Published on Oct 8, 1999
What would happen if stoner rock took a sharp left and started
to explore some jazz veins?
I don’t know if Core could strictly be called a stoner rock band
(though you could make a good argument based on the thing — what
the hell is that, a vulture? — with the bong on the CD itself).
But where they separate themselves from the rest of their brethren
on their CD
The Hustle Is On is they’re not afraid to break the mold and
throw some progressive riffs in to expand their musical horizons.
Too bad they didn’t have more moments like this; this disc isn’t
bad, just not one to get excited over.
The band — guitarist/vocalist Finn Ryan, bassist Carmine
Pernini and drummer Tim Ryan — start out sounding like a band
poised to follow the latest musical trend. The tone of the guitar
and bass all seem to point right towards stoner rock — these days,
not necessarily a good sign in my book. Early on, while the band
shows they’re musically sound, there’s not a lot in tracks like
“The Monolith Problem,” “Supernumber” or “Fleetwood” to suggest
anything different.
Things start to turn in Core’s direction on the interlude “No. 5
In A Series,” which hints that Core might be a better band than
some of the material suggests. That trend is continued on “Vacuum
Life,” easily the best song on the album.
And I will admit, I did like the throwback to the Grateful
Dead’s “Estimated Prophet” on “Blues For Gus” to “officially” close
out the album. (More on that comment in a minute.) It was
interesting to hear the guitar lick become an intregal part of
Core’s song, though you’d be wrong if you called it plagiarism. If
anything, the lick brings out the real song, and makes things nice
and happy.
Unfortunately, the bulk of the second half of
The Hustle Is On, while listenable and somewhat enjoyable,
is also forgettable. Tracks like “Skinny Legs And All” and “Edge
City” don’t have a lot to them that would make them lodge in your
mind. Pity.
To Core’s credit, they utilize the concept of the “hidden” track
correctly. Within seconds after the last listed track fades out,
the band kicks into an instrumental jam that is more jazz than rock
— and is fun to listen to.
So what could Core do differently the next time around? Seeing
how well a jazz lick like that from “Estimated Prophet” worked in
their music, they might choose to move closer towards a marriage of
jazz and harder-edged rock. It will work, so long as the material
and the performances are equally strong — and I’ll be the first
one at the side of the stage to congratulate them if they were to
try this and succeed.
Until then,
The Hustle Is On is an average album containing moments that
are above the average stoner rock offerings. It’s worth checking
out, but approach it with some caution.