Month: November 2021

MXR – Phase 90 (9.0)

by desertrockunited3960, posted in Gear Reviews

This little orange box has gone on to become the star of its effect category, and countless awesome riffs have benefitted from the sonic qualities of this pedal. Van Halen’s intro on Hear About It Later is one of the most famous. No matter the musical genre, Phase 90 has been there through it all to add its distinctly lush voice to a musician’s tone palette. With the twist of the Speed knob, you can take the Phase 90’s warm modulation from subtle, spatial shimmer to all-out high-velocity swirling. Try the Speed knob at 9:00 on your clean channel. I’ve tried this on some songs in place of the chorus and it can work in a similar way, but with a unique, unexpected twist on your sound.

SURVIVAL KNIFE – LOOSE POWER

by desertrockunited3960, posted in Music Reviews

This release on Glacial Pace Recordings is from 2014 and probably flew under the radar a bit. Justin Trosper of Unwound fame is running point on guitar and vocals with original Unwound drummer Brandt Sandeno on guitar for this outing. Rounding out the lineup is Meg Cunnigham on bass and Kris Cunningham on drums. If you are longing for some post-punk, tuneful, noise rock this might be your jam. Coming at just under 45 minutes with 7 songs you get the full spectrum. From direct and even somewhat pop-sounding (For Trosper) tracks Fell Runner and Divine Mob, along with the more expansive, extended jams of Cut the Quick and Heaven Has No Eyes.

With a full four-piece with two guitars, there is definitely more heft rhythm-wise than Unwound and the twin guitar attack makes for some cool interplay between the two guitars. For those of you who yearn for that familiar dissonant scarcity of Trosper’s playing, you get that here on Cut the Quick. While there are tinges of the early 90s indie Olympia sound this is definitely not a rehash of leftover Unwound riffs. Gold Widow starts out with a heavy Melvins type riff with this vocal line “California’s getting old, moving north to find some gold” then moves on to to a chugging riff, then into the chorus. Check it out!