I became a devoted listener to Melbourne rockers FOOT since I gave a deep listen to 2020’s The Balance of Nature Shifted. That was in fact not their first album, but their third, and given the fresh nature of their sound (wistful grunge meets stirring desert rock) I was excited to learn of a pending fourth, ‘You Are Weightless’ (2022).

Something about that title strongly resonates with me. I wonder how many people in the world have gone through the wringing cycle of paranoia, fear, isolation, trust-mistrust-distrust, exhaustion, and burn out these past several pandemic years. I wonder how many more are ready to experience release from the cruel grip of anxiety and dread. Freedom is hard-earned, but I know it starts by being still and taking a good look at what’s going on around you, without judgment, just taking notes, like you’re Mother Nature’s eyes gathering data to report on the state of things.

Maybe that’s what I like, deep down inside, about Foot’s new record – it’s taking notice of what’s going on right here, right now on space station Earth. Call it a divine test, a winding down clock, or a simulation; dumb luck or a cosmic joke, we’re stuck here. Might as well have a good soundtrack.

Foot’s score to the human dilemma begins with “Bitter,” a thumping, up-tempo number with sardonic guitar licks and singing that’s clean and cool – like '90s “Whatever, dude” kind of cool. In the closing minutes, the song breaks down into a groovy jam, with deep bass groans and the addition of keys.

“Caged Animal” follows; a warm, yet melancholic track. “I haven’t failed, I’ve just found 1000 ways that don’t work” Paul Holden sings in stirring, chorus-like fashion. Perhaps this is the philosophical antidote to the dismal (but wholly relatable) sentiment of King Buffalo’s “Hebetation,” which confesses: “Every night I dream a million different ways for me to die.” There’s a delicious breakdown in those last few minutes, then fading vocals and acoustic guitar escort us out.

This brings us to the song Doomed & Stoned is premiering today: “Fire Dance.” The song opens with an emphatic, rumbling beat that had me thinking of a captive tiger menacing his surroundings, circling restlessly 'round and 'round, and looking for a way of escape. The song talks about lighting a fire without a plan, which sometimes feels like it would be a great thing to do, but will most likely leave us without a safety net.

Well, that’s one interpretation. You listen and tell me. What is undeniable is the way the band captivates us as the song moves along, past the “radio friendly” 3-minute mark, when bass, percussion, and then keyboard morphs the fabric of the song into something more, perhaps a new reality. As it ends, we’re left standing in the air of burning embers and quiet reflection, having tasted the flame, now ready to start living again.

There are four more songs, each of which merit multiple listens and for me grew fonder with every play. Lyrically, Foot’s You Are Weightless is the first compelling post-pandemic album I’ve heard so far this year. Mark June the 10th on your calendar, when it releases through Copper Feast Records (pre-order here). Until then, let’s take a leap of faith into the floating void with the record’s second single, “Fire Dance.” Stick it on a playlist with Hazemaze, Elephant Tree, Comet Control, Alice in Chains, and Chevelle.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

For fans and followers firmly in the know, FOOT – the venerable and utterly spellbinding Melbourne-based stoner rock quartet – are back with their eagerly awaited fourth album; You Are Weightless, on Copper Feast Records.

Helmed by guitarist, vocalist and creative constant, Paul Holden, and backed by an ever-changing cast of close confidants, Foot has proven themselves time and time again to be an integral part of the burgeoning Oz psych/stoner rock scene, since the release of their debut in 2016.

Following on from last year’s lockdown masterpiece, The Balance of Nature Shifted, the band return this June with the sonic equivalent of a heavily wrought, fuzz-lined straitjacket in new album, You Are Weightless. Channeling the dynamic spirit of acts like Queens of the Stone Age and Alice in Chains, they envelope their music with social commentary and grand visions that help tip the scales in favour of the heavier, more visceral cradle of rock ‘n’ roll. It’s a sight and sound to behold and make no mistake, Holden, along with his band of merry sessioners, have quite possibly crafted their boldest and most revelatory album to date.

Teaming up once again with the Sydney-based Foot-Appreciation Society Copper Feast Records, You Are Weightless will receive an official worldwide release on 10th June 2022

You all know by now that I’m an unrepentant acolyte of Alice in Chains. It’s not just the grungy mood or Jerry’s searing solos that gets to me; it’s those damned vocal harmonies. More often than not a band is killed by their vocals, so it’s not surprising that very few acts try experimenting with harmony. It’s a magical thing when it does happen, but only when it’s married to a special kind of vibe.

