Avalanche 1974 Album

Mountain

By this time, bygones were bygones, Corky Laing was back as the drummer of Mountain, who were touring and recorded this one last studio effort with Felix in the group, before he lived out the rest of his days in a weird retirement-limbo which would end in his tragic demise. Additionally, a fellow named David Perry took over the rhythm guitar role, to give more space for the spotlight musicians to flourish elsewhere. Which does take place here - easily this is the most vigorous, yet efficient album since Climbing!, even though it's all basically "Mountain-ized" takes on then-current trends, plus their own familiar material. So, I tend to view Avalanche through a slightly suspicious lens, because their classic days are behind them. Arguably, the best material here consists of moderately radical interpretations of two covers - the opening "Whole Lotta Shakin` Goin` On", and a very slowed-down take on the Rolling Stones "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". Both tracks, it goes without saying, are filled to the brim with mastodonic fuzz and brutality, with the latter even sporting the same cowbell pattern as "Mississippi Queen". This is Mountain crunch at its finest, acting as if the calendar was still stuck on 1970. The good thing here is, Felix and Leslie can still cut it on a lighter level, too. "Sister Justice" and "I Love to See you Fly" are Felix's domain, but West brings in the pretty and agile "Alisan" to match up. The surprise here is Felix contributes a few tunes that are out of his normal wheelhouse, like "Swamp Boy" and "Thumbsucker". Both of these are mildly humorous, especially "Thumbsucker", which is distorted in what seems like six different kinds of ways. They also end the album with this "Last of the Sunshine Days" deal which sounds like a goofy update of Cream's "Wrapping Paper". Quite the music-hall exercise and a very odd way to end things...or maybe that was their intent? Overall, likeable but more like a mid-grade rumble compared to the albums from earlier in the decade.