The influence of taking-tons-of-LSD-era-Beatles on Jason Bieler’s work has been readily apparent since Saigon Kick’s eponymous 1988 debut. There were just not a ton of bands on Headbangers Ball using kaleidoscopic vocal harmonies to bolster hippy-dippy-sounding guitar licks in those days. The band — for which Bieler was guitarist, songwriter, lyricist, and producer — was certainly capable of writing oversized arena anthems (see: “Hostile Youth,” “Body Bags,” “New World”), and writing great oversized arena anthems at that… but some of their best songs were also on the more melodious, at least vaguely-psychedelic side: “Colors,” “Feel the Same Way,” “God of 42nd Street,” and so on and so forth.
It’s to this style of rock that Bieler returns on “Bring Out Your Dead” (despite what its title might suggest). The second single (after “Apocalypse”) from Jason Bieler and The Baron Von Bielski Orchestra’s Songs for the Apocalypse sounds kind of the way I imagine it would if Adam Jones suddenly just could not stop listening to the the ’67 Monterey Pop Festival, and the lyrics are so trippy you’ll think your shoelaces have come untied. (Bieler and the creators of the song’s lyric video are clearly aware that this is the vibe they’re putting out — said lyric video’s imagery is a literal representation of a kaleidoscope).
The song features bass by Megadeth’s David Ellefson, drums by Edu Cominato (Jeff Scott Soto), and a super-freaky-deaky guitar solo by Devin Townsend.
Says Townsend of the track:
“As someone who tends to avoid guest appearances, I had to make an exception for the hyper-snuggly Jason Bieler as a direct result of a show he played in Vancouver I saw when I was 18 that I found super inspiring. Its my honor to be involved with such a snuggly, talented dude. =)”
Adds Ellefson:
“Jason Bieler is the modern-day Frank Zappa of our time. This record shows incredible diversity, melodies for days and an incredibly sophisticated view of the world through the eccentric lyrics and music of Mr Bieler. This record took me to new musical voyages I had never before explored and for that alone I’m thankful for the privilege of playing on this album.”
Watch the “Bring Out Your Dead” lyric video below.
Songs for the Apocalypse comes out January 22 on Frontiers. In addition to Ellefson and Townsend, the album features guest appearances from Todd La Torre (Queensrÿche), Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Asia, Sons Of Apollo, ex-Guns N’ Roses), Jeff Scott Soto, Clint Lowery (Sevendust), Benjie Webbe (Skindred), Pat Badger (Extreme), Butch Walker (ex-Marvelous 3), Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH), Andee Blacksugar (KMFDM), Emil Werstler (Dååth, ex-Chimaira), Ricky Sanders (ex-Saigon Kick), and Steve Gibb (ex-Black Label Society, Crowbar, etc.).
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