from Peacedogman.com:


Husky - "The Sea King", 2008 (Self-release)

Who gives a ship about instrumentals?


HUSKY are an instrumental trio who have dedicated their record to The Sea King. For the aspiring history buffs,the Sea King was a large ship from Maine a long time ago that carried lumber, coal, cotton, salmon and hay to ports on five continents for 40 years from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.

Musically speaking, “Flagship” makes use of atmospheric guitars and some B3ish organ. “Mayans vs. Martians” starts with a drumbeat so similar to CHRISTIAN DEATH’s “”” , it could be a sample from the first record. We're talking the echo, the reverb and all. Coincidence? Matters not entirely anyways. The fuzz bass and delayed guitar parts cover it up to the summit so there you go. “Aboard The Relic” really shows HUSKY’s grasp of dynamics and emotion. The quiet passages are quite moving as they build themselves up to the big rock. “Rejoice” has the best soft/loud feel anyone could ask for. “Trading On The High Seas” has the best overall flow. The dynamics are to die for. HUSKY at it’s best. The buildup on “Red Right Returning’ is very immense. “Leeward and Easy” opens with some bass, Fender Rhodes (I suppose) and guitar noises. The noise transforms itself into big melodic parts as the bass drones on and keys vanish. After 4 minutes, the big rock slams in with the drums and everything, returning eventually to ambience. Overall “The Sea King” is a pleasing (and perhaps...educational?) listen. Fans of instrumental rock or the fuzzy stuff, head on over to the link below and judge for yourselves.
Rating 3.5/5



From StonerRock.com:

Husky - The Sea King
Review by John Pegoraro (StonerRock.com)
Self released
Release date: April 4, 2008


For their sophomore album, Charlotte, North Carolina's Husky has come up with a bit of a challenge. See, The Sea King is a concept album (based on “The Sea King” - the largest vessel ever built in Bowdoinham, ME, circa 1877), and Husky is an instrumental band. Even Peter and the Wolf had some narration, and that was more of straightforward yarn.

Those willing to invest the time can probably tie the individual tracks together into a cohesive narrative about a big fucking boat that one day sank in New York harbor, but for me, I'm just going to approach The Sea King as an album of songs and nothing more. Compared to their debut, the more landlubber named Circle the Wagons, Husky's certainly expanded their sound. While The Sea King still offers up plenty of dusty, Southern rock jams, there are also traces of straight forward rock (“Flagship”) and electronic fuzz n drone pyschedelia (“Mayans vs Martians,” “Rejoice”). Still, it's the semi-languid, sprawling tracks like “Aboard the Relic,” “Trading on the High Seas,” and “Leeward and Easy” that make The Sea King an impressive follow-up. The band seems most comfortable settling into a steady groove and letting the instruments express themselves. There's not a lot of fancy playing, but there's plenty of deep playing.

As with Circle the Wagons, The Sea King seems like one of those albums that's perfect for late night drives on long stretches of highway. It's good music to get lost to, and a fine collection of songs.




from Generated-X.de:

Husky - the sea king
(2008, Eigenrelease)

Hierbei handelt es sich um eine Band aus North Carolina, USA, welche mit einem eher untypischen Sound für eine Ami-Stoner-Band aufwartet. Im Prinzip kann man, selbst wenn sich Husky auf namhaften Events wie dem Stoner Hands Of Doom und im Schlepptau bekannt berüchtigter Stoner wie Atomic Bitchwax oder Pearls And Brass tummeln, gar nicht wirklich von Stonerrock sprechen, denn das was die Band macht, klingt weder übermäßig groovy, noch sind sie so richtig heftige Rocker. Es überwiegen eher sehr melodische Linien im stetigen Wechsel zwischen laut und leise und das oft auch abseits vom allseits beliebten Drei-Akkord-Schema. Alle Stücke sind außerdem rein instrumentell. Ansatzweise vergleichbar wären sie mit dem nun vorliegenden zweiten Album mit 35007, wobei bei Husky dennoch mehr Wert auf die ruhigeren Momenten gesetzt wird.

((( Christian Peters )))



from www.AudioDrome.it (loosely translated from Google and Babelfish):

Husky - The Sea King
(2008, Self Release)

From the expanses of the North American prairie to the salted waters of the Sea of the Sargassos, Husky completely change atmospheres for their second album.

