Spindrift

Spindrift: “Legend of God’s Gun” (soundtrack)
Release date: July 21, 2009
Tee Pee Records

The Deal:
“The Legend of God’s Gun” music was written as a soundtrack to a film not yet made. But now that the film’s in release it seems the music’s more essential than the film. The tracks are hallucinogenic, post-modern odes to spaghetti-westerns meant to accompany a Dantesque vision of the Old West. It’s the soundtrack you hear inside your head while tripping out in the Great American West.

The Good:
Bohemian contemporaries of Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dandy Warhols, these sonic banditos wreck vengeance on the Spag-West genre channeling Ennio Morricone, and Sergio Leone by way of Clint Eastwood. Led by KP, Kirpatrick Thomas, the group veers from deep sludge to indigenous chantings, creating epic, cinematic music you can dance to. Cuts like “Burn the Church” and epic title track “Legend of God’s Gun,” illustrate their psychedelic roots. Early Spindrift had a Pink Floydish, psychedelic ethos paving the way for this latest sun-baked offering.

The Bad:
As a soundtrack it includes low key, spoken word, “Conversation With a Gun,” which may not be a stoner’s - or anyone else’s - cup o’tea. Still, it’s in character and there’s nothing else remotely eligible for skippage.

The Verdict:
This is a mind blowing, musical vision reflecting the mindset of inspired bandleader KP and his band, demonstrating startling clarity and originality. There are many other bands - some excellent like Calexico and Giant Sand - embodying the spirit of the American West, but this is a different type sound, whose time is now. Grab the ‘shrooms, pass the pipe and ride off into the sunset.


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