The first few tracks of this new album convinced me really well. Perhaps it is also partly due to the mixing by Steve Hayes (Secret Saucer) in how these tracks build up perfectly. The opener, title track, is led by sitar, in an almost raga mode of improvisation, with smooth bass, spacey keyboards sounds lining in with this fundament, with additional sequenced high note synthesizers and then electric guitars melting with it before the bass and guitars speed up the trance. This flows perfectly into a rockier psychedelic jam, tuned in and then jamming further like a perfectly oiled motor speeding up further, with a clean energy. Only after some time, on the third track already, some portion of inspiration turns onto automatic pilot and mood a bit, and a keyboard improvisation is provided on top. A rather Ozric Tentacles vibe then turns up. Often are noticed talented technical drumming. This isn’t the end yet, because the next big part sounds more like stretched like a stoned jam, jamming towards the edges of the space available on this CD, and while returning to its moodiness, in essence you could call this part a faster more psychedelic trance dub (without real dub effects). Last big flash returns to the sitar. This new section is like a huge trance jam also suitable for dancefloor psychedelic moods, especially rewarding for around this time some wahwah funky effects on guitar.
http://www.psychemusic.org/sweden2.html#anchor_120
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Got a knew Oresund Space Collective album on Transubstans yesterday and again, this mostly Scandanavian collective of Space rock worshippers have cracked my nut again with the perfect blend of psych, space, jazz, stoner and eastern edges...yowza!
http://birdmansound.blogspot.com/
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Öresund Space Collective - Good Planets Are Hard To Find (Transubstans
Records)
Good Planets Are Hard To Find 9:43
Space Fountain 8:51
Orbital Elevator 16:12
PP746-3 19:35
My Heel Has A Beard 6:01
MTSST 19:28
Här är rymdcollektivets femte officiella platta. En del av manskapet
är utbytt, bla är KG från härliga Siena Root med på
sitar och gitarr. Kapten är som vanligt vår dr Space alias Scott
Heller. Stilen är densamma som vanligt fast ändå inte. Kvar
är de långa hypnotiska låtarna och som vanligt är det
100% improvisation. Men förr var plattorna mer synthbaserade och svävande.
Nu är det ett rockigare sound. Mjuka synthslingor varvas perfekt med gitarriff
och tunga basgångar. I synnerhet låten ”Space Fountain”
har ett grymt 70-tals-groove. Det börjar och slutar med KG´s sitarspel
som är stämningsfullt men - tycker jag- en aning utdraget. Har lyssnat
ganska mycket på ”Good Planets...” och den växer hela
tiden. Detta är så levande och äkta att ”vanlig”
musik kan kännas tillrättalagd och tråkig i jämförelse.
Har skrivit det förr, men för att Öresundsgänget bäst
ska komma till sin rätt ska de upplevas live eftersom det är Här
Och Nu som är hela grejen med improvisationsmusik.
Det var dessutom en ära för undertecknad att få göra deras omslag. Så till er som hört dem förut: detta går i samma anda fast snäppet vassare. Och till er som aldrig hört dem: ta chansen att dyka in i en ny spännande värld.
8/10
http://www.artrock.se/artrock2009/recension2009_56.htm
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10 April 2009
CD REVIEW: Øresund Space Collective - Good Planets Are Hard To Find (2009,
Transubstans Records)
OK, so…
I have been listening to Good Planets Are Hard To Find, the latest release by Øresund Space Collective, for a few days now, and I am at a loss. I simply don’t know how to review this. This is not because I find the music lacking, or unenjoyable…it’s been a lovely soundtrack for 3 solid days of work. I am digging the vibe, the grooves, the heavy Indian influence (loads of sitar!). But I’m simply unable to figure out a good way to get this review started.
Øresund Space Collective releases small quantities of fully improvised space rock (this release, according to the band’s website, is limited to 1000 copies). Theirs is a sound that seems to fall generally speaking into the same branch of space rock as bands like Ozric Tentacles and Hidria Spacefolk in a lot of ways…trippy, groove oriented, instrumentals that sprawl out over 10 to 20 minutes in some cases, incorporating some heavy bass/drum groove interplay and a bit of playful musical sensibility. On this release, ØSC adds in copious amounts of sitar work, bringing a distinct eastern vibe to the proceedings. This isn’t space rock in the jackbooted alien, Hawkwind mode, not is it pataphysical humour-based like Gong…this is dance your arse off festival music.
There is some good variance in general sound on this album…it’s not like every song sounds like little more than a variation on a theme. The title track, which opens the album, exhibits a lot of the heavy sitar play that I really enjoy here. “Space Fountain” opens with a tight drum and bass groove, and just a smidge of light blanga. “Orbital Elevator” does this a bit better and a bit heavier, with some nicely sweeping synths and a good bit of crunchy rhythm guitar. If anything, songs like this one and the preceding “Space Fountain” could do with a bit more heaviness, and if there is a complaint to be made about this release, it’s that…so much of the album rests in a comfortable rhythmic groove that the band seems to not want to leave. A bit more tempo change would do wonders for me.
In some ways, “MTSST” best exemplifies this…there’s a touch of rhythmic/tempo shift throughout the track’s 19:28 length, but overall the song isn’t something that can be easily focused on the entire time. That doesn’t mean I don’t groove to its space-y sitar laced goodness…but it does mean that focused listening does not do the piece any amazing wonders.
I won’t say that space rock is a dirty secret for me…I certainly
enjoy quite a bit of it. And I enjoy Good Planets Are Hard To Find, much as
I have enjoyed other material I’ve heard Øresund Space Collective.
But this is not music that rewards focused, attentive listening. Sit back and
groove to it, or better yet, get up and dance to it. Play it at your next party.
Take it for what it is…lengthy excursions to the further reaches of altered
consciousness…
http://billsprogblog.blogspot.com/
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Øresund Space Collective - Good Planets Are Hard To Find (2009, Transubstans Records)
I've always considered myself a fan of the "space-rock" genre but I'm beginning to have my doubts whether my love of this music really does extend throughout all of the genre's soundscapes. I'm not overblown by Ozric Tentacles's music and, on this showing, neither am I by Øresund Space Collective's brand of totally improvised instrumental "space-rock". Clearly, I am either not on the right mind-altering substances or not living in the correct parallel universe. It's certainly a million miles from the music that bands like Hawkwind and their more recent pretenders like Litmus put out. Still....
