Kyuss - …And the Circus Leaves Town (1995)
Genre: Stoner Rock/Metal
Vocals: John Garcia
Guitar: Josh Homme
Bass: Scott Reeder
Drums: Alfredo Hernandez
Introduction: Ahhh Kyuss. The funky, fuzzed-out, fucked up desert rockers struck gold here. They perfected the stoner rock sound created by Sabbath all those years ago. Their swansong, ‘…And the Circus Leaves Town’ is Kyuss at the top of their career. Their fourth and final album, and arguably their best, rocks from start to finish in ways only Kyuss know how.
I rush home with the CD with untameable anticipation. I am legitimately giddy with excitement, like a schoolgirl who has found out that cute jock wants to take her to prom, or like a smogonite who has learned Competitor is finally coming out. I get into the house and don’t say a word to anyone, for I have better things to do! I slap the disc in the discman, plug in my headphones and it begins….
1. Hurricane – The album starts with thundering drums, the calm before the storm if you will. Then a galloping riff cruises in ever so easily. And what a riff it is! You have no choice but to bang your head to Hurricane, the ultimate driving song! A perfect introduction to the unfathomable awesomeness that is, Kyuss. 10/10
2. One Inch Man – The second song, and one of Kyuss’ most famous starts off with a weird kinda riff that doesn’t really go anywhere, but then, unexpectedly the rhythm section comes in and the funk begins. The introduction of new jazz-influenced drummer Hernandez really shows a difference to ‘Welcome to Sky Valley’, a masterpiece in its own right. The depth shown by the psychedelic funk nature of this song is what separates Kyuss apart from other stoner rock legends like Sleep and Electric Wizard. 9/10
3. Thee Ol’ Boozerony – If you’re into your guitar, get this album for fucks sake. Lead after riff after solo after lead after riff after… well you get the picture. A brilliant instrumental, this shows the all-round soundness of the band, and shows just how well they sound together even after multiple line-up changes. One of my favourite songs of all time 10/10
4. Gloria Lewis – A slow, crushing riff that has no consideration for neck muscles anywhere. You will be banging your head to this heavy riff all day. One of the slowest, grooviest, heaviest riffs ever is then met by Garcia. Garcia’s voice comes in smoothly as to rescue you from the devastatingly weighty riff, but then gets harsher and harsher until “and then I’ll slap you in your fucking head!” If you listen to Kyuss for their lyrics you can get fucked, it’s like listening to Dylan for his voice. This is probably the weak point of the album because, although the riff is awesome, it gets old when played over and over for four and a half minutes. The usual Kyuss innovation is lacking here, but this song only looks ‘semi-great’ compared to other songs on the album. 7/10
5. Phototropic – The song starts off with a beautiful guitar dripping from a cloud. This is met with a soothing bass line that keeps your feet back on the ground. The dreamy, trippy intro lures you into a false sense of security, but Kyuss fans know something is coming. You just have to wait for it. The intro takes you on a picturesque journey through the countryside, meeting and greeting friendly, small-town folk. Then, at about 2:10 you realize it’s only a dream and wake up to fowl reality. You curse because you have left such a beautiful, friendly town, but then you remember, Kyuss is playing, and bang your fucking head to a killer riff. This is a wonderfully solid song. It’s heavy, it’s groovy, it’s powerful, it’s Kyuss. You can always tell if someone hasn’t listened to Kyuss. They will say something like “rock has been dead since the 70’s” or “rage against the machine have the best riffs”. 10/10
6. El Rodeo – This song goes perfectly after the heavy Phototropic. The opening riff sounds like Mexican mosquitoes circling your bed while you are trying to sleep off a ridiculously large acid trip. Or to my twisted brain it does. A unique riff that I couldn’t see any other band, let alone one as heavy as Kyuss, pull off. A splendid baseline pops in and you are stuck in Kyuss’ trap of addictive stoner rock. At about 2:05 comes in another kick-ass riff and some distant vocals. Hernandez rocks as always in this track. 9/10
7. Jumbo Blimp Jumbo – Another kick-ass instrumental. Homme shows why he is one of the best guitarists in the world. Yes, he may be lacking in technical skill, but damn can he write some fucking kick-ass riffs. This song is simple, they start of with an awesome riff and a groovy bass line, and add variations here and there. A guitar lead there, a drum fill there, and there you have it! A simple, effective, groovy Kyuss instrumental, not to mention faultless. 8.5/10
8. Tangy Zizzle – This song is heaviness incarnate. It rocks as hard as slayer, black sabbath and carcass put together. Kyuss seem to effortlessly exude punishing, unrivalled rock and roll. They don’t care about bullshit like fashion, trends, or lyrics. Ok lyrics aren’t bullshit, but the point is they are just pure, fucking rock and roll. This song epitomizes this rare, beautiful attitude. 10/10
