Plant Tribe/Loose Marbles

Long Beach psych farmers Plant Tribe return with Loose Marbles, another heady mix of psych rock, blues, jazz and some funk flare. Picking up and blooming from the seeds sown on their  Saturation EP, Loose Marbles is more of their fiery 60s/70s reinterpreted groove…and grooviness. With boots placed in more than one stomping ground, Plant Tribe have indirect whiffs of the likes of Jefferson Airplane or The Doors’ smokey and unsteady menace when on full grind, pumped with more than one shot of modern adrenaline. Like those venerable touchstones could be on the best of days, Plant Tribe has a hefty dose of soulfulness put up front and center with Jeff Ziemba’s vocals and Pat Diederichs’ sexy and sooty sax work. When Ziemba testifies about going down to the lake of flame chances are you’ll grab his hand and take that short walk willingly. Phil Lemke (bass) and Graham Spillman (drums) lay down a bottom-end that is as grounded as it is active, letting Jon Cox and Freddie Dilworth’s licks take full flight and pour down the back of your bell bottoms like hot gravel. It’s a vigorous, full workout that often does more with less. Take Contrera’s drums on Dark Hand or the amped Canyon Talisman; not frill free by any means, but certainly fat-free as he gets down to the meat and potatoes of the matter, putting every smack where it ought to be for full effect. Loose Marble isn’t all fire and brimstone, though they have the good sense to not douse the bonfire when they slow it down and temper it for the fantastic Beach Party. After all they lay down on Loose Marbles, Plant Tribe go out with a hairy ball of MC5 fueled fire on the full-tilt scorcher Canyon Talisman, using up what’s left of the oxygen. This time. Loose, blistering and centrifugal, Plant Tribe deliver another full sack of potent seed with a full head of steam.