Ogressa’s Warts and All by Jack St. Clair
Ogressa’s Warts and All contains the deep, low guitar riffs that have been a staple of Zach Huskey’s music for the better part of two decades in Dali’s Llama. The music would sound at home on any of that band’s releases, but perhaps the opportunity to play them with good friends from other bands proved too tempting to resist.
Ogressa’s lineup consists of desert rock veterans Trent Ramseyer (Whores of Tijuana) on vocals, Ian Dye (Ape Has Killed Ape) on drums, Mike Jacobson (Hot Beat Pussy Fiend) on bass, and Zach Huskey (Dali’s Llama) handling guitar and songwriting duties. Scott Reeder (Kyuss) guests on bass for three tracks, while Joe Dillon (Hot Beat Pussy Fiend, Dali’s Llama) guests on guitar for two.
Opening with a brief bit of quiet, clean guitar ramblings, the albums first track, “Give Me Some Space,” explodes with a heavy, hypnotic riff that sets the stage for Ramseyer’s ferocious vocal growl. Permeating throughout the record, it is early on in the album’s second track, “Mange,” where he utters the most memorable lyric, “Fuck your drama,” while the band thunders behind him.
“Snakehead” and “Lady Ogress” provide signature desert rock, with the latter slugging through to an explosive jam mid song. The acoustic folk of “Sonoran Debris” showcases a quieter side, while a cover of The Mutants’, “The Boss,” is an unexpected departure. “Cuts On My Scars” features the rhythm section raising the tempo behind tight guitars and “Animal Mask” provides Huskey with a platform for the blues-based guitar work that infused Dali’s Llama’s last release Howl Do You Do.
It is nice to hear a collaboration between so many talented desert musicians who produce sounds that are exciting and captivating. This only adds to their already rich history of making music here in the desert. I look forward to seeing them live.
Jack St. Clair
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