Midwest Fuzz Rockers I Hear Thud (formerly Battling Giants) just released their jam-tastic new collection of tunes titled Great Plain. The eight-song E.P. is available now in digital form with physical copies coming soon.
We got a hold of the E.P. for a sneak peek and let me tell you it’s got some grooves! Several tracks are only instrumental, but even on the songs with vocals, fuzzed out guitars and pounding drums play center stage.
The thing that really struck me after a listen or two was how familiar these songs sound. Though they’re completely new, they spark a warm feeling of nostalgia. There’s something that calls to the days of my childhood, jumping on the couch listening to a Rolling Stones album or hearing the Dazed and Confused soundtrack for the first time.
The E.P. kicks off with the low-key blues track “Smooth Cannon.” This stoney number puts you in a trance with its pulsing bass and pounding drums. It makes you want to kick back and just chill. Coming in at a little over five minutes, it’s a nice long simmer, but don’t get too comfortable. The second track “Med Lee” really kicks things up a notch. This was a real stand out track for me. The guitars are all over the place but not too spastic. From crunchy to jangly there’s a varied palette of ear samplings to enjoy.
The third track Inside Outside is a straightforward rocker reminiscent of like Fog Hat or Ted Nugent in his prime before we found out what a crazy a-hole he is. This one features lead singer Lucas’ growling vocals over heavy drums and cranked up guitars. Like most of the songs on the E.P. it makes you want to jump in an 86’ Camaro and lay down some smoke!
Next, the title track brings us back to more instrumentals. The groove train rolls on with twisting guitars and killer drums. On this track I really enjoyed what I’m going to call “bluegrass blast beats.” If that’s not a thing, well it is now!
Heading into track five, “High Chair,” the vocals return and we get a fast-paced bop. This reminded me of like a lighter Billy Idol song. Track six “Falcon Heavy” again hit me with a bit of nostalgia. It brought up memories of the Munsters, old spy movies, and surfy tunes of days gone past.
Track seven “Worship” is a blues-y jam reminiscent of The Doors mixed with a bit of Pink Floyd. A little over three minutes long, it doesn’t hammer you over the head with guitar overload.
Finally, the last track “Nimbostratus” closes much like the E.P. began, with a trippy groove. It starts with some light picking but is interrupted by a weird tornado warning beep. Quickly jumping back in, the drums start to pound and the trance guitar is met with some crunchy swirls of fuzz. Things continue to build until you’re just hearing a wall of sound. This will be an explosive live track.
Overall it's a pretty solid release. All of the tracks were recorded live and you can feel the care that went into this project.
So if you’re looking for some tunes to rock in your 86' Camaro (or Honda Pilot) “You kids don’t even know, I used to be cool!”, check it out HERE.
You can purchase a digital copy on BandCamp here: https://ihearthud.bandcamp.com/
Physical copies are coming soon and the E.P. will be added to all streaming platforms shortly.
You can follow I Hear Thud on social media here:
I Hear Thud is:
Guitar and Vocals - Lucas B. Smith
Drums - Billy Coats III