Black Mountain - In the Future

The bottom line for any explicit throwback act is this; is there more in the end than the sum of the band’s influences? For some (think, gee, I dunno, Jet, Wolfmother, any cut-and-paste retro rock outfit) the answer is, regrettably, no. But then there are bands like the Black Lips, obviously indebted to a specific time period and style (trashy, sub-Nuggets 60’s garage rock) but rising above through their personal flair and idiosyncrasies.

Black Mountain may tread more of a grey area. “Don’t Run Our Hearts Around,” from their eponymous 2005 debut, was a pummeling Sabbath-style riff fest, and the whole album rocked to a 70’s vibe. That vibe permeates In the Future as well, and the music itself has gone closer to the source. The opening rumble of “Stormy High” may give some a tentative feeling, but when the guitars kick up into the vocal sections, Stephen McBean and Amber Webber’s harmonies dispel any doubts. Their mystical, creaking voices wrap strong, direct melodies around the riffage, elevating it above slavish imitation.

In fact, many of the most striking moments on In the Future don’t come from the guitars. The rhythm section shows its versatility on “Wucan,” reminiscent of the debut’s narcotic funk-a-thon “Druganaut.” A major standout, “Wucan” also features great vocal interplay from Weber and McBean, a guitar line that’s evocative without being derivative, and epic contributions by what sounds like an army of vintage synthesizers. The keyboard factor is a plus throughout the album, injecting a trippy, proggy element that spices up the formula. The big climax of slow-burner “Angels” comes from a massive-sounding Mellotron, certainly not the only point at which early King Crimson is a clear touchstone. Amber Webber’s showcase “Night Walks” closes the album with another reminder of how well the group creates beautiful sounds, as her voice mingles with static vibrating synths and a bed of echo.

The necessary folky comedown numbers work well, sold by some lovely, well-sung melodies. The ballads are well-placed to contrast with the epic rockers, of which “Tyrants” is the first. The slow, melodic sections actually work better than the rockouts, which are satisfying but predictable.

The ultimate test of the album is its longest track, “Bright Lights,” which clocks in at sixteen plus. But what could have been bloated and unconvincing actually works, because it’s stuffed with such a wealth of musical ideas. It is here that all the handpicked elements of their psychedelic influences come together. The guitars move and dive like rollercoasters, the organ stabs, Amber Webber’s Grace Slick vocals weave in and out, riding the riffs. The druggy mumbo-jumbo of the “bright light/light bright” repetitions may test your patience, but give it time; after an intense, steamrolling rock section, the song is pared down to a ghost of itself, complete with funereal organ and wraithlike synths, before slowly building to a roar again.

In the Future succeeds because it isn’t overshadowed by its influences, even if it can’t entirely escape them. But they’re well beyond imitators, and at no point will you think “gee, I could just be listening to . . .” because Black Mountain pumps fresh blood into vintage sounds. The monolithic guitars and cosmic synthesizers sounds just as good filling a room as on big Dazed and Confused headphones, with the voices of Stephen McBean and Amber Webber keeping it organic, human, and most of all rocking, all the way to the end.