For some reason, when it first came out, I deemed the recent Baroness full-length The Red Album to be decidedly soft, or just too damn “indie. And it had a lot to do with my affinity for the band’s two prior EPs (First and Second, respectively), both short, sludgy masterpieces with three strong tunes each, most in the 6 or 7 minute arena…I guess I became a little blocked off to the band’s impressive evolution, fearing that any refining would kill the band’s balls. But balls clearly do need to go hand in hand with heart (figuratively and literally), and the latest offering from these future superstars definitely has heart in spades.

Just felt like giving some much-deserved love to The Red Album; very psyched to see these fuckers play again in a couple weeks on what I am considering the future of heavy music tour of the Spring (with Converge, Genghis Tron, and The Red Chord).

What a great record to get stoned and listen to on a weekday afternoon. So glad I don’t have an office job.

-KW

BARONESS -”Rays On Pinion”, from The Red Album (2007)