Good Planets Are Hard to Find is the band's fifth album and features new members on drums, percussion, bass and guitar. The band themselves say that "...the music has a more progressive and melodic element and is less spacey than our previous releases." Oh, maybe I do like space-rock after all, it's just that this is not it. Maybe I should try one of their previous releases.
A key feature of this album is the inclusion of a guest musician, KG West, from the band Siena Root, on sitar. His sitar adorns the whole of the opening and closing tracks, "Good Planets Are Hard to Find" and "MTSST". You may remember that I raved about last year's Siena Root's Far From the Sun, which also featured occasional sitar from Mr.West. Unfortunately, whilst the sitar was beautifully integrated into Siena Root's music, it doesn't really gel with Øresund Space Collective's and both tracks meander pretty aimlessly.
Where this music is at its best is in those sections where the guitar is beefier and the band picks up the pace. "Space Fountain" is the pick of the crop, all the better for its relative brevity: if the remainder of the album was on a par with this then I'd be happier. Elsewhere, in the remaining three tracks, there are high points as the intensity picks up and the synthesizer kicks in. Conversely, when the pace drops, there isn't enough melodic interest, despite what the band say, or enough rhythmic interest to hold attention. Of course, by having no vocals you've already made it more difficult for yourself by discounting probably the most emotive and wonderful instrument, and the complete improvisation is probably not helping either: over 19 minutes of "PP746-3" - why? - it's ok occasionally but, overall, the natural reaction is to wish for the next band to come on!
Overall, then, a disappointment; I was expecting more from this album and will have to visit earlier efforts to determine whether Good Planets Are Hard to Find is just a blip or not. In itself, and even allowing for space-rock's mantric nature, its improvisations just do not justify their duration.
Track Listing:-
1) Good Planets Are Hard to Find (9:43)
2) Space Fountain (8:51)
3) Orbital Elevator (16:12)
4) PP746-3 (19:35)
5) My Heel Has a Beard (6:01)
6) MTSST (19:28)
Added: May 1st 2009
Reviewer: Alex Torres
2½ stars
http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=7760
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ORESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE- Good Planets Are Hard To Find
Genere: Space Rock
Etichetta: Tranbsubstans
Distribuzione: Masterpiece Distribution
Tracce: 5
Il sitar, affiancato dal basso pulsante, introduce "Good Planets Are Hard
To Find”, opener di questo disco degli Oresund Space Collective. Le atmosfere
arabeggianti evocate catalizzano immediatamente l’attenzione di chi ascolta.
Puro space-rock deviato e in continua espansione. Suoni liquidi attraversano
queste composizioni che viaggiano su una media di dodici minuti. Sei pezzi dilatati,
magnetici, lunghe come un viaggio interstellare. Chi sono gli O. S. C? Un gruppo
di musicisti danesi e svedesi, amici di vecchia, che suonano il loro genere
preferito. Se non avete tempo da perdere, o preferite l’urgenza di canzoni
veloci, lasciate perdere questa avventura, qui i minuti sono davvero tanti e
gli effetti stranianti stordiscono. Il disco merita di essere ascoltato in cuffia.
Il secondo brano "Space Foutain” mi ricorda le improvvisazioni dei
Motorpsycho più psichedelici, durante uno dei loro infuocati live. Queste
jam si distendono lente creando quelle sonorità tanto care al prog. Siamo
di fronte a otto musicisti capaci di suonare per ore, senza una meta predefinita,
manipolando suoni, usando loop. Le chitarre hanno un ruolo rilevante ma a volte,
leggermente, defilato rispetto alla mole di effetti che invadono le takes. È
chiaro che alla lunga il disco può stancare, soprattutto se non si è
avvezzi a certi suoni o se si di calo della soglia d’attenzione. Siamo
sicuri di non essere di fronte all’ennesima band che ha voglia di tirare
all’infinito idee stiracchiate. La presenza di KG, al sitar, membro dei
fantastici Siena Root, impreziosisce ulteriormente un disco ricco di perle space.
È difficile capire cosa ci sarebbe da salvare da queste jam se si dovessero
scegliere le parti più saliente per incidere un disco classico. Il vostro
ruolo di fronte ad un disco del genere è identico a quello di un produttore
che deve tirare fuori il meglio da questi minuti diluiti dall’improvvisazione.
Il disco merita più di un ascolto per l’alta qualità del
songwriting. "Orbital Elevator" esplode in assoli acidi, il suo sound
lisergico trascina prepotentemente il vostro cervello verso nuove scoperte.
Un po’ meno spacey dei precedenti quattro lavori, e con qualche apertura
melodica in più, questo disco sembra aver raggiunto una maturità,
forse legata a quello che sembra essere una forma di avvicinamento al formato
canzone. L’opera si conclude li dove la title-track si era interrotta.
Il sitar, nelle abili mani di KG, ci riporta in quei lidi affiorati dall'immaginario
della band. "MTSST" contiene venti minuti di affreschi sonori multicolore.
Un piacere per le mente e il corpo risucchiati dal turbine di sensazioni che
stimolano la potenza della fantasia. Il gruppo ha anche aperto per gli Hawkwind,
che altro vi serve per ascoltarli, che vi regalino una tv LCD cinquanta pollici?
Giuseppe Celano
http://www.babylonmagazine.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5709&Itemid=0
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Io Pages (Dutch Magazine) Review P1 and P2 These are PDF files
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Øresund Space Collective - Good Planets Are Hard to Find
April 22, 2009 by Jenn Patton O'Donnell
Category: Albums (and EPs)
Øresund Space Collective - Good Planets Are Hard to Find
Traditional jam bands don’t do much for me — sometimes I just want
the damn song to end already! Lengthy instrumentals are most often background
noise or unwanted annoyances in my life. But then, sometimes, a band comes along
that breaks all of the conventions. The things that annoy you about its peers
will perhaps endear you to it. This is the case with Scandinavian Øresund
Space Collective, a group featuring Danish, Swedish, and American musicians.
