Article By: Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker ‡ Edited By: Leanne Ridgeway
Our latest Riot’s Revelation segment is one spotlighting the newly released Desert Records label sampler, ‘The Land Of Enstrangement: Vol. 1‘, released on January 18th, 2019.
The 22-song compilation features tracks from twenty-two current, active bands based in the state of New Mexico, and they, like the state motto “Crescit Eundo“, are poised to “grow as they go“. Ten of the songs are brand new singles, with the full album covering a wide spectrum of musical styles and genres. They include alternative, garage rock, punk rock, rockabilly, stoner rock, doom, psych-rock, death metal, and more.
The title of this collection, ‘The Land Of Enstrangement‘, is a clear play on New Mexico’s own ‘The Land Of Enchantment‘ that one sees adorning the state’s license plates. Desert Records owner Brad Frye shared the following insights about the inspiration for the title:
“[The Land Of Enchantment]… is an outsider perspective from visitors coming from more affluent towns and cities from around the globe. The locals call home “The Land Of Entrapment.” Stuck in a rut and too poor to leave. Family, work, responsibilities, make it nearly impossible to start over in a new place.
However, the musicians and artists know this is a place to thrive. The high desert brings beauty and creativity. The open space, the mesas, mountains, endless skies with clouds, pueblos, cactus, desert dirt roads mix with Native, Hispanic, and European cultures to make this place utterly unique.
You can feel it. Breathe it. It enters your soul. You may feel compelled to write a song. Pick up the guitar. Beat out a rhythm on the drums. You may start to feel different. You may feel like all your worries are trivial. You may want to indulge in some green herb. You may not want to go back to your old way of life. Maybe life is for expression and creation. You begin to feel strange. You are becoming ENSTRANGED.”
Whoa! And I feel it too, ha! So, people are ‘enstranged’, huh? I can dig it… and so can you by streaming ‘The Land Of Enstrangement: Vol. 1‘ here at this time. With such bands as The Talking Hours, Rock Jong Il, Black Maria, Prey For Kali, Coma Recovery, The Horned God, Manhigh, Sugarmotor, SuperGiant, Cobra Vs. Mongoose, Sun Dogs, and Red Mesa, plus several more sharing tracks, there really is something for everyone.
You can also trek over to Bandcamp where ‘The Land Of Enstrangement: Vol. 1‘ is also streaming and currently available as an NYP (Name Your Price) item.