9. Size Queen – Heavy song, followed by groovy song. Perfect formula for a perfect album. Every one of my friends, even some of the drug-fucked tranceheads (by their own admission), that I have played this song for has dug it. Awesome bass line with a riff so funky Parliament would be proud! The album is really hotting up now! If Kyuss released singles, this would probably be it. 10/10
10. Catamaran – It’s like there are some songs that are too perfect to be created by mere mortals. This is one of those, I believe God made this song and hoped one day a fantastic rock and roll band would stumble upon it. Luckily for him, the ULTIMATE rock and roll band did. This is different to Kyuss’ style. It’s beautiful, calm, and soothing. The chorus is heavy and dirty like most Kyuss songs. This is a great song to get stoned to my friends! 11/10
11. Spaceship Landing (hidden track) – Ok this song wasn’t on the CD that I bought, but upon learning it was a hidden track on some of the US versions, I immediately downloaded it, and my life has been better ever since. The longest song Kyuss has ever done, I see this as the unarguably best rock and roll band in the world, ever, signing off. It’s 11 minutes long, followed by 20 minutes of dead silence for you to recover from what you’ve just heard. This song features a remarkable guitar solo. It’s hard to describe, one must simply listen. Hear this song with open ears and an open mind, but with closed eyes. Lose yourself. Let Kyuss take you away from this painful world. Kyuss understands all the bullshit you have to deal with everyday. Let these rock and roll gods heal you. 10/10
In summary, this album is probably my favourite of all time, right next to Shpongle’s ‘Are you Shpongled?’. It is their heaviest, but not their loudest. It rocks hard, in an elegant sort of way. Beautiful melodies deep with in the ball-breaking riffs and thundering drums make me believe there is a god, but then I know there is, and his name is Kyuss.
I would have killed to see these guys live, seriously I still would kill any of you fuckers to see a Kyuss show. I’ve seen Queens of the Stone Age, but it’s not the same. Nothing compares to Kyuss. And this is them at their best.
There you go, my weak attempt at putting a rock and roll masterpiece into words. For those of you unfamiliar with Kyuss, what are you waiting for?!? Smogonites, for your own pleasure, please download or try to find this album, especially if you love good rock and roll. If people want it but can’t get it, I will upload it when I get back.
Genre: Stoner Rock/Metal
Vocals: John Garcia
Guitar: Josh Homme
Bass: Scott Reeder
Drums: Alfredo Hernandez
Introduction: Ahhh Kyuss. The funky, fuzzed-out, fucked up desert rockers struck gold here. They perfected the stoner rock sound created by Sabbath all those years ago. Their swansong, ‘…And the Circus Leaves Town’ is Kyuss at the top of their career. Their fourth and final album, and arguably their best, rocks from start to finish in ways only Kyuss know how.
I rush home with the CD with untameable anticipation. I am legitimately giddy with excitement, like a schoolgirl who has found out that cute jock wants to take her to prom, or like a smogonite who has learned Competitor is finally coming out. I get into the house and don’t say a word to anyone, for I have better things to do! I slap the disc in the discman, plug in my headphones and it begins….
1. Hurricane – The album starts with thundering drums, the calm before the storm if you will. Then a galloping riff cruises in ever so easily. And what a riff it is! You have no choice but to bang your head to Hurricane, the ultimate driving song! A perfect introduction to the unfathomable awesomeness that is, Kyuss. 10/10
2. One Inch Man – The second song, and one of Kyuss’ most famous starts off with a weird kinda riff that doesn’t really go anywhere, but then, unexpectedly the rhythm section comes in and the funk begins. The introduction of new jazz-influenced drummer Hernandez really shows a difference to ‘Welcome to Sky Valley’, a masterpiece in its own right. The depth shown by the psychedelic funk nature of this song is what separates Kyuss apart from other stoner rock legends like Sleep and Electric Wizard. 9/10
3. Thee Ol’ Boozerony – If you’re into your guitar, get this album for fucks sake. Lead after riff after solo after lead after riff after… well you get the picture. A brilliant instrumental, this shows the all-round soundness of the band, and shows just how well they sound together even after multiple line-up changes. One of my favourite songs of all time 10/10
4. Gloria Lewis – A slow, crushing riff that has no consideration for neck muscles anywhere. You will be banging your head to this heavy riff all day. One of the slowest, grooviest, heaviest riffs ever is then met by Garcia. Garcia’s voice comes in smoothly as to rescue you from the devastatingly weighty riff, but then gets harsher and harsher until “and then I’ll slap you in your fucking head!” If you listen to Kyuss for their lyrics you can get fucked, it’s like listening to Dylan for his voice. This is probably the weak point of the album because, although the riff is awesome, it gets old when played over and over for four and a half minutes. The usual Kyuss innovation is lacking here, but this song only looks ‘semi-great’ compared to other songs on the album. 7/10
