Denatured Blue by Adjustable Mustard
Denatured Blue by Adjustable Mustard
The Nashville duo, Adjustable Mustard, returns with its second full-length album today. Denatured Blue grew from sources of inspiration like Blue Cheer, Pink Floyd, Moby Grape, and Jefferson Airplane. However, these names evoke the concept of revival and old, dusty 1960s vinyl shelves – yet the sound and Adjustable Mustard’s approach to audio are thoroughly modern, which lends itself well to the material and isn’t just a rehash of old psychedelic tropes. You can feel a personal touch–the artists‘ spirit and their unique ideas.
No one can fault the duo when it comes to originality and catchiness. Katie Pitts and Will White believe that their songs are not so much written by them, but rather “sent down from above.” This reminds me of my own approach to composing music, which allows me to understand and respect the album Denatured Blue even more. There is too much ego in the world of music, but Adjustable Mustard are guided by spirit, not ego.
As for catchiness, the melodies and instrumentation are wonderful – I like Katie’s vocals, which on one hand offer powerful women’s blues and, on the other, delicate, melodic parts that compliment the not-so-light music beautifully. Their songs remind me of Shocking Blue, even though Katie has a completely different tone from Mariska Veres. But the contrast between the vocals and guitars brings to mind that somewhat forgotten Dutch band.
The first track on the album, “Introduction” transitions into the incredible, “The Bean”, which reminds me of the moment I first heard Pink Floyd’s BBC sessions from the era between Barrett and “Echoes”. I hear touches of “Embryo,” as it were. Great compositions that may reference the giants of psychedelic rock but are original and thrilling enough that listeners will be pleased.
“Dickerson” conjures up Nashville‘s Dickerson Pike late at night, and once again we hear not only Katie’s incredible knack for writing catchy melodies, but also Will’s great ability to compose a riff. It’s also worth paying attention to the lyrics of this song and the slide guitar. This track reminds me a bit of The Byrds if they suddenly started playing Black Sabbath songs instead of Dylan’s.
“Saint Andrew by the Sea”, mainly because of the vocals, recalls the early work of The Pixies. A very pretty, neatly written, and wonderfully executed song in the best spirit of Nashville production.
“Sadist for a Song with a Sinful Maker”, the tune closing Side A, reminds me of Tractor, a bit of all those forgotten garage and proto-metal bands that reign supreme in the catalogs of various reissue labels. We hear Will’s vocals here, and I must say I really like the light, unpretentious way in which “Sadist” is sung. The guitar is exemplary, as always, on this record.
Ivey Bishop
“Redemption” reminds me of the days of grunge, and the use of wah-wah caught my attention. Katie and Will sound like a single organism, whether they are playing, singing, or composing (or rather receiving songs from above). Again, very interesting lyrics.
“How About” reminds me again of Tractor because this melody, folk at first, turns in a very psychedelic direction. I get the impression that, back in 1971–72, John Peel would have been keen on promoting Adjustable Mustard.
“Far Away,” the last track on the album, has this great cosmic ending – whale guitar, reverb, deep space, a memory of yesterday’s trip in the morning rain. I have only one reservation about this album– it’s too short! But, on the other hand, it encourages repeat listening.
Denatured Blue is an album worthy of attention –and for new listeners, a great way to discover and fall in love with this band. The cover by artist-musician Aude Brisson completes the picture of a record that is definitely worth having in your collection. Recommended.
A.J. Kaufmann (born 1985) is a poet, lyricist, musician, and music journalist. Since the late 1990s, he has been involved in various artistic endeavors in Poland and abroad. He has released a number of albums (including Stoned Gypsy Wanderer, Demoludy, Eimi), which serve as a testament to his consistent pursuit of authentic, independent forms of artistic expression. He has been writing for Portal Winylowy, It’s Psychedelic Baby, Third Eye Psych, Harbinger Magazine, and now Psychedelic Scene.
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