Cactus
Cherry Red Records Restrictions / ’Ot ‘N’ Sweaty 2CD

Cactus was a band that formed in the early 1970s and specialized in a type of music that isn’t easy to find unless you go down south: Blues rock. There are a few artists who have managed to pull off blues rock a few times and get right. Examples include Led Zeppelin, who emerged from a blues foundation as hard rock heroes. Another example is Black Sabbath, which had an exceptional influence of blues rock in their self-titled debut in 1970. There is one band, however, which seemed to it more than just right. They made it fun, catchy, and interesting. That rock group is Cactus. Cactus is good at something important: mind before matter. They often put their money into the art of lengthy jazz improv, blistery blues riffs and classic Western structure. In reality, all of this is part of what gives Cactus a pricklier rock sound. As another plus, the solos done in this album are nicely abrasive, pounding, agile, and are simple for the listener to get a grip of without feeling overwhelmed. But that’s hardly the best of what Cactus is all about. Cactus is more about the group as a whole rather than any single member by themselves. They really feed off each other’s work, allowing the music to flirt really well with genre they chose and create an enjoyable atmosphere. Take for example, the guitarist develops a nice sense of balance with the bassist and the drummer, creating a mix of exuberance and a nice chemistry altogether. The vocalist can also seem to find his way and role in his group pretty well.