La Otracina is drug music—more specifically, marijuana music. Not surprisingly, their MySpace page declares that their sound is of "cocaine riffs, mushroom freakouts, hashish metal, and fuzz-drunk jazz-rock." Personally, only a couple of those drugs come to my mind while listening to their CD, Woven Wanderers, released on drummer and vocalist Adam Kriney’s Colour Sounds imprint. And I really think that listening to this CD is best complemented by smoking a good amount of Mary Jane.
Much of Woven Wanderers consists of guitars drenched in reverb, far off choir sounds, and meandering synthesizers. These washy, outer space sound-scapes effectively summon up the feeling you get after taking far too many hits off the bong, your consciousness floating away to that world where objects are bereft of meaning. As most people—I'm sure—like to mix their musical experiences with an intoxicant of choice, this is not a bad thing at all. Occasionally La Otracina pick up the pace and do fuzzy rock jams that sounds like a jazzier, less heavy Acid Mothers Temple. Even at these moments, where the music has a harder edge, the ghost of weed-induced lethargy still hangs thickly.
It also strikes me that the type of ‘60s/’70s progressive/psychedelic/space rock music that this stuff harkens back to, particularly Hawkwind, is also couched in an anti-capitalist, stoner mentality, given form with music. One could also say that the lack of direction and deformation of structure in such songs reflect a drugged apathy of defiance. Woven Wanderers definitely wanders in this way, with little concern for its destination.
It should also be noted that I did not actually listen to this album, or write this review for that matter, while stoned.
Words: Alessandro Keegan
Photo: La Otracina
La Otracina "Woven Wanderers" Tour Dates:
Mon, 4/13, The Kickstand, Gainesville, FL w/ NOMENCLATURE, THE FUTURE NOW, TANKS IN SERIES
Tues, 4/14, X-Records, Greenville, SC w/ ORCHARD
Wed, 4/15, Dude Manch (house show, 618 E. Franklin), Richmond, VA w/ YARDWORK, CAVES/CAVERNS
Sat, 4/18, LA OTRACINA with X-RAY EYE-BALLS, PSYCHO THRILLER, and 1 more TBA, at Alphabeta, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY.
Fri, 4/24, LA OTRACINA plays the NAAM Record Release Show! Come celebrate with us and our brothers as they release their first album, location/venue still pending.
Wed, 4/ 20, LA OTRACINA at The Stone (you know, John Zorn's avant garde club?), East Village, NYC, NY. We play at 8pm sharp, it's just us playing, 1 set, $5!
Like what we're doing here? Just a little pocket change gives Visitation Rites food to live on.