5. Phototropic – The song starts off with a beautiful guitar dripping from a cloud. This is met with a soothing bass line that keeps your feet back on the ground. The dreamy, trippy intro lures you into a false sense of security, but Kyuss fans know something is coming. You just have to wait for it. The intro takes you on a picturesque journey through the countryside, meeting and greeting friendly, small-town folk. Then, at about 2:10 you realize it’s only a dream and wake up to fowl reality. You curse because you have left such a beautiful, friendly town, but then you remember, Kyuss is playing, and bang your fucking head to a killer riff. This is a wonderfully solid song. It’s heavy, it’s groovy, it’s powerful, it’s Kyuss. You can always tell if someone hasn’t listened to Kyuss. They will say something like “rock has been dead since the 70’s” or “rage against the machine have the best riffs”. 10/10
6. El Rodeo – This song goes perfectly after the heavy Phototropic. The opening riff sounds like Mexican mosquitoes circling your bed while you are trying to sleep off a ridiculously large acid trip. Or to my twisted brain it does. A unique riff that I couldn’t see any other band, let alone one as heavy as Kyuss, pull off. A splendid baseline pops in and you are stuck in Kyuss’ trap of addictive stoner rock. At about 2:05 comes in another kick-ass riff and some distant vocals. Hernandez rocks as always in this track. 9/10
7. Jumbo Blimp Jumbo – Another kick-ass instrumental. Homme shows why he is one of the best guitarists in the world. Yes, he may be lacking in technical skill, but damn can he write some fucking kick-ass riffs. This song is simple, they start of with an awesome riff and a groovy bass line, and add variations here and there. A guitar lead there, a drum fill there, and there you have it! A simple, effective, groovy Kyuss instrumental, not to mention faultless. 8.5/10
8. Tangy Zizzle – This song is heaviness incarnate. It rocks as hard as slayer, black sabbath and carcass put together. Kyuss seem to effortlessly exude punishing, unrivalled rock and roll. They don’t care about bullshit like fashion, trends, or lyrics. Ok lyrics aren’t bullshit, but the point is they are just pure, fucking rock and roll. This song epitomizes this rare, beautiful attitude. 10/10
9. Size Queen – Heavy song, followed by groovy song. Perfect formula for a perfect album. Every one of my friends, even some of the drug-fucked tranceheads (by their own admission), that I have played this song for has dug it. Awesome bass line with a riff so funky Parliament would be proud! The album is really hotting up now! If Kyuss released singles, this would probably be it. 10/10
10. Catamaran – It’s like there are some songs that are too perfect to be created by mere mortals. This is one of those, I believe God made this song and hoped one day a fantastic rock and roll band would stumble upon it. Luckily for him, the ULTIMATE rock and roll band did. This is different to Kyuss’ style. It’s beautiful, calm, and soothing. The chorus is heavy and dirty like most Kyuss songs. This is a great song to get stoned to my friends! 11/10
11. Spaceship Landing (hidden track) – Ok this song wasn’t on the CD that I bought, but upon learning it was a hidden track on some of the US versions, I immediately downloaded it, and my life has been better ever since. The longest song Kyuss has ever done, I see this as the unarguably best rock and roll band in the world, ever, signing off. It’s 11 minutes long, followed by 20 minutes of dead silence for you to recover from what you’ve just heard. This song features a remarkable guitar solo. It’s hard to describe, one must simply listen. Hear this song with open ears and an open mind, but with closed eyes. Lose yourself. Let Kyuss take you away from this painful world. Kyuss understands all the bullshit you have to deal with everyday. Let these rock and roll gods heal you. 10/10
In summary, this album is probably my favourite of all time, right next to Shpongle’s ‘Are you Shpongled?’. It is their heaviest, but not their loudest. It rocks hard, in an elegant sort of way. Beautiful melodies deep with in the ball-breaking riffs and thundering drums make me believe there is a god, but then I know there is, and his name is Kyuss.
I would have killed to see these guys live, seriously I still would kill any of you fuckers to see a Kyuss show. I’ve seen Queens of the Stone Age, but it’s not the same. Nothing compares to Kyuss. And this is them at their best.
There you go, my weak attempt at putting a rock and roll masterpiece into words. For those of you unfamiliar with Kyuss, what are you waiting for?!? Smogonites, for your own pleasure, please download or try to find this album, especially if you love good rock and roll. If people want it but can’t get it, I will upload it when I get back.
