Meercaz MEERCAZ (Gulcher 614)

Meercaz is Mozzley M. (a.k.a. Muzz a.k.a. Muslim Delgado) of Portland, Oregon. Mozz sings and plays guitar (plus keyboards and bass). He's assisted on his debut Gulcher CD by Jason Dollar, Matt, Jen Stefanick [sic], Clay Silva, Jesse, and Maura Arraj. Muzz is based in Portland, Oregon, and looks not unlike the young Jimi Hendrix (boss 'fro, bro!). He's previously released one vinyl single on his own Point Wrex label.

The Meercaz sound is hard to pin down, which is pretty bitchen considering the fact that it's shameless ROCK! The production is simple yet experimental. The approach is primitive but spacey, simultaneously "retro" and "futuristic" without batting an eye. It's aggressive guitar music that's "punk" in its DIY manic quality, but with an aesthetic that's much closer to the late 60s and early 70s. To my ears, Meercaz is one of the handful of things in recent years that matches what I think modern rock music SHOULD sound like (and rarely does).

(Ed's listening aids: bongloads of good bud & leaf leftovers, half mini-bottle of Mexican tequila, cheap red wine, VHS of Invasion Of The Bee Girls [1973 flick w/ biker fave William Smith & big-bosomed Anitra Ford] on TV w/ sound turned down.)

1. "Legend": Clangin' feel-good neo-proto-punk (?!) that sounds like some long-rumored unreleased "pop" track from the first Stooges LP.

2. "Lovesick": Big flyin' wedges of guitar-riff abandon. Testosterone power rush. "Portland New Wave Night 1972" (listed as one of Mozz's influences at myspace.com/meercaz. Other influences: "Andy Warhol's Bad Hair [not the musical] 200 Motels Target and old school VCA video Old Britain"). This was the flip side of the 2007 Meercaz single.

3. "Future News": Noisy strychnine-laced fuzzkill instrumental w/ freestyle lead stuff and synth stings hovering throughout.

4. "Manic Mirror": Primitive (and yeah, I'll do the quotes again) "pop" that has a totally DESTROYED London '65/'66 vibe, even intelligible vocals unlike many Meercaz "tunes."

5. "Fan Of A Daze": Extremely listenable instrumental that does "actually" (pardon my french) come on like Muzz's hairstyle predecessor, Mr. Hendrix. Of course it sounds more like a loop of a Jimi lick, beautifully repetitive and aggressive even in its casual lope. Hot stuff!

6. "Unlust": THE hit single of 2007 in Slippy Town! Only 200 pressed, though, so you are welcome from Gulcher Records for its inclusion here. It's a frantic rocker so simple and brief that it leaves you instantly wanting MORE! Well, here it is surrounded by lots MORE!

7. "Nothing": Kinda sub-Hawkwind twiddlin' & riffin' in a way nice manner, while the "song" has all the brain power of David Peel or the early Stooges. GRUNT!

8. "Troubled Hand": In some dimensions, this IS "Louie Louie": crazy, primitive, spacey . . . rock & also roll. Not to mention a funky bass line. And OH MAN THAT GUITAR! GOJOHNNYGONE! Don't you wish you were listening to "Louie Louie" in THAT dimension right now? Me gotta go! [fade on synth in mad-robot setting]

9. "She Piece": Chunky stew, man. How many modern heavy groups use tambourines? I can count to 1 . . . meet Meercaz, suckers! Ooh, that guitar thing, like the Byrds on steroids! And then the long break-down/out . . .

10. "Defeated At Home": And finally (WOW!) it's flower pop (no quotes!), albeit still surrounded by the trademark Meercaz mud. Sit on the floor 'n cross yr legs 'n pass that thang, brutha. Zonnnnnne.

Get it!
Crawlin' Ed Flowers
Slippy Town