The Moshville Times - Sons of Alpha Centauri / Karma to Burn

Just a quick heads up about both of these bands as they were kind enough to send me a very limited 7″ split single recently. Now, I don’t currently own a record player so I had to use a friend’s to listen to it – which may seem strange to the band as I asked for the 7″ when they offered to mail me something.

See, the thing is I like “stuff”. However, CDs get ripped and dumped in the cupboard and my wife then complains about how many I have and that I don’t listen to them. She – annoyingly – has a point! With vinyl, though, it’s special. I have a smallish vinyl collection in the loft, but I’d not want to part with it and a decent player is on our shopping list for when we move house. This is something the Mrs and I agree on. Which makes vinyl doubly special.

Anyway, the single. It’s available online or at a “single release” show in London on August 30th at the Underworld. There are three versions – black, black/orange and blue/white – and I got the blue/white which is lovely.

SoAC’s side – entitled “71” – is 33 1/3 rpm because it’s a doozy of a long track. When I realise a track is long, and then I hear it’s instrumental the first thing I think is “prog”, but I wouldn’t say this fits that bracket. It’s crunchy, it’s heavy and it doesn’t meander off anywhere. This is a track with direction, groove and a knack of making your head nod along with it. It could work with vocals, but it really doesn’t need them.

Karma to Burn‘s offering – a more traditional 45rpm recording called “53” – is more representative of the band’s stoner label, being a bit slower but every bit as good as the flip side. And I’m old enough to use the term “flip side” in its correct sense.

It’s unusual to have two established acts sharing a single. It’s unusual for them to release it as a limited run 7″. It’s unusual for both tracks to be instrumentals. But it’s paid off, both in of the music itself and the presentation. I couldn’t resist taking a photo of my copy for you to look at!

Karma to Burn are actually embarking on a fairly comprehensive tour throughout August and into September with Desert Storm in town. The aforementioned night at the Underworld adds SoAC to the bill for the evening (Desert Storm are still playing) and will be your first chance to get your paws on a copy! You can also pick it up via H42 Records, who are currently running a competition to win a very limited version of the single plus a load of other goodies. Worth checking out!