Four-piece Australian rockers FOOT have been sharpening this tool in their shed to perfection over a number of albums now, beginning with the eponymous debut in 2016 and their beloved Buffalo in 2018. Pair appealing harmonics with savvy desert rock riffs and compelling rhythms and we’re absolutely in business on their forthcoming third full-length, ‘The Balance of Nature Shifted’ (2020). It may well be the perfect record to wake up to, as I have these past few weeks. It’s just got that fresh, early morning feel to it, though it works equally well at sunset as it does sunrise.

Lately, it hasn’t been easy for me to listen to a lot of new music. I’ve found myself opting for “skip” on most tracks in the hundreds of promos that flood my inbox each month, but not so with Foot. The key is balance, if I may borrow that word from the album’s title for a moment. I think of the ebb and flow of the ocean, the movement of wind and wave – something that Melbourne bands seem to get as well as California outfits. That instinctive build toward crescendo and retreat back into shade gives the songs on The Balance of Nature Shifted a free-flowing, organic feel.

“Despair on Hope Street” opens the album with a blast of fuzzy bombast, bleeding into a slow, headbanging beat that conjures all the heft of Torche. The appealing warmth of the singing immediately washes over me like a sun-kissed break from a cloudy day. “E-Sports” ups the tempo next with some nice Outback-style picking and one of the most engaging and memorable choruses of the entire spin.

From here, Foot gears down to a doom’s pace for “Green Embers,” a track that makes an excellent bedfellow with the likes of Chrome Ghost and Under (two bands that have also experimented successfully with vocal consonance). “Ride It Out” is one of the most ariose numbers of the LP. I know, a novel concept that a band should produce songs you’d actually want to sing along nowadays, but Foot have done it! Perhaps I’ve picked my favorite too soon, because the song I find myself belting out the most as I go about my daily chores is “Investment” with its supplicating chorus, “Are you gonna risk it all?”

“Break the Altar (Light Shade)” enters Atomic Bitchwax territory with its rapid fire chugging, enjoined by some of the most mellifluous crooning on the record, which conjures vintage Oasis (and that ain’t a bad thing). The tempo quickens with frenetic guitar strumming and a sense of mission as we meet “Neighbors,” which functions as a kind of interlude to transition us between chapters as we near the album’s end.

I couldn’t help thinking of Beck when the penultimate track “Manic Progression” opened. Don’t hate me, I’m a '90s kid, as I suspect the fellows of Foot are, too. The mood it sets is anything but manic to begin with, more mellow and serene, but a Kyuss-esque undertow soon wraps around our ankles and pulls us out into the churning depth. “High” concludes this well-earned sonic trip, giving us time again to contemplate the record’s overall theme – so aptly expressed by Jo Riou’s cover art, which shows a tsunami of nature engulfing the artifice of concrete, carbon, and steel that mankind has forced upon our planet.

And now, Doomed & Stoned is pleased to bring you a first listen to Foot’s The Balance of Nature Shifted in its entirety. Kudos to songwriter Paul Holden and his bandmates Shaun Stolk, James McGuffie, and Pete Wallder on bringing us another stellar listening adventure in the ongoing saga of Foot! Vinyl pre-sales just went up today via Copper Feast Records (order here), so if you dig this groove you might wanna hop on that stat!

Give ear…

Some Buzz

The world is a complicated and troubling place, now more so than it has been for a while. Things are shifting around us and we have new challenges to overcome that we’ve never experienced before both personally and as a society. These feelings of change have been captured by frontman Paul Holden and the rest of Foot in 'The Balance of Nature Shifted’ (2020).

“This album could be a reaction to an overall personal feeling that things around me are shifting at an alarming rate,” Holden says. “Whether it be human interactions with environment, technology and each other. Things are changing, for me personally and externally. 'The Balance of Nature Shifted’ could also be a snippet of how frustrating it can be seeing suffering and angst from which the cause seems so easily avoidable.”

Paul adds, “This album isn’t meant to preach anything other than that is incredibly important to acknowledge your emotions, feel them and react to them in a healthy way. For me this manifests itself in the music and lyrics contained within. This album may be a lot of things, but it is most likely just a hard rock album I wrote and recorded because I find that to be the most enjoyable pastime in the world.”

Foot take their well-honed desert rock sound one step further on 'The Balance of Nature Shifted’, with songs going harder than they ever have before on a Foot record. Fans that were on board for their self-titled debut and follow-up 'Buffalo’ are sure to be satisfied while newer audiences will love this classic blend of Queens of the Stone Age meets Alice in Chains.

'The Balance of Nature Shifted’ is the follow-up to Foot’s acclaimed second album 'Buffalo’ (2018) and is due for full release via Copper Feast Records, both in digital format on May 1st and on pressed as a limited edition double vinyl featuring a whole side of vinyl-exclusive content, limited to 250 copies on coloured vinyl (pre-order here).