Stone Coal White - Stone Coal White

9.5 - USA - 1972/2011

-- Masterpiece --

Ultra-obscure deep funk rescued by DJ Shadow’s Cali-Tex label. The band is a trio – a stripped down combo of wah-wah guitar, bass, and drums – with a revolving cast of four guest vocalists. Based out of early 70s Dayton, Ohio, Stone Coal White put out two 45s in their time, which are collected here along with three covers and a “warm up” instrumental. Supposedly, the lost tapes were discovered in some abandoned biker hang-out. The music itself is thick, dark, and smoky. A rather lo-fi sound – nicely preserved by some fine mastering – the low end is terrific, particularly on the eponymous title track. The album highlight is probably “Move Your Hand” sung by the mysterious Cookieman (I can only assume he’s the fellow with the eye patch in the liner photos). The track floats in a thick soup of hazy paranoia. An insistent wah-wah scratches about on a deep, rumbling bassline over top of which Cookieman’s echoing vocals spiral into inchoate madness. The only flaw of the album is that there isn’t more of it.