Tom Hanno~

I was turned onto the music of the multi-instrumentalist CLYDE VON KLAUS back when he released his 2020 album Klaustrophobic and was instantly a fan of what he does. Now, just over a year later, Clyde has gifted us with a new album, 'Evil Notions' (2021), which in my humble opinion is just as great, if not greater, than last year's release.

I enjoy having the opportunity of adding words from the artists into my reviews, and Clyde was more than happy to share a bit about his writing process:

I have an unusual writing and recording process, one that I’m pretty confident is not done by most, if any, one-man bands. It’s really rejuvenated my love of creating music spontaneously, and it keeps the results unexpected.

It’s also the closest way that I can find that resembles being in a band, while keeping the rawness and energy as close to that as possible -- mistakes, stick clicks, and all. Completely and totally unplanned and unwritten, yet it comes to be somehow. It’s truly artistically exhilarating to listen to the final version, and hear my songs come to life out of nothing -- but it all starts with drum beats. I get something I’m happy with, then use those to direct and birth the songs. No click tracks. No plan.

Despite his unorthodox way of crafting music, the final result is excellent. That Black Sabbath influence is proudly displayed for all to hear, but Clyde doesn't just rely on Black Sabbath either -- there are numerous influences, which keeps the music from being just another Sabbath clone.

Evil Notions by Clyde Von Klaus

The album opener, "At the Crest of Eminence," is what I have been referring to as psychedelic Black Sabbath. The riffs are full of that Tony Iommi power, chugging along perfectly, yet the vocals give me a sense of the psychedelic. I think this is due to how Clyde performs them, his tone, and his way of enunciating certain words. However, it's track number two that made me coin the phrase, psychedelic Sabbath.

"Unravel" doesn't just show the Sabbath vibe, it also has a very strong doom metal feel; particularly in the verse sections. I'm also detecting a Josh Homme sound in the vocal department, which I think is really cool.

I also dig that the riffs seem to sound like they're single-string notes, instead of opting for the whole power chord approach. This gives the track an almost desert rock sound, which the vocals add to. This one is right up there for my favorite songs on Evil Notions.

"Latchkey" is another track that I feel is strong, and that's because it's very similar to the format used in "Unravel."

The desert rock vibe is probably the strongest it gets on the record, and it sticks out amongst the others because of it. I really, really love the subtle keyboards that Clyde uses. They don't stick out too far, but they're upfront enough to add a cool sound to this killer tune. As always, Clyde laid down a great vocal for this tune.

We're up to what I would say is my favorite song, which goes by the name of "Jigsaw Jawbone."

The Queens of the Stone Age fans will really grab onto this one, because it has that Songs for the Deaf-style of songwriting, and the riffs really lend themselves to that comparison, while sharing a similar guitar tone as well. As does the next track, "Fatalistic," which is my second-favorite track.

Both songs show a great sense of melody, songwriting, and are performed expertly. And knowing how uniquely they're written makes them seem all the more special.

"Crystal Palace" closes the album in grand style, leaving the listener wanting more.

This track has a Beatles-esque melody to some of the vocals, Black Sabbath-infused guitar riffs, a Middle Eastern-sounding piece, and reminds me of Conan the Barbarian in certain sections. In other words, this has a little bit of everything that I love, and shows that Clyde is able to reach into a listener's mind, making them hear things they'd never expect to hear on an album in this genre. That Conan thing is still throwing me for a loop.

Clyde Von Klaus' Evil Notions is a really fantastic album, with a lot of desert vibes and influences that are among the most revered of their genres. I honestly enjoyed the second-half of the album over the first, as it seems as if that is where the desert vibe truly exposes itself, but the whole album is worth any listener's time.

The album is available now, so head over to Bandcamp to check it out in full. As a gift for the fans, Clyde has sent over some Bandcamp codes, and I'll include those below. Also, be on the lookout for a big announcement from Clyde in the coming weeks. Enjoy!

Download 'Evil Notions' by grabbing a code below and redeeming here.

cuut-3388 88c6-km5a z9ff-jqsm s23z-br88 g7fg-jwm6 vqxa-khxf 8rr9-vsm6 5jw5-kxxf rg9s-j6qp d22s-yg62 vype-uuh3 lazj-xnnh c6y8-eavv c3ut-3bg8 ed5y-heft

Follow The Band

Hutto Tx is located in the North Austin Metro. Hutto’s neighboring city is Round Rock. At one time it was a city you would miss if you sneezed while driving through it.

That has changed with the Austin Round Rock area booming. Hutto is UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!! It’s growing fast.