But She Was Born A Dragonfly.

Imagine Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC getting together and jamming. Now throw in Walt Whitman on lyrics and you have a feel for what Clutch is all about. I credit this band with being one of the biggest influences on my musical taste. While I still listen to hardcore punk and thrash, I'm no longer all about FAST HEAVY FAST!, those high school days are behind me for better or worse. The other groups that I would say that have had just as great an impact on my listening habits are Type O Negative and Devo, but that's for another post.

Anyway, Clutch's style has been constantly evolving, what started as a hardcore band straight from the DC "scene" which covered Bad Brains songs and sounded like the bastard child of Helmet and Unsane, has since transformed into a bluesy rock band. While I do love all of their releases, Elephant Riders will always remain my favorite album. In fact, I'm quite comfortable saying it's my favorite album of all time.

So what is "The Elephant Riders"? It's an album loosely based around an alternate reality where Abraham Lincoln accepted the King of Siam's offer to provide the Union with a herd of War Elephants. I said it was loosely based on that because the song topics range from talking about a man who has been chased by a witch for as long as he can remember, to a song that describes spring through the eyes of a dragonfly. The whole album feels as if Black Sabbath decided they needed to be funkier. Plus the whole lyrics thing. Did I mention I love Neil Fallon's lyrics?

"Could've been a swan on a glassy lake.
Could've been a gull in a clipper's wake.
Could've been a ladybug on a windchime,
but she was born a dragonfly.

In the sun she warmed her wings
and listened to the cicadas sing.

"The trees are all bending
in one direction
because of something..."

Cross-pollination by the legs of bees in the spring
is a beautiful thing.
Oh when the sun goes down,
the fireflies come out.

In a pond crept a slimy thing
that hummed a theme from the Rites of Spring.

Pity the mate of Queen Mantis,
so content, but so headless.
Katydid nothing but shiver and cry,
as did the dragonfly.

In the shade the gypsies spin
Among the cloves, they drop their skin.

"...beyond the hedgegrove,
over by the willows,
deep in the shadows..."

Regeneration occurs at a furious speed
beneath the white oak tree.
Oh when the sun comes up
the moon buds fold up.

In the sun she warmed her wings
and listened to the Rites of Spring

Could've been a swan on a glassy lake.
Could've been a gull in a clipper's wake.
Could've been a ladybug on a windchime,
but she was born a dragonfly.

"...ain't ever seen it, but i have heard it.
Sounds like the millstones when they are turning,
but every moment getting louder and louder,
and then there is silence,
and the smell of flowers." "