I know this is cliche to say but I’m having a freaking day. My anxiety is high, my energy is in this weird limbo of being overly energetic and overly exhausted and I’m honestly just stressed to the max. The emails won’t stop coming in and my watch won’t stop buzzing. Yes, I know I can just turn it off and chill for a little bit, but I’m honestly too busy to do so. I think that now is the time to check out Bonehenge’s album ‘L.A. Excavation’. They are a dinosaur-themed rock band that may be the best medication for everything I am feeling right now.
As soon as the cheese that is “T-Sex” took over my speakers, I knew I had found the right album to check out right now. A smile instantly took over my face as Casio keyboard sounds and infectious horns took over my body and soul. As the title may suggest, this track explains how tyrannosaurus’ have sex. Yes– absolutely the subject is absolutely over the top and so is the music but it’s so stinking fun. I instantly found all of the stresses I had been feeling previously falling to the wayside in the best way possible. I found myself moving and grooving to the infectious beat of this song while following along to the super humorous lyrics. The cheese continues into “Herbivore” and I promise I’ll stop mentioning how cheesy every song is but I think I’m still just trying to settle into it. Again, I found myself completely enthralled by the lyrics of this track. They are fun and silly yet somehow super informational about what it men’s to be an herbivore.
“Dino War” instantly caught me with the intro. It sounds like an accordion (could also be a keyboard) and instantly had me bopping around in my chair like a damn idiot. A little gypsy rock sounding a la Gogol Bordello but just a bit less produced, I loved the energy in this track. It’s truly epic and, as one may assume, is about a dino war that happened long ago. I was yet again super impressed by how much thought had been put into the lyrics. I’m obviously not going to give the story of this track away because I truly want you to stop everything and listen to it but I will tell you it’s so dang creative. It’s impossible to not get lost in the epic storytelling behind this track.
The almost gypsy rock-based sound continues into “Mammal Uprising” while bringing a more ska vibe to the table. I loved how the vocals take a turn in this track bringing a little more grit to the song. That slight change in vocal styling brings a sense of chaos and speed to this track which made it fly by but not before you realize that this band is more than just a joke. There’s no denying the talent in both the vocals and instrumentation. Sure, it’s funny to listen to and read along to the words of each track but, when you take that away, you are left with an undeniably solid band. The fury continues into “Tar Pit” but it drops the more ska vibe to replace it with a more straight up rock-polka sound. Don’t try and tell me that’s not a thing– just listen to this track and give me a better way to explain the vibe that this song gives off.
Like any good album, ‘L.A. Excavation’ comes complete with a gorgeous ballad which comes with the name “Museum”. Although the word “ballad” is being used loosely here, there’s just a bit more tenderness that comes with this track both in the lyrics and the instrumentation. The vocals are really given a chance to shine and you are able to hear the sheer talent that comes with them. An impressive show of restraint while not letting the power falter, I loved how this track showed a different side of Bonehenge while making sure you don’t forget about their distinct sound or style. The theatrical side of this band is heard and felt loud and clear throughout this album but I feel like it really comes to a peak in “Museum” in the best way possible.
The more slow and steady vibe laid out in “Museum” continues into “Prison of Stone” which continues the story of the dinosaurs portrayed in this album. Subtle horns and a powerful drum beat just enhance the storyline being sung by the theatrical vocals. Although I had been absolutely captivated by every track thus far on this album, there was something about this one that had me completely lost for words and, before I knew it, the album had moved onto “Underwater Frenzy”. Although this one starts off with a slower beat like “Museum”, before long the band explodes into something somewhat chaotic yet never out of control. It was while I was listening to this track that I realized this was an aspect of Bonehenge that can not be understated. Although there is always so much going on instrumentally, there’s never a moment that things feel muddled or chaotic. They have such a control on every part that it all fits together like a perfect puzzle giving you a truly perfect album.
“Wrath of the Sun” is the beginning of the end for this story and album. You don’t get that feeling just from the words but also from the overall mood of the track. There’s something almost like desperation felt in the driving beat and triumphant vocals. Although, in context, this is clearly about dinosaurs, I loved how this track could be used for many other topics. It’s epic, powerful, and oh so addicting just like the other tracks on the album and, even though it’s nearly three and a half minutes long, it seemed to be over in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, that meant the final track, “Chicks Dig Paleontologists”, had started which meant that in just three and a half minutes, this journey would be over. This final track has probably the most standard rock vibe out of all of the songs but there’s still plenty of cheese in it to have you smiling all the way to the end of the song. Although I can not confirm that chicks dig paleontologists, this track makes some very compelling points.
‘L.A. Excavation’ from Bonehenge definitely isn’t for everyone. It’s full of theatrics and cheese but it will absolutely turn your frown upside down while leaving you completely impressed with their overall sound and style. This album has been sitting on my desk for nearly a year but today was the first day it spoke to me– it was perfect timing. This was seriously exactly what I needed today.
My Favorite Track(s): “Dino War”
For Fans Of: All Things Dinosaurs And Quirky!
Mosh-ability: 4 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Autumn slept upstairs; Artie laid right next to my computer
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 8 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 7.2 out of 10
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