Gods & Goddesses

He launched his solo career in the late 1990s, but ever since, Brant Bjork has been all about the early '70s. And on his seventh full-length overall, 2010's Gods & Goddesses, this has never been more apparent -- from the immaculate, third-generation Buick Riviera that Bjork and a lovely lady are sitting in on the cover, to Bjork's fashion sense (Cheech & Chong circa Los Cochinos). But especially, it's the music that resides on the disc that's a dead giveaway. Bjork has always been about the groove (a la latter-day Jimi Hendrix, early Santana, early El Chicano, etc.), and rather unsurprisingly, this is the same musical terrain he trods upon throughout Gods & Goddesses. Although he has enlisted the help of an outside producer for his latest, (Ethan Allen, whose credits include the 88 and Luscious Jackson), Bjork's '70s vision and approach remain completely intact, especially on such laid-back and groovy numbers as the album-opener "Dirty Bird," as well as "Porto." Elsewhere, Bjork and company kick out the rock on "The Future Rock (We Got It)" and "Good Time Bonnie," and even get a bit jammy on "Somewhere Some Woman." But unlike quite a few bands that look to the '70s for inspiration, perhaps it's Bjork's punk rock roots that prevent any meandering musical detours, as the album clocks in at a tidy 32 minutes. But even in a short amount of time, Bjork certainly gets his point across, and will still manage to take you on a magic carpet ride back to the days of lava lamps, bell bottom trousers, incense, and black-light posters. ~ Greg Prato