One of the most interesting things about this group is that all of the songs are completely improvised. The group gets together to play free-form space rock music and the members record each jam session. The result is hour after hour of recordings - offered up as mp3s, CD-Rs, and “proper” releases. Good Planets Are Hard to Find was recorded in 2007 with some musicians who had never been in the studio with the rest of the collective, and the recordings were subsequently sent to Steve Hayes (Secret Saucer) to be mixed.
The title track opens this collection of six. KG of Siena Root plays the sitar here, and on the final piece “Mtsst”. Six tracks may seem insubstantial at first, but two of them clock it at nearly 20 minutes and the shortest is a meaty 6 minutes. The layers of “Good Planets Are Hard to Find” are airy and subtle, leading to an interesting juxtaposition with “Space Fountain”, a much more rock-oriented, wailing blues jam. “Orbital Elevator” spins through even more progressive territory, with intergalactic synths and even thicker grooves. The same can be said of “Pp746-3? and “My Heel Has a Beard” as well. While the purely instrumental music is definitely jammy, there’s enough variation here to keep this album from landing in the background noise category. There is plenty of keep your attention, and the bookended sitar tracks are easily my favorites of the brilliant bunch.
It’s thoroughly amazing that all of Good Planets Are Hard to Find came out of improvisation. So many bands agonize over songwriting and have never recorded their music together in one room at one time. Certainly, Øresund Space Collective pick the best stuff to appear on a full-length release such as this, but I can’t imagine the “worst” stuff being very bad at all. Anyone who enjoys jam bands, progressive rock, or space rock should absolutely check out this group - even greater things will continue to come out of these improv sessions.
http://www.adequacy.net/2009/04/%C3%B8resund-space-collective-good-planets-are-hard-to-find/
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Øresund Space Collective - Good Planets Are Hard to Find
Oresund Space Collective are not so much a band as an ever-changing club of
spacerock jammers from Copenhagen. Despite (or perhaps because of) the revolving
door membership, OSC have been prolific in their output, both in terms of quantity
and quality. "Good Planets Are Hard To Find" is their fifth album
in as many years, and like the others, it clocks in at a maximum disc time of
over 79 minutes.
Oresund seem to have only two commandments when it comes to recording material,
those being that everything must be improvised and and recorded in just one
take (although the sleeve notes admit that there was one solitary overdub on
track three, when the synth went out of tune during the jam and a new solo had
to be recorded over the top). Band members have such imaginative noms-de-rock
as Mogans, Luz, PIB and Dr Space, the sleeve notes indicating that this is the
first Space Collective disc not to feature core members of Mantric Muse and
Bland Bladen. Instead, new member KG has boarded spaceship OSC, bringing in
sitar (amongst other instruments), featured heavily on the opening and closing
tracks.
"Good Planets Are Hard To Find" opens with the ten minute title track
featuring above-mentioned sitar and a very trippy Eastern vibe. Unlike with
other improvisationsal spacerock monsters such as Acid Mothers Temple, Farflung
and First Band From Outer Space, the volume controls are not set at eleven with
everything louder than everything else. Instead, there is a certain grace and
subtlety to the playing, as instruments casually slide in and out of the mix,
complementing rather than competing with each other. Thus OSC are less spacerock
than head-spinning space fusion, seemingly owing as much to Miles Davis as to
Hawkwind.
The nine minute "Space Fountain" and twenty minute "PP746-3"
(an enigmatic, if not catchy, title) both have more of a straight ahead "rock"
sound, with overdriven guitars layered on top of vintage Hammond B3 and funky
bass grooves. "My Heel Has A Beard" (another enigmatic title) is the
shortest track on the album, clocking in at a "mere" six minutes,
starting off slow and hazy before increasing speed to resemble an instrumental
version of Hawkwind's "Uncle Sam's On Mars". Overall, while Oresund
Space Collective don't promise to rock your socks off, they will certainly serve
as an excellent soundtrack fro drifting through the void.
Pat Albertson (Aural Innovations)
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ØRESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE: Good planets are hard to find
CD-Review vom 29.04.2009 drucken senden
Noch keine Kommentare. Kommentar schreiben.
Aus dem Paralleluniversum Øresund startet das ØRESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE seine bereits fünfte Reise in Welten, die nie ein Mensch zuvor gesehen hat. Dabei muss die Region grob zwischen Dänemarks Kopenhagen und Schwedens Malmö ein interessanter Kosmos sein, denn die Reise nach neuen Welten macht wirklich Spaß.
Dabei lebt der Sound des ØRESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE ausschließlich von Improvisationen, hier ist nichts zu Hause am Computer oder im Proberaum ausgearbeitet. Die Basisstation der dänisch/schwedischen Flotte ist in Kopenhagen, 2007 landete man wieder dort im Black Tomato Studio und spielte mit einigen neuen Mitgliedern sechs ausufernde, rein instrumentale Space-Jams ein. Dieser Jam-Faktor ist allgegenwärtig, dass die Songs eingeblendet und ausgefadet werden, nimmt man kaum wahr. Hier hat man Steve Hayes (SECRET SAUCER) komplett freie Hand gelassen und es passt. Und es wirkt: man ist sofort gefangen vom psychedelischen Sound, versinkt immer tiefer in den unendlichen Weiten der Klangbilder und ist bald fernab dieser Welt. Kommt die Sitar dazu, dann zieht man auch mal durch orientalische Kolonien. Die in sphärische Klangbilder eingewobene Gitarrenmelodie von "PP746-3" setzt sich so hartnäckig im Kopf fest wie die Alienbrut im Leib von Ellen Ripley.
Egal ob man nun lieber mit alten Helden wie HAWKWIND und ganz frühen PINK FLOYD oder neueren Bands wie FIRST BAND FROM OUTER SPACE oder auch MY SLEEPING KARMA auf Reisen geht, hier wird man in ewig langen Songs durch das All geschickt. Durch das intensive Zusammenspiel kommt nie Langeweile auf - sofern man diesen spacigen Sound mag - und die Welt drumherum findet nicht mehr statt, herrlich. Für Hippies und Space-Freaks absolut zu empfehlen.
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Member: ffroyd (Profile) (All Album Reviews by ffroyd)
Date: 5/3/2009
Format: CD (Album)
The collective has gathered once again for another journey into deep space. For those unfamiliar with this outfit, ØSC is an all-improvisational band with an ever-evolving membership. Good Planets Are Hard To Find is the group’s fifth official CD since forming in 2004, not to mention the numerous CD-R recordings and digital downloads there are available. The band plays almost endless jams with lots of synths, echo guitars and other spacey elements.
