Tweak Bird is the Los Angeles sludge-pop duo of Caleb Benjamin and Ashton Leech. Their stoner/garage rock crossover sound has enabled them to share the stage with acts ranging from art metal quartet Tool to cheeky indie poppers Best Coast.
The duo’s latest release, Any Ol’ Way, combines the gritty metal of Kyuss with the indie psychedelia of Tame Impala. The album starts with the lackadaisical intro track “Weird Oasis.” “Greens” follows, retaining the preceding track’s lethargic, dull vibes. As mopy as it is at times, Any Ol' Way has its upbeat moments. “Peace Walker,” one of the album’s faster tracks, is definitely the most headbangable. The rocking “Mild Manor” stupendously meshes Stereolab’s dreamy krautrock with Led Zeppelin’s signature epic rock.
Overall, Any Ol’ Way is an authentic, raw-sounding rock album. Besides “Peace Walker,” “A Sign Of Positivity,” and “Mild Manor,” though, the material isn’t that captivating. Tweak Bird’s newest LP is just 11 songs of lazy desert rock.
