Monkeywrench

Gabriel’s Horn (Birdman)

Trumpeted by inimitable Mudhoney whine connoisseur Mark Arm and wingman Steve Turner, plus former U-Men and fellow Seattle scenester Tom Price, Aussie drummer Martin Bland, and Austin’s prince of the punks, Tim Kerr, Gabriel’s Horn throws another spanner in the works. With the same five men in black monkeying up 1992 Sub Pop debut Clean as a Broke-Dick Dog and frying Estrus Records follow-up Electric Children (2000), third-time charmer blows a fusillade of garage grime mostly through ATX’s Sweatbox Studio. “Low on Air” flattens as an opener, but sleazy, sneering “Pray Til You Sweat” and alley rumble “Flashy New Dance Steps” prep Gabriel‘s 13th Floor Elevators ride: Arm’s psychedelic jug-bash “Crystal Brown Vibrations” and gravitationally gratis cover “Levitation.” Deadwood dustup “He Stopped Loving Her Today” clears the bar with a screech, Monkeywrench clattering noisily out into the street. Next earth orbital: 2016.

***

This article appears in June 13 • 2008.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

San Francisco native Raoul Hernandez crossed the border into Texas on July 2, 1992, and began writing about music for the Chronicle that fall, debuting with an album review of Keith Richards’ Main Offender. By virtue of local show previews – first “Recommendeds,” now calendar picks – his writing’s appeared in almost every issue since 1993.