You know, I grew up in the late 60's and the 70's (musically speaking). My parents were fans of The Beatles or Creedence Clearwater Revival. Actually, I have a kind of abusive "veneration" to Cosmo's Factory (Creedence Clearwater Revival). Of course, that was a long time ago (back in 1970). Bands like Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Kiss or Whitesnake have paved the way of the 70's, but it is always a pleasure to hear "new stuff" based on ... old stuff.

This is what Monster Magnet is all about: bringing back the flame of the "psychedelic and spacy" 70's, taking the blood of the 70's, plugging it to the sound of the 90's and playing a dirty garage hard rock like Motörhead use to. Direct influences here are Black Sabbath, Motörhead, and Soundgarden. The sound of the guitar and the bass create a kind of space rock/doom feeling (baptized also the 70's psychedelic). Anyway, this is top-notch music far away from double bass/drums stuff. In two words : fresh air ;)

Monolithic Baby! is full of hits : Unbroken (Hotel Baby), The Right Stuff (cover from ex-Hawkwind Robert Calvert’s solo album Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters), Radiation Day, Monolithic, Supercruel. If you like Spiritual Beggars, I definitely invite you to check this album, especially if you are a fan of their last album (On Fire). There are a number of "clichés" on this album : the opener Slut Machine send you back to Motörhead, Supercruel rings the bell of The Rolling Stones, On The Verge reminds you immediately Creedence Clearwater Revival and the super hit Unbroken (Hotel Baby) has an Alice Cooper touch.

As strange as it could sound, the new album of Monster Magnet reminds very very much .... Kiss (listen to Master Of Light, Unbroken). This Rock 'n' roll attitude that the four painted men installed in their music is very much alive on Monolithic Baby! So if you like the first albums of Paul, Gene, Ace and Peter, I invite you to listen to this one. You will find yourself projected back to Alive I ... The production is top-notch (what a sound for the guitars !!!). Monolithic Baby! was recorded with Michael Wildwood on drums, who has been since replaced by Bob Pantella.

The limited edition contains a DVD bonus, with the videos of Unbroken (Hotel Baby) & The Right Stuff, an interview and a mini-live bootleg at the Astoria In London. A nice gift for the fans.

This one is running nights and days and is an enormous surprise as far as I am concerned ;)