Review Summary: Overall, Wormwood is definitely one of moe.’s best albums, if not their best, and it finely displays all of moe.’s various talents.
moe. is one of the premier jam-bands out there now, a conglomeration of accomplished musical talents who produce extraordinary jams, especially on stage. Being a jam-band, moe. is obviously expected to be a great concert band, but just because the stage is their true home does not mean they cannot produce killer studio albums. In fact, moe.’s studio albums have the ability to stand on their own with excellent lyrics, melodies, and instrumental excursions.
moe. is currently comprised of two equally talented lead guitarists, Al Schnier and Chuck Garvey, a skilled and versatile bassist, Rob Derhak, a solid drummer, Vinnie Amico, and a percussionist/vibes (electric xylophone) player, Jim Loughlin, who adds an extra, unique dimension to group. The guitar interplay between Schnier and Garvey is one of the great aspects of the band, and, in my opinion, they are two of the best guitarists out there today. They were recently featured in Rolling Stone’s cover article on current guitar heroes, which is an honor they fully deserve. moe. has been around since the early 1990s (though they have gone through multiple drummers before settling on Vinnie in 1996), and have accumulated a sizable well of work.
While moe. is best characterized as a rock band, they have a multitude of influences and tackle a variety of genres, as most jam-bands tend to do (they also have a funny sense of humor). moe.’s songs range from country to fusion, and all these genres keep moe. from getting old. moe.’s vocals and lyrics are split between Rob, Al, and Chuck (mostly between Rob and Al), and are another thing that make them unique. While their vocal technique may take some getting used to (especially in their earlier work), it is very recognizable and ultimately quite good.
Wormwood is their 6th studio album, and arguably their best. In my opinion it is their most original, with songs that take them in new directions as well as songs that capture the classic moe. sound with new twists. Being a great live band, they took an interesting approach to this album: the rhythm tracks for the songs were taken from live performances and then finalized in the studio through the addition of vocals, solos, etc. This results in an album that seeks to combine the raw, exploratory energy of their live performances with the crispness of the studio environment. In addition, the album never stops; each song flows into the other like on Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon. The only downside to this is that there are a lot of filler tracks; the album technically has 14 tracks, but 4 of these songs are under 2 minutes so there are only 10 “real” songs on the album. However, every one of the songs is excellent, so there is no reason to fret.
Not Coming Down
This is an excellent opener that is a good song to introduce moe. to the uninitiated. It starts off with a rapid drum beat and eventually introduces some wicked-fast slap bass (I didn’t realize it was bass upon first listen) and some solid guitar work. Schnier sings the song with his unique voice and style, and the chorus is catchy (as most moe. choruses are). The only thing the song lacks is a more pronounced jam section, but it doesn’t need it; there are great jams to come later on the album. Overall, “Not Coming Down” is a very solid track, but nothing really stands out that makes would make it a classic. Still a good song though.
4/5
Wormwood
“Not Coming Down” segues very well into this atmospheric instrumental that totally makes up for the lack of a jam section in “Not Coming Down”. “Wormwood” has a much slower pace, opening with a slow guitar line that is very melodic and will easily get stuck in your head. The song goes through various stages, and while it never really picks up the pace and sometimes feels a little long, it is a great song to just chill to.
5/5
Okayalright
“Wormwood” segues into this hard-rocker, which keeps the album flowing in a neat way. This is the first song on the album where Al and Chuck really start wailing away on the guitar, giving the song a meaty feel. This is a song that would easily appeal to audiences unfamiliar moe., but personally it does not do much for me; nothing really stands out to me (the guitar work is very good, but then again all moe. songs have good guitar work), and the hard-rock tone does not appeal to me in this case. Bias aside, “Okayalright” is far from a blunder and keeps the quality of the album high.
4/5
Rumble Strip
A mere 1:11 long, “Rumble Strip” is one of the aforementioned filler tracks, and is comprised mainly of synthesizer effects. Its sole purpose is simply to provide a segue into the next song, so I won’t rate this. Rating N/A
Gone
If I could pick the song off the album that would have the best chance of being a radio hit, this would be it. However, “Gone” is probably too good a song to be played on the radio (alright, there’s my stab at the quality of popular music on the radio). It has a pop element to it that would probably resonate well with non-moe. audiences. “Gone” is far from a pop song though. One highlight of the song is its lyrics and vocals, which are top notch and sung quite emotionally. The harmony created between the contrasting voices of Al, Rob, and Chuck is beautiful, and also lends to their talent as songwriters. The tune is very catchy, and the guitar solo builds to surprising intensity, showing off Schnier’s talent. “Gone” is overall a very catchy tune, and one of my favorites on the album.
