Can there be a better and more low-key songwriter than Chris Goss? There are certainly few lazier ones. The singer/guitarist/song writing visionary behind the Masters of Reality could never be accused of pushing himself to the limits. In the years since their 1989 debut "The Blue Garden" they've released only 4 studio albums (this new release is their fifth) and 2 live ones. Mind you, he's been busy with his side-line as producer for the likes of Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, Ian Astbury, Mark Lanegan and others. The Masters are his band, there is also an argument that he IS the Masters…for he's the only remaining member since that superb debut and he goes through band members with embarrassing regularity.

Goss writes trippy, dark," Doors/Beatles/Sabbath"-y tunes with a twist. He has a voice of stunning beauty and writes songs which have melodies that stick in the head after only a few listens. The Masters have little problem changing from a Californian lullaby to a skull-crushing riff-y tune and are evidently in complete command of both.

Their albums tend to give us a good indication of where Chris Goss' head is at…….this one is a collection of lilting, acoustic tunes with tales of love (lost and other-wise),we can safely assume then, that he's in a positive frame of mind. Previous albums have been dosed with hate and negativity, Mr Goss seems to have avoided that frame of mind here.

The songs drift along with the Celtic influence of Mandolin and Fiddle in places. Some are modern day Nursery Rhymes with tales of drug-induced fantasys, other are fine tales of Americana and the Californian desert that Goss calls home. This may sound as attractive as a root canal to our younger visitors to "imarocker", but to anyone with a love of Zeppelin, Floyd or any of the bands that I've already mentioned. This album will be a pleasant surprise. Goss' love of Cream led him to recruit the mighty Ginger Baker for their second album" Sunrise on the Sufferbus"…we have the addition of a song from those sessions on this album." The Desert Song "is a percussive jam with the vibe of that album all through it. A great tune which should've been included in the original album.

"Off to Tiki Ti" is one the Masters' usual stoned acoustic rambles which they seem to throw on every album. It's like an out-take from Led Zep III…only from California. Everyone loves songs like that, don't they??????Maybe it's just me.

We've also got the studio version of"Jingalee Jindalie "which was on the "Live at the Viper Room" album…featuring Stone Temple Pilots/Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland on vocals and still holds up as a classic tune.

I'm well aware that the Masters of Reality are a band with a small yet passionate fan base: they also play in a variety of musical genres which makes them difficult to categorise. Added to this, is their distinct lack of image……….and Chris Goss is lucky that he's not reliant on the Masters' royalties alone for a wage. Nothing wrong with any of this, of course. It's just that in this day and age of manufactured excrement like Linkin Park etc…, its unfortunate that a genuinely forceful talent would struggle to make themselves heard.

"Give Us Barabus" is a fine album; by a superb band. Chris Goss writes songs of a timeless quality that continue to bring pleasure to the listener. Apparently that's what this whole "music" thing is all about.