Audio By Carbonatix
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One’s interpretation of Clutch, the mostly metal and sometimes funk-soaked ensemble, depends on where in the game a listener was made hip to the band’s interpretation of Led Zeppelin doing the nasty with Black Sabbath. Fans of the band’s 1993 debut, Transnational Speedway League: Anthems, Anecdotes and Undeniable Truths, still muse about rocking the steak-and-mashed-potatoes-friendly album while playing Ken Griffey Jr. on Super NES with fingers caked in orange Cheetos dust. Two years later, on a self-titled effort, Clutch went all astro-cosmic experimental with piratelike manifestos fused with nursery rhymes and unforgettable lyrics such as “Jesus on the dashboard/Oh, yeah!”
Now with 10 full-lengths in the band’s discography, including From Beale Street to Oblivion — engineered by Joe Barresi (Kyuss, the Melvins) — aged Clutch followers might experience some difficulty recognizing the group’s continued radio-ready embrace. Though their focus has shifted to crafting arena-rock anthems, the bandmates’ charming foundation remains, ranging from pissed-off drill sergeant vocals to meaty guitars oozing with a Ron Jeremy-type sleaze that allow listeners to sink their teeth into the grade-A premium sound
