LORD STERLING
Today’s Song For Tomorrow
Small Stone Records

Jersey sludge kings Lord Sterling return with their fourth outing since forming in 1995. Part of the Red Bank crowd which includes Monster Magnet and splinter groups like Gallery of Mites, Lord Sterling have been simmering in a sea of garage-soaked feedback coming closer to Pink Floyd than Black Sabbath. Today’s Song For Tomorrow maybe considered their most diverse yet oddly cohesive effort to date.

The tuned-down “Pivotal Planes” oozes out the first track with eerie moog synthesizer painting a haunting background behind Robert Ryan’s cosmic vocals. It also introduces the electric sitar, which takes the song in a rather unusual direction. Jason Silverio’s heavy pounding brings out “This Time It’s For Real,” a Fu Manchu sound alike with a dense guitar chug – then comes the electric sitar again.

“Hidden Flame” and “Poison Lips” do as much for the band’s Detroit flare as the 11-minute “Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun” does for their stoner fans. Then there are also the slow, meandering, almost country “Thread Will Be Torn” and “Password” - a veritable theme park for bassist Jim Baglino. But, the real prize-winner is “Evaporate,” an almost Live (band) sort of thing with beautiful guitar melodies and dynamic song structure.

Website: Small Stone Records


Todd Smith, http://www.thecutting-edge.net