As with almost every new disc they put out, there are several new members introduced into the music. Most notably here is KG West from the Swedish band Sienna Root who plays some really nice sitar on the opening and closing tracks. He also plays guitar in some other places. The rest of the lineup is Tobias – guitars, Mogens – Hammond and synths, Jocke and Thomas – bass, PIB – drums, Luz – percussion, and Dr. Space – synthesizers.
This is a great disc and should appeal to anyone who has heard ØSC before. I might be tempted to say hat they are not breaking very much new ground here but I’m still very much into this kind of music so I can’t really complain. The songs are a little shorter on this one and that may make them easier to digest. The sitar really helps out quite a bit to give them a fresher sound. Hopefully one of these days the group can make it over to the US for a festival or two. This side of the planet is good to visit too.
http://www.progressiveears.com/asp/reviews.asp?albumID=4791
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Øresund Space Collective
Good Planets Are Hard To Find
Spielzeit: 79:52
Medium: CD
Label: Transubstans Records, 2009
Stil: Space Jam
Review vom 14.04.2009
Joachim 'Joe' Brookes
Das Øresund Space Collective ist sich treu geblieben: Ihr fünftes
Album mit dem richtungsweisenden Titel "Good Planets Are Hard To Find"
hat man abermals in den Black Tornado Studios eingespielt.
Einige Musiker sind der Band untreu geworden. An den Instrumenten Schlagzeug,
Percussion, Bass, Gitarre sowie Sitar gibt es neue Leute.
Und siehe da, nicht nur für das Langhals-Saiteninstrument ist der Siena
Root-Mann KG West zuständig.
Für das Mixing gingen die Tapes auf Tour und in Amerika legte Secret Saucer-Musiker
Steve Hayes Hand an. Er ist auch für das Synthesizer-Solo in "Orbital
Elevator" zuständig, denn Mogens Instrument versagte seine Dienste.
Der Sound wurde von Henrik Udd, der bereits die beiden Vorgänger-Alben
unter seinen Fittichen hatte, abgerundet.
Was den Klang der Reise in den Weltraum, auf der Suche nach guten Planeten angeht,
ist der mehr als prächtig.
Das Kollektiv schickt uns auf einen herrlichen Trip in Sphären, die unglaublich
intensiv auf den Hörer einwirken. Mit äußerstem Fingerspitzengefühl
öffnet man dem Reisewilligen die Tür vom ØSC-Flugobjekt und
bereits nach wenigen Minuten hält man das Space-Ticket gerne zum Abriss
hin.
Im Opener, gleichzeitig auch Titeltrack des mit fast 80 Minuten randvollen Albums,
sowie "MTSST" versetzt uns KG West in fernöstliche Trance-Zustände.
Recht schnell verlässt man das Magnetfeld der Erde und begibt sich, am
besten mit Kopfhörern ausgestattet, in die Schwerelosigkeit der skandinavischen
Space Jam-Produktionsgemeinschaft.
Im Zusammenhang mit schwebenden Zuständen von Bodenhaftung zu schreiben
schließt sich an und für sich aus, allerdings ist es, bei aller Leichtigkeit
des sich organisch entwickelnden Klanggefüges, schwierig, den Dreh zum
Tieftöner zu bekommen.
Wie dem auch sei: Einen derart sanft blubbernden Bass aus ungeahnten Tiefen
des Alls (also, geht doch) habe ich schon lange nicht mehr gehört. Die
Startphase des Erstlings dauert fast sechs Minuten und der Bass ist es, der
butterweich den Take off in noch höhere Sphären einleitet. Links die
Sitar, rechts wabbert die verfremdete Gitarre und überall sind die Synthesizer
sowie Keyboards unterwegs. Das Schlagzeug setzt zu einer etwas härteren
Gangart an und das für die Steuerung des Raumfahrzeugs zuständige
Team bewegt den im Cockpit befindlichen Dynamik-Hebel immer weiter nach rechts.
Schichtwechsel beim Bedienungspersonal: Die 'Links-Kanal-Sitar' hat Pause und
jetzt servieren die beiden Space-Gitarren.
Vor dem Start hat man nicht nur das Gepäck der Passagiere erschütterungsfrei
verzurrt, sondern das Kollektive hat für seine lange Reise auch den Blues
nicht vergessen, den sowohl KG wie auch Tobias anzupfen… rechts Wah Wah-pedalt,
links verzerrt.
Aus dem Gitarren-Duo schält sich langsam Mogens Hammond zu einem Weltraum-Spaziergang
heraus. Die Tasten-Sounds haben durch die beiden 6-Saiter natürlich ständigen
Kontakt zur Raumpatrouille. Insgesamt ist "Space Fountain" eine jammige
Gitarren-Orgie. Synthesizer sorgen einerseits für herrliches Tinitus-Sausen
und andererseits eine kurze tolle Solo-Aktion.
Für bereits erwähnten "Orbital Elevator" verdoppelt man
die Arbeitszeit und die Herren im Maschinenraum haben den Befehl zur Beschleunigung
auf Warp 4 sofort umgesetzt. Im Schatten eines kleinen Planeten erzeugen die
Gitarren ein recht düster riffende Atmosphäre, aus dem man allerdings
ziemlich schnell wieder heraus kommt. Für die Mitgereisten servieren KG
sowie Tobias jetzt die Longdrinks. Unglaublich, welch Klänge sie mit ihren
Arbeitsgeräten erzeugen. Auf der einen Seite dominieren sie das Treiben,
auf der anderen ergehen sie sich in der Gemeinsamkeit mit anderen Sound-Körpern.
Die Insassen scheinen nicht mehr ganz Herr der Ereignisse zu sein. Wer ist hier
wofür zuständig?
Die ØSC-Besatzung war so vorher noch nie gemeinsam auf einem Space-Trip,
erfährt man ganz nebenbei. Erstaunlich, wie gut die Hand-in-Hand-Arbeit
abläuft.
