CoC : The Ribeye Brothers - If I Had a Horse... : Review

The Ribeye Brothers - _If I Had a Horse..._
(Meteor City, 2002)
by: Quentin Kalis (7.5 out of 10)

This must surely rank as one of the few CDs, if not the not the only CD reviewed within these virtual pages to feature the use of a banjo! The Ribeye Brothers are a duo consisting of Monster Magnet drummer Jon Kleiman and Monster Magnet alumnus Tim Cronin. Contrary to expectation, this is not some sort of stoned, psychedelic space rock, but rather an exploration of musical horizons which wouldn't have been possible under the aegis of Monster Magnet. Said musical horizons are a Cramps-sounding thugabilly style. Of course no Monster Magnet side-project would be complete without a strong dosage of some retro element; this element is provided here in the form of the early synth sounds of a moog, evoking the likes of '70s icons The Doors. Lyrically, a large number of songs concern drinking, while others seemingly deal with the results of overindulgence. Unlike the other Monster Magnet side project, The Atomic Bitchwax [see review above], it seems improbable that this collaboration is intended as a long-term project and the world is unlikely to see any more of The Ribeye Brothers. Whilst recent Monster Magnet output lacks the quality of their earlier releases and I would not be particularly upset by their eventual demise, this album in conjunction with anything by The Atomic Bitchwax adds force to the claim that it would be a sad day should the various members of Monster Magnet (and alumni) decide to withdraw from the music industry altogether.

Contact: http://www.meteorcity.com

(article published 3/7/2002)