It‰’s safe to say King Tuff takes an adventure and visits new territory in Black Moon Spell.This album has long songs (at least in terms of garage rock); a couple of the songs clock in just under five minutes. The drums sound awesome. They have a great amount of trashiness to make them intimate and raw while they also employ just enough depth to create a kicking groove with the bass guitar like in the song “Headbanger‰Û.

King Tuff knows if he titles a song “Headbanger‰Û, it darn well better be a headbanger. “Staircase of Diamonds‰” gently sways to an acoustic guitar while the drums and electric guitar cut the underlying poppy tenderness. The noise at the beginning is useless and seems to try to qualify what follows. Nevertheless, the song starts with King Tuff‰’s acoustic guitar and his soft, radiant voice. The song escalates and grows in intensity and the song drones on into a confusing trance of searing guitar.

The contrasting transition of “Radiation‰” to “Eyes of the Muse‰” is brilliant. Radiation might be the most aurally disturbing and coarse songs on the album while “Eyes of the Muse‰” is easily the poppiest song on the record channeling every single ounce of Beatle fiber King Tuff has.

The transition serves to cleanse the ears and seems to be the most thought-out part of this album. That‰’s the beauty of Black Moon Spell: it sounds like a few guys jammed for a couple days in the basement and this what they got. It doesn‰’t take itself too seriously, but with every listen, the album makes more sense and the sheer beautiful intrinsic nature of the album takes root.

RIYL: Ty Segall, The Greenhornes, Deerhunter
Recommended Tracks: 3,4,9,12, 13