If there was ever an album that put the “stoner” into “stoner rock” it’s Blues for the Red Sun. Kyuss deliver pummeling hard rock that often gets lost in a sea of psychedelic haziness but reliably always finds its way back to deliver more strong guitar riffs and a thumping rhythm section that makes you want to rev up your car and drive 80 miles an hour.

The meandering nature of Blues for the Red Sun is what gives the album its unique personality in Kyuss’s discography. It isn’t as focused as Welcome to Sky Valley but the uncertainty in the warped sound and song structures that are constantly shifting may make Blues for the Red Sun more of a trip than Welcome to Sky Valley for some Kyuss fans, and I can understand why it’s often cited as a favorite. On the other hand, while a rough and bumpy trip can often be a lot of fun, sometimes I just want to get to wherever we’re going. If it takes too long, I may start to be pissed off at the driver.