If the story of Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs is anything to go by, sometimes you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your own garage to deliver something innovative to the world. Now, that isn’t to say that King Ropes is solely a garage-based operation, but the Montana-based artist sure knows a thing or two about making bonafide garage rock. Or, to be more precise, he knows a thing or two about making bonafide ‘psychedelic hard country roots rock’—and if that doesn’t sound like it could be the most B.A. thing around, then this writer has no clue what is.
For those who aren’t inundated in King Ropes’ world of ‘psychedelic hard country roots rock’ just yet, one can mosey on over to stream his newest album, Green Wolverine, but only if they’re ready to be inundated by just as much cinematic weirdness and wonder as this whole new genre might infer by name alone. It’s really something, evocative of the works of such artists and visionaries as Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen while developing a whole new contemporary dreamland to come wandering through. Through the four songs present on this EP alone, Green Wolverine won’t leave its gaggle of listeners disappointed on selling each and every one of its quantifying traits aforementioned by Ropes’ definition of his respective genre.
It’s brilliantly produced with an ethereal quality inducted into its mix that is entirely welcome. Not every aspiring indie rocker is able to work the kitchen sink and every one of their Scrub Daddy sponges into their arrangements and get away with it, but King Ropes soars on his latest. You get a taste of the consummate professional the artist is across these four songs, and while a mix as wild and wonderful as his eclectic sound won’t appeal to everyone, the broad cross-section of those who can appreciate it will be in for a great ride.