Kyuss - 3 For One Original Albums CD Box Set (2000) REPOSTS

Kyuss was an American rock band, formed in Palm Desert, California in 1987 by Josh Homme (guitar), John Garcia (vocals), Brant Bjork (drums) and Chris Cockrell (bass). After releasing an EP under the name Sons of Kyuss in 1990, the band shortened its name to Kyuss and recruited Nick Oliveri. Over the next five years the band released four full-length albums, and one last split EP in 1997 as Kyuss and the newly formed Queens of the Stone Age. This nicely tied up the loose ends of Kyuss and introduced the new band Queens of the Stone Age, which was at one time composed entirely of ex-Kyuss members. ~Wikipedia

With Josh Homme's guitar tuned down two whole steps to C, and plugged into a bass amp for maximum distortion, stoner metal pioneers Kyuss achieve a major milestone in heavy music with their second album, 1992's Blues for the Red Sun. Producer Chris Goss masterfully captures the band's unique heavy/light formula, which becomes apparent as soon as the gentle but sinister intro melody gives way to the chugging main riff in the opener, "Thumb." This segues immediately into the galloping "Green Machine," which pummels forward inexorably and even features that rarest rock & roll moment: a bass solo. "Thong Song" alternates rumbling guitar explosions with almost complete silence, and "Mondo Generator" plays like an extended acid trip. The slow build of the epic "Freedom Run" and the driving "Allen's Wrench" are also highlights, and though the album is heavy on instrumentals, these actually provide a seamless transition from song to song. ~Allmusic

Track listing
01. Thumb (4:42)
02. Green Machine (3:38)
03. Molten Universe (2:50)
04. 50 Million Year Trip(Downside Up) (5:52)
05. Thong Song (3:47)
06. Apothecaries' Weight (5:21)
07. Caterpillar March (1:56)
08. Freedom Run (7:37)
09. 800 (1:34)
10. Writhe (3:42)
11. Capsized (0:56)
12. Allen's Wrench (2:44)
13. Mondo Generator (6:16)
14. Yeah (0:05)
~ (51:00)





After creating a classic with their second album, Blues for the Red Sun, desert metal gods Kyuss faced the unenviable task of delivering the goods once again for a new label, Elektra Records. And they almost pulled it off with 1994's stellar Welcome to Sky Valley. The album's 13 songs are divided into three "suites" which fully display the band's impressive creative range, from furious metal to psychedelic grooves, and anything in between. The first and most consistent of these suites starts with the huge guitar riff of "Gardenia" (which resembles molten lava flowing down the side of a volcano), continues into the moody space jam instrumental "Asteroid," and culminates in the strangely titled yet superbly diverse "Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop." Other highlights include the solid thrashing of "100 Degrees," the prog rock instrumental "Whitewater," and the rather mellow (by Kyuss standards) "Demon Cleaner." But no song exemplifies the Kyuss sound as well as the aptly titled "Odyssey," which opens suite number three and provides a veritable blueprint of the band's unique combination of ingredients. The track begins with a cryptic melody, explodes into a ferocious riff, glides into a psychedelic bridge, then returns to full-throttle for its conclusion. ~Allmusic

Track listing
01. I. Gardenia - Asteroid - Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop (17:46)
02. II. 100° - Space Cadet - Demon Cleaner (14:51)
03. III. Odyssey - Conan Troutman - N.O. - Whitewater (18:19)
04. Lick Doo (Hidden Track) (0:58)
~ (51:54)





Kyuss' fourth release is entitled …And the Circus Leaves Town, and apparently it took whatever it was that made their previous release so compelling with it. The band still opts for a bottom-heavy, filling-rattling assault, but they also try to create songs that aren't really there. By containing their thundering ambitions to more bite-size (five- to six-minute) chunks, this record constantly comes up short. Tracks like "Gloria Lewis" and "Phototropic" never seem to get started. There are still some worthy moments. "One Inch Man" is a heavy-boogie stomp with wah-wah guitar work from Josh Homme, and "Catamaran" is interesting. However, this band has proven to have a sound far too big to be contained by conventional song lengths, and it's a waste for them to try. Kyuss' music works best when it's given room to sprawl out and unfold like on the closing "Spaceship Landing," the track on this album that most resembles their work on Welcome to Sky Valley. …And the Circus Leaves Town isn't a bad record. It still bears the band's unique stamp. It's just a bit disappointing. ~Allmusic

Track listing
01. Hurricane (2:42)
02. One Inch Man (3:31)
03. Thee Ol' Boozeroony (2:47)
04. Gloria Lewis (4:02)
05. Phototropic (5:13)
06. El Rodeo (5:36)
07. Jumbo Blimp Jumbo (4:40)
08. Tangy Zizzle (2:39)
09. Size Queen (3:47)
10. Catamaran (3:00)
11. Spaceship Landing (34:04)
~ (72:00)



Thx to Shub-Niggurath