The vibe of The Trujillo Company could be summed up as a steady cloud of reefer smoke wafting out of a storm drain into the misty Seattle air, we’ll say circa 1991, giving the early grunge scene a much needed contact high. Despite this, the Denver outfit is nothing short of a breath of fresh air for the Colorado music scene.
Upon first listen, once might guess that The Trujillo Company is made up of four, maybe five members; a fair assumption based on the massive amount of sound they create. However, Mike and Leny Trujillo, the band’s namesakes, manage to create a rich, tasty concoction of grunge, stoner rock, and heavy blues as simply a power duo.
The Trujillo Company’s debut full-length, Home, is a dirty rock and roll masterpiece. The album kicks off with the fuzzed-out, foot-stomping 45, with elements of early Soundgarden and guitar work reminiscent to that of Josh Homme’s Kyuss days. But it’s not all angst and gloom for the Trujillo boys, as Mike accompanies his often sludgy riffs with tasty blues passages throughout the album.
Home is also home to a bit of a recurring theme: anti-love. The record’s fourth track, Always Something, resonates the feeling of being stuck in an uncomfortable relationship, with massive, fuzzy chords to accompany the frustration in the lyrics. The track is followed by the slow and doomy Happy, another so-called anti-love song that consistently begs the question, “Are You Happy Now?”
While today’s atmosphere sees two-man operations as a bit more on the indie side of the spectrum, with acts such as The White Stripes and The Black Keys, The Trujillo Company throws a weighty mass of grunge, stoner rock and blues into a nice, sludgy package.
The Trujillo Company’s debut album, Home, will be released at Denver’s Larimer Lounge Saturday June 22. Presave the album on Spotify by clicking HERE.
