The Consumption

Cave – Pure Moods (Drag City)

A short one today – Pure Moods, a 12” single from Chicago’s Cave. If you saw them at Sled Island, you have a good sense what this is all about; if you missed out, it’s blissed-out Krautrock with a healthy dose of classic rock swagger. With only three tracks (totalling about 25 minutes), there’s no reason to pick highlights. “Hot Bricks” is an apt intro, propulsive but controlled. “Teenager” amps it up a notch, like the MC5 taking their starship on the autobahn. Then B-side “Brigette’s Trip (White Noise/White Jazz)” comes on patiently, more Floyd than Neu, before locking into a monster groove that lasts just about forever – until it suddenly collapses into 5 minutes of comedown.

Pure Moods is never as on-edge as Cave’s live shows – there’s never a sense that the band is trying to break through the groove into something more. You can get lost in the music, but the musicians are never going to get lost. In other words, it plays it a little safe for my liking, but it’s a good ride nonetheless.

Sample tracks on a three-track EP seems wrong, so you’re on your own.