5/5
Organs
“Organs” is more filler and only 0:48 long. It can’t really be described, just segues into “Crab Eyes.” Rating N/A
Crab Eyes
“Crab Eyes” is another hard-rocker like Okayalright, but I find it to be a more interesting and therefore a more enjoyable song. It opens with a rocking guitar riff and Jim Loughlin gets some spotlight with a more prominent performance on the electric vibes. The vibes are an interesting concept and add are nice touch to the song. The lyrical sections of the song are much calmer than the instrumental sections, with a slightly reggae feel. The last minute or two of the song is an extended jam section that rocks pretty hard, and overall “Crab Eyes” is a great song, though it does not totally appeal to my tastes (* la “Okayalright.”).
4/5
Bullet
This is another one of my favorite songs on the album. “Bullet” starts off with a very basic bass-and-drum rhythm section that has some electronic texturing, and the simplicity of the beat carries over into the vocals, which are nothing special. However, the jam section of this song is exceptional and very invigorating, completely making up for the good-but-not-great vocals. It is based around a catchy riff which feels like a mixture between guitar and keyboard. Garvey begins soloing over said riff with a soft, clean tone, and, as the solo builds, he switches on the distortion and all hell breaks loose. Reaching a stunning climax, this jam is not one to be missed. The jam ends with a segue back into the chorus, which then segues into the next song.
5/5
Kyle’s Song
“Kyle’s Song” is, in my opinion, the best song on the album: it embodies everything that is great about moe. (or embodies moe. as much as any song possibly could; I don’t think one song could ever do justice to everything that moe. is, the only song that comes close to this is “Rebubula” off No Doy). "Kyle's Song" begins with a (you guessed it!) catchy rhythm section that is groovy and, to a certain extent, funky. The vocals are laid back, and have a relaxed feeling that makes them nice to listen to. The chorus perfectly complements the rhythm and is very catchy (alright, I’ll say it once: everything about this song is catchy). Then comes the guitar solo, which is the best one off the album. Garvey shows his mastery of his instrument, creating a solo that flows with an intensity that strangely fits the relaxed nature of the song. After a couple of minutes, Garvey takes a left turn, turning his solo into a raging attacking on his guitar (it’s hard to describe). His departure into more intense territory contradicts the overall feeling of the song, but it does give it another dimension. The song ends with a return to the chorus, finishing strongly. Though “Kyle’s Song” may not be as much of a “classic” in concert, it is definitely one of moe.’s strongest studio efforts.
5/5
Bend Sinister
This is another song I consider filler, though there’s a little more to it than the other filler tracks. It’s basically a rhythm section that incorporates a basic drum beat, staccato guitar playing, and some spacey synthesizer effects. It works nicely as an interval between “Kyle’s Song” and “Kids.”
3/5
Kids
“Kids” is another outstanding song that has a very upbeat and happy feel to it (reminiscient of kids) which is apparent from the opening riff. The lyrics are sung in a fun way that hides (or perhaps purposefully acknowledges) the lack of depth in the lyrics themselves. The chorus is frivolous:
“Kids will try to run you over,/kids will try to bring you down,/kids will never say they’re sorry,/kids back then are older now.”
The lightheartedness of this song is enjoyable, and the instrumentals are top notch, especially the guitar lines during the excellent jam section. This is best described as a fun song, and I enjoy its playfulness along with its instrumental mastery.
5/5
Kidstoys
This is another filler track that is comprised of various recordings of children played back in an abstract way. A largely unnecessary track that does not add much in terms of segue or meaning. Rating N/A
Shoot First
“Shoot First” is the final “song” on the album, and it is another one of my favorites. It is an interesting combination of genres, something like a cross between folk and funk with a chorus that draws some Spanish influences. It relies heavily on acoustic guitar, but despite its acoustic feel, it incorporates some electronic textures that give it a very interesting character. Overall, “Shoot First” is a unique song that gives the album a new, intriguing perspective.
5/5
Edison Laugh Record
I don’t understand why moe. chose to end such a strong album with this track; it’s a recording of someone laughing, and if moe. was trying to give the album a humorous ending, it doesn’t really work. It’s filler, and I won’t rate it, but the album could have definitely done without it. Rating N/A
Overall, Wormwood is definitely one of moe.’s best albums, if not their best, and it finely displays all of moe.’s various talents, from Schnier and Garvey’s expert solos to the vocal interplay of the three lead men to the band’s mastery of various styles. The only downside is some of the unnecessary filler, but this doesn’t hurt the album in any substantial way. It’s a great album whether you’re new to moe. or a concert veteran. Get this album, and then get to a moe. concert!
Album:
5/5
