Goatfather Premiere “Convoy” Video; New Album Monster Truck Out Now
With their collective tongue duly in cheek, French heavy rockers Goatfather released their second album, Monster Truck, in September through Argonauta Records. What’s in a name? Plenty. And here’s the thing: if you find yourself wondering — as I did, I admit — how seriously you need to take a group of grown-ass men who’ve made the conscious decision to call their band Goatfather, consider that both of the major stylistic traditions in which they’re working, sludge and stoner rock, have a history of silly bandnames. Consider Weedeater and Bongzilla, or Truckfighters and Orange Goblin, let alone Goatsnake or any number of others. Goatfather are by no means the first on this particular ground. Plus, The Godfather.
As with so much else in life, it all makes much more sense once you experience the music. Monster Truck, which ports a vision of ’70s truckerism emphasized in the video premiering below for opening track “Convoy” into a metaphor for personal freedom, a lifestyle outside the sedentary structures of our age, ensues with righteously thickened grooves. “Convoy” gallops through its verses and hook at the outset and “Punish the Punisher” isn’t far behind, but the second track and the subsequent “Blood of My Brother”
bring the more aggressive, sludgier side of Goatfather to the forefront as well as the vocals shift from cleaner burl to a harsher, throatier shout. “Monster Truck” itself also works within this duality, but pushes outward as well, touching instrumentally on a languidness that will surface again at the album’s finish in “Shelter.”
And there’s plenty of asskicking still to be done before they get there, with “Don’t Give Up,” “Mile After Mile” and “In Your Face” — the latter of which boasts a lyrical statement of intention well worth seeking out on Bandcamp (linked through the player below) — and Goatfather do not veer from their purpose. “Mile After Mile” ties back in directly to the trucker theme, and does so as the shortest cut on Monster Truck at 3:43, with a raw take on heavy rock and roll that’s actively working to dispense with bullshit, pretense, and anything else that might be keeping it from getting its point across. It and “In Your Face” are both a little more nestled-in when it comes to tempo, and that works well setting up a flow into the nodder “Shelter” — there’s a hidden acoustic reprise as well — which neatly conveys the rugged individualistic theme, summarizes the punch of the whole record and goes out on a last hook invoking the desert. If you’d ask more, you’ve missed the point.
Sam Peckinpah is known for various depictions of violence. Straw Dogs. The Wild Bunch. I’ve never seen Convoy, the film from whence Goatfather constructed their video for the song of the same name, but I can’t help but be reminded of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 classic Riding With Death and, of course, of C.W. McCall as well, and I think that’s well in like with the vibe the French foursome are going for.
By all means, enjoy:
Goatfather, “Convoy” video premiere
Goatfather on “Convoy”:
Stonerheadz!
Here’s a video for “Convoy”, a song we’re so proud of that we even made it the opener of Goatfather’s latest release, “Monster Truck”!
As you’re about to see, this video is a bit unconventional. It’s made of footage from Sam Peckinpah’s 1978 road movie “Convoy” (fun fact: it’s also the title of the song! amazing!), starring a bunch of wild truckers defying authority and the police to gain their freedom. We’ve been inspired by this movie and a few others in the same genre while writing and composing the album, hope you’ll like it!
Of course we could’ve made some real shooting, with our ugly faces playing music in some random ugly place… but hey, do you guys really wanna see that? Instead, you shall enjoy Peckinpah’s ferocious images, cause this is the kind of feeling we want to share in our music: impressions of speed, filth and freedom.
Join the ride!
Monster Truck Tracklisting:
01. Convoy
02. Punish The Punisher
03. Blood Of My Brother
04. Monster Truck
05. Don’t Give Up
06. Mile After Mile
07. In Your Face
08. Shelter
All music and lyrics by Goatfather, 2021.
Recorded, mixed and mastered at Warmaudio studio (Décines, France) by Mickaël Kassapian.
2021, Argonauta Records for vinyl and CD versions.
Goatfather is:
Drums : Raph “Grizzly” J.
Bass : Quentin “Greunt” J.
Lead Guitar : Pierre “Menhir” B.
Rhythm Guitar/Vocals : Yann “Olaf” S.
