The Want
Greatest Hits Vol. 5
Southern Lord
Where this crawled out from, I’ll never know, but methinks it’s from under some ancient boulder labeled “1971.” Like the moist moss of Black Sabbath grown big and billowy on the granite of Led Zeppelin, the Want’s misleadingly titled Greatest Hits Vol. 5 (actually, it’s their debut record) clambers together the loose, semi-dark blues of the first Zeppelin with the loose, dark-as-night boogie of Vol. 4 (Sab’s, that is – not theirs), frequently stumbling, frequently stomping, always rocking its way into the cranium that’s starved for and appreciative of time-honored and -defying decibels. Really, there’s no way around it: Dropping references to both aforementioned bands (especially Zep) is not only apt, it’s downright necessary. But, man, does wattage of this variety, one of which is done so sincerely and severely, truly and thoroughly smoke when you get past the obviousness of those influences. And vocalist Kenneth Leer? Shit, people dog(ged) on David Coverdale for copping Robert Plant, but Leer’s got every Plantism down cold, real cold, with such an icy precision that you can’t help but want to buy the man a pint for the effort and exactness involved. Erstwhile punters branded Soundgarden the Zeppelin of the ’90s, but the Want’s more like the Zeppelin of the ’70s for the ’00s – dancing days are here again.
Southern Lord, PO Box 291967, Los Angeles, CA 90029, http://www.southernlord.com