If Circle The Wagons seemed to be catapulted on a journey to follow Clint Eastwood on acid, time has changed the face and took the fattezze of Errol Flynn. The cappellacci cowboy have transformed into tricorni and Southern flags into that of Jolly Roger. It was difficult to expect a change of atmosphere so radical, but also it would have been not very cunning to believe that Husky would have remained firm on safe territories already explored. The only feature that remains unchanged is the feeling of star observing boundless spaces, in this case plowed from waves of all kinds, which increases or decreases in intensity along with the flow of the music. Drawing from the past, Husky changes the game: The Sea King is an album more united and more coherent, despite the debut already being of a high level. The group has managed to make the compositions more homogeneous and dynamics of the songs more organic: the listener is transported even better in this journey, without the feeling of forced passes or amalgamated evil.
The disc opens with a brief intro, which introduces "Flagship", an excellent stoner ride who does not need to relate to gender stereotypes, then moves on to the synthesizers of "Mayans vs. Martians ", which displays a hypnotic and ethereal melody. Starting from "Aboard The Relic" the atmosphere here is pretty rich, and is beginning to expand: The first images to rise afloat are those of the crew of The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner who once arrived in Antarctica. Desolazione and mud smelling greenish algae are from the master in the middle of the disk, then room is made for calmer and healthy waters, which finds the space and blues of "Red Right Returning".
Husky focuses their target for the second time in a row, improving itself and imposing as teachers in a genre that is full of new releases and new groups, refining a very personal style. Unfortunately, due also to poor promotion, it will be difficult that their name can attain the status that other much more known bands have now.

5 stars out of 5



from www.AudioDrome.it (untranslated):


Dalle distese della prateria nordamericana alle acque salate del Mar dei Sargassi, gli Husky cambiano completamente atmosfere per il loro secondo album.

Se in Circle The Wagons sembrava di essere catapultati in un viaggio al seguito di un Clint Eastwood sotto acidi, ora il volto è cambiato e ha preso le fattezze di Errol Flynn. I cappellacci da cowboy si sono trasformati in tricorni e le bandiere sudiste in jolly roger. Era difficile aspettarsi un cambiamento di atmosfere così radicale, ma d’altronde sarebbe anche stato poco furbo credere che gli Husky sarebbero rimasti fermi su territori sicuri e già esplorati. L’unica caratteristica che rimane invariata è la sensazione di star osservando spazi sconfinati, in questo caso solcati da onde di ogni tipo, che aumentano o diminuiscono d’intensità assieme al fluire della musica. Forti dell’esperienza passata, gli Husky aggiustano il tiro: The Sea King è un album più unito, più coerente, nonostante già il debutto fosse di alto livello. Il gruppo è riuscito a rendere le composizioni più omogenee e le dinamiche dei brani più organiche: l’ascoltatore è trasportato ancora meglio in questo viaggio, senza che si abbia la sensazione di passaggi forzati o male amalgamati.
Il disco apre con una breve intro che introduce “Flagship”, ottima cavalcata stoner che non necessita di rifarsi agli stereotipi del genere, poi si passa ai sintetizzatori di “Mayans vs. Martians”, che mette in mostra una melodia ipnotica ed eterea. A partire da “Aboard The Relic” le atmosfere, fino a qui piuttosto ricche, iniziano a dilatarsi: le prime immagini a salire a galla sono quelle dell’equipaggio di The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner una volta giunto in Antartide. Desolazione, alghe maleodoranti e fanghiglia verdastra la fanno da padrone nella parte centrale del disco, per poi lasciare spazio ad acque più tranquille e sane, in cui trova spazio pure il blues di “Red Right Returning”.
Gli Husky centrano quindi l’obiettivo per la seconda volta di seguito, migliorandosi e imponendosi come maestri in un genere che pullula di nuove uscite e nuovi gruppi, affinando uno stile estremamente personale. Purtroppo, a causa anche della scarsa promozione, sarà difficile che il loro nome riesca a spiccare e a raggiungere lo status che hanno altre band ormai ben più note.

5 stars out of 5

Daredevil Online Magazine review of "Circle the Wagons"

August 2006

Husky-Circle the Wagons CD

Damn, I really dug this one. Husky are an instrumental trio from Charlotte, North Carolina who absolutely hit the nail on the head with this full-length that is chock full of soul, groove, pure rock n' roll and deep psychedelic influences. This is absolutely timeless stuff that definitely nods to a variety of influences (both classic and modern) but doesn't sound like any other instrumental act going out there. I mean this stuff rocks but unlike a majority of the instrumental bands out there, Husky makes careful use of pacing and restraint by letting the distortion rip in places where it really needs to but oftentimes they create these huge, atmospheric jams that explore so many areas that you wouldn't even expect them to go. "Stroll through the Holler" is a perfect example of the point I'm trying to illustrate. This track just continues to build up as it grooves along, getting louder and a bit distorted at times but always maintaining this huge groove and laid-back quality that make it an absolutely infectious listen while never turning the amps up to 11. They so carefully pace tracks like this that you just can't get them out of your head or even attempt to get bored with where they are going next.

