Wooden Shjips Back To Land

    Wooden Shjips – Back To Land

    28 Nov

    By

    Label: Thrill Jockey – THRILL 351
    Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Green
    Country: US
    Released: Nov 12, 2013
    Genre: Rock
    Style: Stoner Rock, Psychedelic Rock

    Tripping…

    About to head off on another USA tour visiting new dealer partners and spending time with old and new friends in San Francisco and beyond.

    George and I were fortunate enough to see two bands this week. Sharon Van Etten and The Attachment Theory at the Forum and Cowboy Junkies at The Palais.

    In the interlude during Cowboy Junkies the back of house crew played some great music as the hall filled up. Wooden Shjips was recognisable and made me think of the recent passing of Mani (Gary “Mani” Mounfield – 16 November 1962 – 20 November 2025) earlier this week. He was an English (Mancunian) bassist, best known for being a member of the rock bands the Stone Roses and Primal Scream. His bass style has been a favourite of mine for many years since the original Stone Roses debut. Vale “Mani”…

    Wooden Shjips (San  Francisco) are in a similar style of psychedelic “hippie” sonics. Their name is loosely based on the song Wooden Ships by Crosby Stills and Nash (and elements of Young), their sound has been described as experimental, minimalist, drone rock, and “spacey psychedelic rock”. They have been compared to The Velvet Underground and The Doors among others.

    The quartet of Omar Ahsanuddin, Dusty Jermier, Nash Whalen and Ripley Johnson on guitar and lead vocal create a rich laid-back sound which feels good in summer (well as good as a Melbourne summer can get 😉).

    One pundit said the music is a balm against noise and negativity. They certainly lay down a groove and if you’re not floating along within minutes you need to learn to “chill out man”.  Johnson’s voice floats over the elongated melodies and soaring guitar lines.

    Perfect for dropping out and tuning in as I head over the Pacific to a place that is hopefully pacific. My trip takes in Vancouver and Victoria Island BC, Toronto ON (hence the Neil Young thoughts) down to Charlotte NC, up and across to Chicago IL, then west to Los Angeles CA, north to Santa Rosa CA and San Francisco CA before heading back to the antipodes.

    One thing that glues this trip together is a commonality of purpose and focus on the good that music can bring to our lives. In our formative musical years, we found styles that bind us to friends who all live in different cities today. Whilst I will enjoy a bunch of great Jazz and Classical there will be a late night or three of chill out music including the grungier Indie stuff like War on Drugs, Wooden Shjips, Stone Roses, Catherine Wheel, The Verve etc.

    Peace and love used to be the rally cry in eras gone by. Whilst I was too young to be part of that wave the sentiments expressed by Buffalo Springfield and CSNY still resonate with musical friends today.

    This album Back to Land can take you back to those free thinking times (chemically unassisted of course and thankfully no bell bottom trousers!)

    Maybe I’m tripping already… but I hope you can find a path to a little “peace” and tranquillity with this album.

    See you when I get Back to Land.

    Tracklist

    A1: Back To Land

    A2: Ruins

    A3: Ghouls

    A4: These Shadows

    B1: In The Roses

    B2: Other Stars

    B3:Servants

    B4: Everybody Knows

    Mixed By – Lawrence Crane

    Recorded By – Kendra Lynn

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