Für weitere zwanzig Minuten zündet man die Bord-Raketen, gibt dem
Raumschiff eine andere Umlaufbahn und nimmt Kurs auf "PP746-3". Es
hat den Anschein, als hätte man, aus der Ferne betrachtet, am Rande unserer
Galaxie einen Vertrauens-erweckenden Planeten ins Visier genommen. Die Stimmung
an Bord ist völlig entspannt. Je näher der Planetoid ins Blickfeld
rückt, scheint es bedrohlich zu werden. Ist man einer Fehleinschätzung
aufgesessen? Vor den Reisenden kann das Personal seine Nervosität nicht
verbergen. Man agiert zunehmend hektischer. Unruhe kommt auf. Am meisten merkt
man es dem PIB an. Über die interene Kommunikation gibt ein Großteil
der Mannschaft, allen voran wieder die Gitarren-Kellner KG sowie Tobias Entwarnung.
Der Baldrian-Part wie geliefert und man entspannt abermals. "PP746-3"
ist doch friedlicher, als zunächst angenommen.
In "MTSST" ist die KG-Sitar wieder da und nach einem beeindruckenden
Trip werden wir im Sinkflug langsam auf die Rückkehr vorbereitet. In Form
eines exotischen Erlebnisses hat Tobias noch eine Überraschung parat. Beim
Wiedereinstieg in die Erdatmosphäre rüttelt es einen schon ein wenig
durch und man wird mit der leider so bekannten Hektik konfroniert.
Øresund Space Collectives "Good Planets Are Hard To Find" ist,
nach Inside Your Head ein weiterer gigantischer Space Jam.
Empehlung: Am Stück hören! Portioniert bringt es das nichts!
http://www.rocktimes.de/gesamt/opq/oresund_space_collective/good_planets_are_hard_to_find.html
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ORESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE - Good Planets are Hard to Find
/ paru le 15-04-2009 /
Après "Inside your Head" sorti en 2008, Øresund Space
Collective nous propose déjà son 5e album. Ce collectif composé
de Danois et de Suédois s'est spécialisé dans le space
rock. Inutile de dire qu'ils ont été influencés par des
gens tels Hawkwind, Pink Floyd et Tangerine Dream. La base de leur travail provient
toujours de sessions d'improvisation.
Le line-up a subi quelques changements et parmi ceux-ci on note l'apport d'un sitar. Voilà qui ajoute de nouvelles couleurs comme le démontre le morceau d'ouverture "Good Planets are Hard to Find", mais également "MTSST" qui clôture l'album. Le résultat est un peu comme si on avait ajouté Ravi Shankar ou son émule George Harrison au line-up de Hawkwind. Intrigant, spatial, hypnotique. Bienvenue dans le voyage intersidéral.
Øresund Space Collective s'est spécialisé dans les morceaux de longue durée, un peu normal pour un groupe qui improvise la plupart du temps. C'est ainsi que la moitié des titres dépassent les dix minutes, deux atteignant les vingt. Pourtant, jamais on ne ressent de lassitude. Tout se déroule à merveille avec toujours ce petit quelque chose qui fait briller l'ensemble et nous permet d'éviter l'ennui. Le groove développé par les deux basses imprime une dynamique irrésistible sur laquelle viennent se greffer des guitares surtout, mais également des claviers, dont un Hammond qui convient parfaitement au style. Un des morceaux les plus irrésistibles est le mystérieux "PP746-3" à l'ambiance floydienne du temps de "A Saucerful of Secrets" et "Meddle", l'occasion d'échanges intenses entre les guitares et les claviers.
Voilà une musique qui vous invite à confortablement vous installer dans votre sofa, toutes lumières éteintes, afin de laisser les ambiances spatiales vous pénétrer, vous hypnotiser. Une musique complètement hors du temps qui fait un bien fou.
Jean-Pierre Lhoir
http://www.musicinbelgium.net/pl/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=3379
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Øresund Space Collective- Good planets are hard to find
Transsubstans/Border
Spacerockbandet Øresund Space Collective har sedan tidigare släppt
fyra album och består av ett gäng musiker från Köpenhamn/Malmö-regionen.
Man har den här gången plockat in ett antal nya medlemmar och KG
från Siena Root gästar på sitar på två av låtarna.
Det är ingen tvekan om att bandet består av kompetenta musiker, men
sanningen är att den här typen av musik gör sig så väldigt
mycket bättre live. Låtar på upp emot 20 minuter kan på
skiva kännas lite väl maffigt och jag tror att den visuella biten
hade kunnat höja upplevelsen ett par snäpp till. Rent musikaliskt
så kommer man väl inte direkt med några nya omvälvande
idéer, men fans av band som Yes, Jethro Tull och Alan Parsons Project
borde kunna tilltalas av detta. Mitt tips är att du först ser dem
live och sen köper skivan om det du hör och ser faller dig i smaken.
Thomas Rödin
http://groove.se/site/recension.asp?recId=3545&mediumId=1
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Band: Oresund Space Collective
CD Title: “Good Planets are hard to Find”
Band Website: www.oresundspacecollective.com
Label: Transubstans Records
Label Website: www.recordheaven.net
Release Date: 2009
My 18 year old daughter has a thing, where anytime she’s hears a sitar on what I’m listening to, she’ll affectionately call it ‘hippie music’. And she means that in the nicest possible way. Now what I was listening to was the latest release from Oresund Space Collective entitled Good Planets are hard to Find and she had no idea how correct she really was in that description. This is the bands 5th official CD and her ‘hippie’ observations are more accurate than I initially expected. Especially when you understand that hippie music - is to psychedelic music - is to acid rock - is to space music - is exactly what we have here.
It is true that OSC are very much a space-rock band, but I guess you could say that space-rock comes in many shapes and sizes and this time around with their ever revolving set of players the music has taken on a more decided psychedelic feel, especially with the guitar. I was just blown away by the many subtle sixties references. The overall feel is still long-extended musical works that move you to trance like states, but at the same time with the music on Good Planets are hard to Find, you could almost feel the floor moving in one of the San Francisco ballrooms while listening to this stuff. The mix made it even more so, where one instrument would slide out of the picture only to have another slide in with a different riff. It was all very organic and yet still very spacey. But I have to say on this disc the guitars really made it for me; a hint of Quicksilver Messenger Service, a dash of early Pink Floyd and smidgen of Jefferson Airplane…but without the vocals. What we have here are six really long instrumentals; the shortest being a ‘mere’ 6:01 and the longest being 19:28. The sitar I mentioned makes a powerful appearance on the opening and closing tracks and is provided by KG from the band Siena Root. On top of that the music’s overall feel is pretty up-tempo, especially in “Orbital Elevator [16:12] where it starts slow and then just keeps building and building going faster and faster. Wild!