They follow suite with other deep and thought provoking jams like the electrifying opener "Steam Engine" which is soaked in deep bluesy bass and dreamy psychedelic atmospheres before exploding at the end with some huge distortion and fuzzed out insanity and the title track is absolutely mesmerizing with it's beautiful and mellow stoner rock vibe that sounds straight out of an old-western film. These guys also know how to rock straight-up too when they aren't exploring their sound deep into the stratosphere. They have tight control of groove and good old fashioned rock n' roll rhythms with the all out jamming of "Patriach", "Chasing the Dragon" and "Under the Frisco Sun" (which still gets pretty spacey and jammed out) which all ebb and flow nicely, filled to the brim with hard rocking riffs that recall to mind everything from Clutch to blues to old school classic rock.

This whole record manages to not contain a single boring moment in a set of songs that are not afraid to space out and not just constantly hit you like a hammer in the face. The production is thick and clear but still has a live quality to it that really makes things go over that much better. I really don't think there is much touching up to the sound here as this is the kind of band that I could definitely imagine to not pull any punches live and just give you the meat and potatoes that you so righteously deserve, free and clear of any modern rock studio gloss just the way this sound should be. If you are in the mood for some seriously killer instrumental rock then definitely give Husky a listen. This record completely took me by surprise and has me on the edge to hear these guys live. They really don't sound like anyone off the top of my head but do you really need me comparing good tunes to other good music all the time? Get off your ass and get yourself some Husky!

Rating: 7 out of 7

JS



www.StonerRock.com review of "Circle the Wagons"


Husky - Circle the Wagons
Review by John Pegoraro (StonerRock.com)
Self released
Release date: March 2006


With a name like Husky and an album called Circle the Wagons, my first thought was that I was in store for 45 minutes of traditional Southern hard rock - the sort of blustery, riff-heavy affairs, accented by a boisterous “Yeah!” or two (or 200), that are good for pounding canned domestic beer and raising hell and not thinking all that much.

The truth is decidedly different. If this Charlotte, NC instrumental band has anything in common with the aforementioned type of group, it’s that it draws from the same classic rock influences. However, Husky offers much more interesting interpretation than your standard issue lunkheaded act.

They’re more of a psychedelic jam band type of deal, one that takes the Southern style playing and filters it through a prism of Krautrock. Their bio states that they rarely play the same show twice, and based on the loose and fluid playing on Circle the Wagons, I can see why. I’ve listened to this album a number of times and each time have discovered a new facet to their songs, whether it’s in the pulsating drive of “Patriarch,” the banjo picking in the title track, the low-end groove of “Under the Frisco Sun,” or the subtle Hammond on “The New Husky Dawn.” Like all good jam bands, there’s a natural, organic fluidity to what Husky does.

There are a couple of weak spots on Circle the Wagons - the Indian-style chanting at the end of the first track seems forced, and while “Chasing the Dragon” isn’t that bad as an all out rock track, it seems out of place amidst the other ten songs. If you’re into Pharaoh Overlord, Slacks!, Queens of the Stone Age, Clutch, Clearlight, or the Allman Brothers, you’re certain to dig this as much as I did.



Concrete Web review of "Circle the Wagons"

HUSKY : “Circle The Wagons” (Self Release)

Husky are an independent 3 piece band from Charlotte, NC formed around the nucleus of Mark Hadden (bass), Phil Strickland (guitar, keys) and Nate Wilkinson (drums). The band has been together for about 6 years playing and their debut serves up 11 songs of instrumental lazily groovy rock. While their sound may lean more towards “Jalamanta” (Brant Bjork) and their meditative repetitive flowing towards Pharaoh Overlord, I hear a bit of a southern rock and chunky stoner influence as well, similar in nature to ZZ Top and Karma To Burn.

Fave tracks : “Steam engine” which opens the album at a 5.26 minutes, an comparatively smooth bass line rails away, but instead of the usual explosion of sound one’s come to expect, the music actually drifts into a rather minimalist shamanic groove backed by a cherokee chanting tribe, “Dalton” which retains a southern inducing marching rhythm.and “Indian” which is a 12.46 min tantric piece that presents a slightly variety of meditative environments.

