Generous Maria

Electricism (Buzzville)
by Craig Regala

Queens of the Stone Age vs. Fu Manchu strike me in as a good touch-point for Americans, with that gracious Mammoth Volume/DJCS “feel.” One reason I like Generous Maria is that they play “rock” without any suppositions that it need be hyphenated, “cutting edge,” “old school,” etc. They write mid-to-heavyweight hard rock with groove and arrangements intact and clear vocals. I like the breathing room, like much classic hard rock, they let the songs unfold and get somewhere, placing them akin to decent stoner rock (not metal) stuff.

Good rec. Not as much on the Clutch side of things, but heck, the rocker AC/DCish-ness on “All Wrong Alright” works a-ok, and sounds more like Union Carbide’s third LP’s rocker stuff than Malcomized Angitude. The “stoner stuff” is still evident: “She’s Got Plans,” “Bootlicker,” “Slit Eyed Lizard,” “Li’l Crisis of Mine,” and the rock as rock humpers hump well. The ZZ Top cover brings out the tune nicely. A North American band would scum-squirt the dirt sleeze component (a good thing), but shit, it’s cool to hear someone with a different take. Nice additional guitar by Christian Smedström (The Awesome Machine) on it; thanks Chris. A Shocking Blue cover next, perhaps ?
(www.buzzville.be)