Review Summary: complaints aside, I'd still jump in the van (as long as "FREE CANDY" isn't painted or duct taped on the side of it).
Sometimes it’s refreshing to hear a band wearing their influences on their sleeves, playing what they want, not giving a fuck about what people think. Such is the case with 1000mods’
Super Van Vacation, a stoner rock album heavily influenced by such bands as Kyuss, Monster Magnet, Dozer, etc., and to be fair, what group of the genre hasn’t been influenced by said bands? 1000mods seem to have a riot playing this old style of stoner rock, and you know what, I had some fun listening to the album as well - the band’s confidence is infectious. It didn't exactly blow my mind, but it’s still a solid effort, and quite enjoyable if you like this kind of thing.
The one and only unique aspect of this band is their preference for longer songs than is typical of the genre. Unfortunately, this tactic doesn’t always work, with some songs too long and thus too repetitive for their own good - for instance, even if a riff is good, when I've heard the same riff for the last three minutes, it can wear out its welcome. On the other hand, when the lengthy songs do work, they can be quite engaging. Take ‘Road To Burn’ for example, which is dramatically slower than the rest of the album, opting for heavier riffs and a darker feel. Another notable song is the final track, where the band give up on conventionality, unleashing a frenzied chaos of psychedelics. Despite generally playing typical stoner rock, some variation ensures that the songs don’t sound too similar to each other.
Ultimately,
Super Van Vacation is an album for anyone who likes the genre’s music. The riffs still feel gritty despite crystal clear production values, and with a fittingly sketchy singer, the album feels and sounds like a rock album. Really, there isn’t much else that you can ask for. In the end, the album rocks, which is clearly its intent. That's good enough for me.