The mostly instrumental album is superb from start to finish, creating a wonderful mood taking you on a hypnotic trip through North Carolina. If your taste in music leans towards some of the bands I’ve mentioned in this review then my feeling is Husky will fit nicely into your collection.

“Circle the wagons” is at its best while watching ‘Deliverance’ (J. Boorman) and ‘Dead Man’ (J. Jarmush) at the same time.

89/100

cosmicmasseur 



www.AudioDrome.it review of "Circle the Wagons" (loosely translated from Google):

John Wayne stopped the caravan.

The sun is tramontando and, as everyone knows, the night in the desert is cold and dangerous. In a few minutes under the guidance of severe John, the wagons are placed in a circle, you turn on the fire and the meat begins to cook, while women in the group preparing the beans and rest are men. From a wagon down three tizi, pull out the instruments and start playing: are the Husky. Starting from these assumptions, one would expect from an album sounds southern rock, instead artwork and themes are misleading. The Husky are from North Carolina and take the sounds sudiste only as a starting point, to venture into a unique and unexplored territory. Do not happen every day to find an instrumental album that manages to touch so many strands: the frame is made up of blues and psychedelic digressions, but these must be added schitarrate southern, modules that come to mind are even Kraftwerk (certainly not as sonority, and as structures), up to chants Indian posts at the end of "Steam Engine". In the midst of all this, could not miss Kyuss (we are always talking about the desert, suvvia), but also come to mind names like Los Natas and Pelican. In short, these three Yankees seem to be the trait d'union between seemingly distant worlds as the stoner, the kraut-rock and post-rock.
The Husky can propose in just over fifty minutes a range of atmospheres rich: from more relaxed groove, passing through cloud dreaming, up to distortions and dynamics more aggressive and typically stoner. Impressive is the ability to always choose the right moment in which to grow the song: cè not a distortion out of place, the music of the trio always manages to flow through intelligent solutions and arrangements much studied.
The southern version of Kraftwerk? The Earth, but always with guitar, bass and drums? Maybe. Certainly, un'autoproduzione high value.

4 Stars out of 5


www.AudioDrome.it review of "Circle the Wagons" (untranslated):

John Wayne ferma la carovana.

Il sole sta tramontando e, come tutti sanno, la notte nel deserto è fredda e pericolosa. In pochi minuti, sotto la guida del severo John, i carri vengono posti in cerchio, viene acceso il fuoco e la carne comincia a cuocere, mentre le donne del gruppo preparano i fagioli e fanno riposare gli uomini. Da uno dei carri scendono tre tizi, tirano fuori gli strumenti e iniziano a suonare: sono gli Husky. Partendo da questi presupposti, ci si aspetterebbe un album dalle sonorità southern rock, invece artwork e tematiche sono fuorvianti. Gli Husky vengono dal Nord Carolina e prendono le sonorità sudiste solo come punto di partenza, per avventurarsi in un territorio unico e inesplorato. Non capita tutti i giorni di trovare un album strumentale che riesca a toccare così tanti lidi: l’intelaiatura è composta da blues e divagazioni psichedeliche, ma a queste si aggiungono schitarrate southern, moduli che fanno venire in mente addirittura i Kraftwerk (non certo come sonorità, quanto come strutture), fino ad arrivare ai canti indiani posti alla fine di “Steam Engine”. In mezzo a tutto questo, non potevano mancare i Kyuss (stiamo sempre parlando di deserto, suvvia), ma vengono in mente anche nomi come Los Natas e Pelican. Insomma, questi tre yankee sembrano essere il trait d’union tra mondi apparentemente distanti come lo stoner, il kraut-rock e il post-rock.
Gli Husky riescono a proporre in poco più di cinquanta minuti una gamma di atmosfere ricchissima: dal groove più rilassato, passando per nuvolosità sognanti, fino ad arrivare a distorsioni e dinamiche più aggressive e tipicamente stoner. Impressionante è la capacità di scegliere sempre il momento giusto in cui far crescere il brano: non c’è una distorsione fuori posto, la musica del trio riesce sempre a fluire attraverso soluzioni intelligenti e arrangiamenti molto studiati.
La versione southern dei Kraftwerk? Gli Earth, ma sempre con chitarra, basso e batteria? Forse. Di certo, un’autoproduzione di altissimo valore.

4 Stars out of 5