Oresund Space Collective have made it a point to capitalize on their revolving
door of members, seeing it as a way to breathe new life into their sound and
style. Each disc comes with a completely fresh approach. That’s not something
that every group can handle but OSC seem to thrive on it. And if the music on
Good Planets are Hard to Find is any indication their formula has a lot of life
left in it. This is a great disc; it’s interesting to listen to, sounds
good and is played well. Space-rock fans, you’ll want to avail yourself
of this disc as soon as humanly or alienly possible
http://www.jerrylucky.com/reviews%20k-o_022.htm
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Øresund Space Collective: Good Planets Are Hard to Find
Transubstans Records (Trans 044)
Good Planets Are Hard to Find is the latest studio album by Danish-Swedish improvisational space/psych/kraut rock group Øresund Space Collective and it was released in february. Now the instrumantation also includes sitar for the first time and it's played by Siena Root's KG who also plays some guitar and Hammond. The familiar synth player Ola is not involved on this disc, but Dr. Space and Mogens make sure that there are enough of those psychedelic space sounds in there. In addition to KG, the guitar is only played by Tobias, so the sitar tracks don't have that much guitar. As always, the music on this album was recorded live with just one take and fully improvised, and then they have picked the best pieces from the recordings to be used later on.
The title track ”Good Planets Are Hard to Find” is an amazing sitar jam that's totally new for the band. They have given lots of space for the great sitar playing and other elements are mostly just bass, light drums and delicate guitar. Apart from the occasional space sounds there are no synthesizers or keyboards. Towards the end the going gets a bit more energetic, and the very end gets you in trance... Excellent stuff! ”Space Fountain” is a mid-tempo acid rock jam, that also has some organ sounds and a superb synth solo in the end. There's also plenty of great guitar playing and space sounds. ”Orbital Elevator” is a really groovy, electric, up-beat and very psychedelic piece, that rocks very well. This sort of reminds me of Ozric Tentacles. Space rock, baby! The more peaceful, celestial part in the middle is pure ecstasy. Some of the best stuff on the album, and we will start to see those good planets by now for sure...
The Pretty slow ”Pp746-3” includes for example great synth melodies and organ sounds. At around the four-minute-marker the going starts to get more powerful and we can hear some hypnotic rocking. The percussion work offers a nice extra feel during the guitar solo. It's also very nice that the boys have been brave enough to incorporate some more chord variation. Later on there is a swinging ¾ time signature going on. The funnily entitled ”My Heel Has a Beard” is the album's shortest, only six minutes and something long hallucinatory jam that doesn't necessarily take you anywhere but what matters here is the trip in itself. The Eastern sitar stuff continues on the last, under 20 minutes long piece called ”MSTTS”. Just like on the opener, also here the sitar gets lots of room, but there is still some more guitar on this one, especially towards the end. The track also includes percussion. The going gets more intense and those cosmic space sounds that Dr. Space was first let to mess with at Dark Sun's rehearsal place ten years ago are all over the place... This is a very strong and successful ending for this new OSC album that I'd dare to say is their best in many ways. It seems like the band will come back to Finland this autumn for a couple of gigs so go and experience this improvisation being also live on stage. In Finland, the albums are available for example from www.levykauppax.fi.
www.oresundspacecollective.com
20.06.09 by Dj Astro
http://www.unimeri.com/PsychotropicZone/reviews.en.php?subaction=showfull&id=1245486932&archive=&start_from=&ucat=3&
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Oresound space collective - Good planets are hard to find (Space-rock) (Hungarian blog site)
A minium kilenctagú zenekar szerepelt már itt, a The black tomato
lemezzel. Amit érdemes tudni az az, hogy 2004-ben alakultak, azóta
ez a sorban ötödik nagylemezük.
A banda próbái összefüggo jammelések, amelyek
rögzítésre is kerülnek, és amit ingyenesen letölthetové
tesznek a honlapjukon ami eddig több mint 35 órányi anyag.
Ez is egy beolvasott bakelit, amely ezer példányban jelent meg.
A korábbi lemezekhez képest talán progresszívebb,
és tömörebb lett az album, viszont egy dinamikus, és
vibráló anyagot alkottak, mely egy hosszú, és mesés
zenei utazást igér. A space-rock maradt, és a tagok is
általában szabadon improvizálnak, de a funk, jazz, reggae
hatása máig érzodik rajtuk.
A nyitó és a záró felvételen KG szerepel
a Siena root-ból, és csodás szitárjátékkal
kápráztatja el a hallgatót. Varázslatos, és
felejthetelen alkotás.
Space
http://csakbennhajogerendazatto.freeblog.hu/archives/2009/05/
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Good Planets are Hard to Find - Øresund Space Collective
By Giulia Gasparato on Jun 22, 2009 in Album, Recensioni
Un collettivo formato da nove musicisti, chitarre, synth, bassi e percussioni;
lunghissime jam session, votate completamente all’improvvisazione e registrate
di volta in volta: con questo sistema, l’Øresund Space Collective,
formato nel 2004, ha già realizzato ben cinque album. La loro ultima
fatica, Good planets are hard to find, figlia di questo metodo, racchiude sei
brani per ottanta minuti di musica. Danesi, svedesi, americani, questi musicisti
si uniscono per suonare, spesso affiancati da una miriade di collaboratori e
strumenti aggiuntivi. Non c’è un genere imposto a prescindere:
le composizioni, completamente strumentali, variano dal rock psichedelico all’elettronica,
mantenendo quasi sempre un groove vagamente funk. I brani sono spesso molto
lunghi, si arriva fino ai venti minuti, e non di rado mutano al loro interno.
Un’alternanza di strumenti che a turno sembrano prendere il sopravvento,
anche se la chitarra non manca mai di farsi sentire. Svetta spesso il suono
del sitar, che sospende le musiche tra echi spaziali e richiami agli anni ‘70,
dai momenti più psichedelici dei Beatles ai deliri di Frank Zappa. L’intero
progetto si riconduce così a quel filone “spaziale” che già
aveva interessato altre storiche band.
