Some bands stubbornly resist musical change no matter how long they’ve been together. Thank goodness Boston’s Major Stars are one of them. For nearly two decades, their screaming, distorted, power-hungry, pedal-pushing brand of post-psychedelia has garnered them a steady, enthusiastic, if not large fan base. They aren't ambitious, either -- they issue a record when they have enough new songs to consider releasing them. Motion Set, for instance, is their first recording in four years. The sextet still features original members Wayne Rogers and Kate Biggar on guitars, and Tom Leonard on bass, with newcomer Hayley Thompson-King as the latest lead vocalist in a string of them. The constant sonic signature in the band’s long history is volume. Opener "Fade Out" reveals no let-up there. A sludgy vamp comprised of paint-peeling guitar distortion, drum kit thud, and bass thrum brutally assault one another in the foreground. Musically, this is blasted, battle-worn terrain where a young Sonic Youth combats Dream Syndicate. While there are vocals in the early minutes, they don’t really establish a presence until near the end of the seven-plus-minute track. By contrast, first single "For Today" offers an almost fluid melody as Thompson-King's plaintive yet urgent contralto resonates in tone with distorted, ear-bleeding six-strings -- à la Blue Cheer and vintage Black Sabbath -- framed by fuzzbomb bass and frenetic drumming. That goes double for "Change Your Memory," the hookiest cut in the bunch. The title track is an 11-minute jam that commences as a psychedelic funeral dirge. Power chords and a folk-like melody introduce it, as characteristic cymbal shimmer and melodic bass add ballast. Thompson-King delivers the lyrics carefully, reacting to the relatively spacious musical backdrop. A silvery guitar break begins to unfold, accompanied by a ¾ time tom-tom and droning bassline and rhythm guitar. Rogers' solo guides the band to a dynamic build-out that never increases in tempo but explodes in tension. Harmonics, feedback, noise, and power all collide then step back and down, only to erupt again in a dark, modal tension that balances sorrow with raw power. Major Stars' faithful will enjoy Motion Set. It’s as consistent and bombastic as anything in their catalog -- making it a good place to start for newcomers, too. This act's sheer refusal to be anything other than who they are -- a hard, heavy, freakout guitar rock band -- is bracingly refreshing in an era when almost every other band either has an angle, or is seeking one. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi

1		Alert
2		Unlearn
3		Motion Set
4		For Today
5		Change Your Memory
6		I Believe You
7		Fade Out

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