The Beginning - This Is... The Beginning (2004)

If there were to be a ‘60s psychedelic rock revival, expect The Beginning to be at the forefront. Like all solid retro outfits (think Orange Sunshine or Baby Woodrose), the band can easily pass off as a relic from another era (the press sheet from Molten Records goes so far as to say This Is… was presumed lost until uncovered by the label – I almost bought it).

The first half of the album shows that The Beginning’s strength is in loosely arranged bluesy rock. “Soul Revolution,” “The Ju Ju Man,” and “Blue Honey” each offer classic rock grooves and fluid playing. At the halfway mark of “Baby’s Taking Me for a Ride,” however, the band’s jamming veers towards an over-indulgence in psychedelic noodling. By the time they get to closure “The Golden Whisper,” The Beginning have become more a sonic jam band than anything else.

Overall, I liked it. It’s hard not to get caught up in the band’s energy, and while their sound is distinctly from a bygone era, they still have an original sound and feel. This Is... is worth checking out.
(John Pegoraro, StonerRock.com)


Download: http://lix.in/336b55cb