Si tratta di un’opera non di facilissimo ascolto, considerata anche la
lunghezza dei brani che a volte inciampano nella ripetitività. Ad ogni
modo, l’Øresund Space Collective riesce a creare atmosfere suggestive
e, vista la particolarità dei suoni e degli intenti, si merita almeno
un ascolto.
http://www.losthighways.it/2009/06/22/good-planets-are-hard-to-find-%c3%98resund-space-collective/
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Øresund Space Collective "Planets are hard to Find"
(transubstans Records, VÖ: 25.03.2009)
Planeten sind schwer zu finden. Und weil sie schon mal fündig geworden
sind, bleiben sie auch auf der Erde. Das Øresund Space Collective hat
seine neue Platte 79:54 Minuten lang werden lassen. Die Zeit verstaut sich in
6 Songs, drei davon sind weit über 15 Minuten lang, die drei "kurzen"
zwischen 5 und 10.
Mit ihrem schwebenden Waber-Space-Mobil hatte die Band sich jüngst über
dem inspirativen Indien in Hab-Acht-Stellung gebracht und die Lauscher ganz
weit geöffnet, dabei sind beatleske Indientöne und Psychedelic Rock
mit eingefangen worden, was dem persönlichen Sound der extraterrestrischen
Klangexperten, dem Spacerock, einen netten Beigeschmack gibt.
Über Indien haben sich jedoch auch Drogenschwaden gesammelt, die das Team
ganz dröge im Kopf gemacht haben. So wurden die Songs lang und länger,
ohne dass mehr Inhalt hinein kam. Die epische Weite findet zwar immer wieder
ein paar Asteroiden und Weltraummüll zum durch die Gegend kicken, aber
insgesamt ist der Raum so groß, dass sämtliche Ultragroßideen
darin wie verschwindend kleine Bakterien wirken.
Indien, Weltraum, Psychedelic Rock, Space Rock, Øresund Space Collective
- auf dem Herzberg wird die Nacht damit kurz, ob die düstere Bude zu Hause
diese gemächlich schlendernde Soundmixtur mag, liegt einzig an eurer Klimaanlage.
http://www.ragazzi-music.de/oresundspacecollective09.html
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
http://www.deafsparrow.com/transubstans-records-feature.htm
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Time Magazine 4 (Germany)
ØRESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE -
Good Planets Are Hard to Find 2009 (CD Transubstans Rec)
This is the latest studio album by Danish-Swedish improvisational space/psych/kraut
rock group Øresund Space Collective. As always, the music on this album
was recorded live with just one take and fully improvised, and then they have
picked the best pieces from the recordings to be used later on. Now the instrumantation
also includes sitar for the first time and it’s played by Siena Root’s
KG who also plays some guitar and Hammond. Title track “Good Planets Are
Hard to Find” is an amazing sitar jam that’s totally new for the
band. “Space Fountain” is a mid-tempo acid rock jam, that also has
some organ sounds and a superb synth solo in the end. “Orbital Elevator”
is a really groovy, electric, up-beat and very psychedelic piece, that reminds
me of Ozric Tentacles. The Pretty slow “Pp746-3” includes great
synth melodies and organ sounds. The funnily entitled “My Heel Has a Beard”
is the album’s shortest, only six minutes and something long hallucinatory
jam that doesn’t necessarily take you anywhere but what matters here is
the trip in itself. The Eastern sitar stuff continues on the last, under 20
minutes long piece called “MSTTS”. This is a very strong and successful
ending for this new OSC album that I’d dare to say is their best in many
ways. DJ.ATime Magzine
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REVIEWS IN THIS ISSUE:
Karnataka – The Gathering Light
The Watch – Planet Earth?
Motion Theory - Featherhead
Supernal Endgame – Touch The Sky ~ Volume I
Olivier Feuillerat Projekt – Stories For An Open Mind
Maudlin Of The Well – Part The Second
Alamaailman Vasarat - Huuro Kolkko
Asher Quinn – Forgotten Language Of The Heart
Moonlight Sky – Moonlight Sky
Moonlight Sky – I Am
The Barstool Philosophers – Sparrows
Øresund Space Collective - Good Planets Are Hard To Find
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Karnataka – The Gathering Light Country of Origin: UK
Format: CD
Record Label: Immrama Records
Catalogue #: KTK CD0005
Year of Release: 2010
Time: 66:06
Info: Karnataka
Samples: Click here
Tracklist: The Calling (1:59), State Of Grace (8:53), Your World (7:48), Moment
In Time (6:53), The Serpent And The Sea (10:21), Forsaken (12:24), Tide To Fall
(5:36), The Gathering Light (14:12)
This is Karnataka’s fifth release but comes some 7 years after their previous studio offering, DPRP Recommended Delicate Flame Of Desire (2003). Since then, the band have split, somewhat acrimoniously, and reformed with the only surviving member, Ian Jones, carrying the name forwards and onwards in a completely new incarnation consisting of Lisa Fury (vocals), Ian Harris (drums), Gonzalo Carerra (keyboards) & Enrico Pinna (lead & acoustic guitars). What this new line-up has created is an album of astonishing beauty and precision-crafted excellence.
In the very broadest sense, the material here is consistent with previous releases in that it is hugely atmospheric and has a kind of understated ‘Celtic/Traditional music’ wash that will serve to keep old fans of the band content and happy. The wonderfully ubiquitous Troy Donockley makes a guest appearance on four of the tracks (The Calling, Moment In Time, Forsaken and The Gathering Light), bringing his piping, whistling goodness to the game with the assurance that only a tried and tested specialist can afford. Similarly, Hugh McDowell (ELO), contributes cello to the opulent, ethereal and graceful string arrangements that appear on State Of Grace, Moment In Time, Forsaken, Tide To Fall and The Gathering Light. However, I’m sure Karnataka would like to develop a new audience too and The Gathering Light may just be the album to springboard them to wider acclaim.
