In 2019, Maryland hard rock stalwarts
Clutch kicked off a digital singles series, rolling out deep cuts, covers, and rarities, which they dubbed the Weathermaker Vault Series. The following year, with enough tracks to cobble together a decent compilation, they issued
Weathermaker Vault Series, Vol. 1. In typical
Clutch fashion, the songs blend hard-charging riffs, funky blues-influenced grooves, and the bombastic vocals of frontman
Neil Fallon. From the smoky "Run, John Barleycorn, Run" (found on a 2014 split single with
Lionize) to beefed-up versions of old songs (
Beale Street's "Electric Worry,"
Clutch's "Spacegrass,"
Slow Hole to China's "Willie Nelson," and
Pure Rock Fury's "Smoke Banshee"), the band bridge the past and present in their expansive catalog, offering longtime fans almost a dozen gems to tide them over between official album releases. They even link up with
Lamb of God's
Randy Blythe for a blistering take on 1992's "Passive Restraints." Of the covers,
Clutch inject their trademark rollicking energy into songs by
Willie Dixon ("Evil"),
Creedence Clearwater Revival ("Fortunate Son"),
Pappo's Blues ("Algo ha cambiado"), and
ZZ Top ("Precious and Grace"). Altogether,
Weathermaker, Vol. 1 is a reliable blast for diehards and the
Clutch faithful. ~ Neil Z. Yeung