Over the last decade, few acts have been so vital and exciting as Goat, the mysterious psych collective that emerged from the depths of the Swedish wilderness. Between 2012 and 2017 they released albums at quite a clip, and although they’ve been absent for a few years now they come thundering back today with the news of an album called Headsoup that arrives on August 27 through Rocket Recordings.
Unsurprisingly, over the course of their manic output, there have been a few songs that have hit the cutting room floor, only to be released as standalone singles and B-sides, or remained locked away for another day. Headsoup collects them all together, resulting in an intriguing cross section of Goat’s evolution so far – from their debut offerings right up to today, as it also features a couple of brand new songs. One of those new songs is the album closer, “Queen of the Underground”, which they release today, saying:
“Who says a rock band can’t play funk? Electric guitars can be just as sexy today as when Eddie Hazel funked the shit out of ‘em.”
And play funk they do – but not without their customary layers of guitar fuzz and psychedelic squall atop. It’s the perfect introduction to the titular “Queen of the Underground”; swaggering, cool – but unkempt at the same time. A flute fanfare follows her introduction, adding a regal pomp to the track, while the African-inspired drums hold down the fort with a popping and pleasing rhythm. It’s a 360° view of this powerful figure, and when “Queen of the Underground” bursts into flame with Goat’s usual fiery guitar solo, you can’t help but imagine explosions going off in her wake, as she struts casually on.
Find “Queen of the Underground” on streaming platforms or watch the video below.
Goat’s Headsoup arrives on August 27 through Rocket Recordings. You can find the band on Facebook and Twitter.
