Fatso Jetson/del-Toros

Split 7 inch (2016)

TomTrauma

I must admit to not being very familiar with either of these bands prior to hearing this record. Fatso Jetson is a stoner rock band from Palm Desert, California that’s been around since ‘94. They have a sound similar to some of their better known contemporaries like Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Fu Manchu etc.. They also incorporate other styles as diverse as surf, hardcore punk and jazz into the mix. Their A-side contribution to this record is a nearly seven minute long instrumental called “Dream Homes”. It’s got a huge riff and lumbers along like a behemoth. The lead guitar carries the melody line, but also cries out like a wounded animal. About half way through, the riff shifts and the lead guitar gets more frantic before spacing out toward the end. It feels like a significant musical journey.

Dutch trio del-Toros supply the B-side, “Die Cast”. It’s also an instrumental and its film samples provide the only words on the entire 7”. This track is part surf, part spaghetti western and a whole lot of hard rock over the course of almost five minutes. The main riff would be right at home on classic rock radio. The whole thing feels very theatrical, like it could easily serve as background music for some kind of movie montage. It manages to tell a story, speaking only with guitar, bass and drum. I generally consider myself a lyric guy, so I don't really listen to a lot of instrumental music. That being said, both of these songs accomplish their mission. They are able to convey a message without saying a word.

Shattered Platter is an LA based blog that sometimes doubles as a boutique record label. The Fatso Jetson/del-Toros split is their 2nd official release, and both “Dream Homes” and “Die Cast” are exclusive to it. (Their first release was Against The Grain’s 2013 LP Surrounded By Snakes. It was put out in conjunction with Self Destructo Records and is a personal favorite). The 7” is limited to 655 copies in three colors and features wonderful dinosaur/landscape artwork by Jack C. Gregory.