Doesn’t Live Up to Expectations

“1,000 Dreams” is all you need from Dead Meadow’s newest offering, Warble Womb. The track harkens back to the days when music was chiller, laidback, and about feeling and emotion. It doesn’t seem computerized, and it’s certainly not about any sort of technicality. In simpler terms, it’s pure.

Swathed in a wah pedal only Kirk Hammet could love, Warble Womb’s tracks vary in quality from being passable to outright addictive. For the most part, the record lacks cohesive flow, and it hurts the overall product in the long run, making Dead Meadow look somewhat unsure of their musical direction. But “1,000 Dreams,” oh, “1,000 Dreams”—if you’re going to walk away with what Dead Meadow should indeed sound like that’s the one to sample before clicking the off button on your CD player.

But as expected, there a few shining moments scattered across the Warble Womb that more or less match “1,000 Dreams” quality, though they are scarce. And that’s really the bad part about the record: when a song sets the bar so high early in the track listing, it’s tough to match or better the track. That’s the problem here, too, because Dead Meadow can’t seem to fully find their bearings after this standout and instead fill the gaps with odd instrumentals sections that are all over the place, musically.

“Burn the Here Now,” for instance, is a perfect example. On its own, it’s not a bad track. In fact, it’s quite good, with the trippy, reeling feeling that psychedelic rock is known for, but when placed against the best songs, it pales in comparison and even appears out of place. When a band like Dead Meadow spends year after year delaying and re-dreaming their music, this kind of result is expected. It’s unfortunate, to say the least.

In the end, Warble Womb is a strong effort if the songs are pulled apart, strewn in every direction possible, and never played back to back. The product, as whole, just doesn’t flow well. It’s missing the consistent, solid feeling that the most sought after music is known for. Listen at your own risk.