Predominantly, all eight tracks are tender, cultivated, mid-tempo, soothing and redolent pieces. However, it is in the details of the individual musicians that the magic of The Gathering Light surely resides. Of the new players, Enrico Pinna furnishes every track with radiant and towering guitar parts that sing of Andy Latimer, Steve Hackett and David Gilmour but laced with his own musical personality. He brings expression, sensitivity and emotion to his playing so that the guitar melodies could be considered in the same way as vocal lines. Gonzalo Carrera has contributed his compositional skills to three of the tracks (State Of Grace, Your World and The Gathering Light) and his overall contribution to the album colours every moment with his truly wonderful keyboard arrangements. Every track is alive with a host of acoustic characters that create an incredibly rich canvas of textures, colours, shading and tones. Rhythms, pulses, swells and sonic shapes glimmer and coruscate in a constant interplay of shifting and evolving musical backdrops to fashion dense atmospherics; oceans of sound, teeming with flashing, exquisite and exotic musical lifeforms. I cannot overstate the importance of the keyboards to the overall sound and they are stunning. It’s not mellotrons and analog lead synths, but together, Ian Jones and Carerra have authored some of the best electronic, programmed arrangements I think I have ever heard. It really is that good.
These lead characters (guitars and keys) are supported throughout by a dynamic and articulate rhythm section. I’m a big fan of The Flower Kings, and Jonas Rheingold in tandem with any of the stellar drummers he partners always provides a whole other listening dimension. Ian Jones and Ian Harris achieve something comparable here. Jones’ tasteful and melodic bass is sometimes lyrical and complex, at others robust, full and weight-bearing, whilst Harris shifts seamlessly between steady and ballistic with the sort of élan I would normally reserve for the likes of Zoltan Csorsz or Nick D’Virgilio. This is sensitive, intelligent and technically dazzling musicianship but never showy or ostentatious for the sake of it, every flourish is integrated and organic. The epic Forsaken is testament to all of this and, for me, the stand out track of the album.
Crowning the whole affair is Lisa Fury’s vocal work. She contributes emotional depth and passionate delivery with technical brilliance putting her up there with some of the best female vocalists, not only of this generation, but amongst those who have gone before and left their distinctive mark within the genre. In a general sense, Karnataka tread the path laid by Clannad, Iona, Enya, Dead Can Dance and, more recently, Mostly Autumn. So, Lisa certainly has the sort of range and timbre of singers like Heather Findlay and, in case you are wondering, is every inch a replacement for the charms of Rachel Jones. Whilst I can easily draw comparisons, Lisa’s voice is beautiful, magnetic, charismatic and haunting in its own right. Add to this the credits she receives for her lyrics (which are evocative though otherwise unremarkable, it’s in her larynx that they blossom into life, not on the page) and we clearly have an extremely talented and creative personality who can hopefully hang around to develop and front the profile of the band into the future.
And this leads me into my concluding thoughts. Could this be the breakthrough album for Karnataka? It certainly deserves to be. It crosses boundaries by being accessible and affecting with gorgeous melodies, sumptuous arrangements and absolutely stunning production to give the whole album a highly accomplished and commercial sheen. With the appropriate support, the potential appeal of The Gathering Light is enormous. I can’t imagine it appealing to many young men, it’s not edgy enough, or particularly relevant in any way. But it is beautiful and mountainous and oceanic in scale. As delicate as crystal and as solid, tactile and evocative of grandeur as marble, this is a palpable, poignant, sensuous and impressive musical experience. Without a doubt, my album of 2010 so far.
Conclusion: 9 out of 10
JON BRADSHAW
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The Watch – Planet Earth? Country of Origin: Italy
Format: CD
Record Label: Lizard
Catalogue #: N/A
Year of Release: 2010
Time: 45:03
Info: The Watch
Samples: Click here
Tracklist: Welcome To Your Life (6:11), Something Wrong (7:41), Earth (5:52),
All The Lights In Town (8:15), The World Inside (5:58), New Normal (3:41), Tourist
Trap (7:23)
Twilight, by the then Night Watch was deemed “one of the best albums of 1998” in Dirk van den Hout’s 9+ DPRP review. A few years later 2004’s Vacuum garnered an 8/10 DPRP review by Bob Mulvey. Other albums that have not yet been reviewed but which I can heartily recommend are Ghost (2001), Primitive (2007) and Live (2008).
The Watch are an Italian five piece consisting of Giorgio Gabriel (electric guitars, 12 strings acoustic guitar, classical guitar); Guglielmo Mariotti (bass, bass pedals, 12 string electric & acoustic guitars, vocals); Valerio De Vittorio (pianos, Hammond L122 organ, mellotron, Arp and Moog, synths, vocals); Simone Rossetti (vocals, flute, tambourine, Moog, mellotron [studio]) and Marco Fabbri (drums, percussions, vocals).
Firstly, a word of warning. All you mellotron fans had better order in some paper hankies. There’s going to be weeping. And perhaps worse. The instrument is so interwoven into the sound on this record you will be grinning from ear to ear. For me, mellotrons are like cars – I don’t know how they work but I’m glad they do. I’m sure witchcraft is involved.
For all you trivia fans, the band use, and take on tour, an M400 (serial no. 1689) mellotron which was bought in an Italian studio and which has previously been used by, amongst others, Brian May of Queen. Currently the band’s tape set consists of the following sounds: 3 violins, 8 mixed choirs and flute. They all get a tremendous workout.
The Watch are unashamedly progressive, and truly love the genre. Check out their t-shirts if you don’t believe me. Over the course of their recorded output they have honed a sound that is truly theirs. Not a copy, not a pastiche. Constant gigging has seen them develop an amazingly accomplished, incredibly tight sound.
This is a record to be listened to time and time again. It manages to be incredibly complex yet it all sounds so effortless. Yet again the production is top notch.
As the band state on their website, they want the listener to “experience deep musical feelings at the very first listening” then “discover interesting melodies and new musical nuances every time you play it”.
No track-by-track as such as the record stands as a complete piece of music. Not a concept album per se but one with a universal theme - “the wonderful planet we live on”. Given the inspiration, it is no surprise that the texture is less aggressive, more reflective than 2007’s Primitive, which up until now was my favourite Watch album, even though many of the cognoscenti prefer 2004’s Vacuum. Simone Rosseti’s wonderfully emotive voice teases out every nuance of the thoughtful lyrics.
If I have a criticism it is that it’s over far too quickly – 45 minutes counts as an EP now in these 70 plus minute CD days. Ghost, Vaccum and Primitive all clocked in at around 47 minutes. I’m being selfish of course.
Standout track for me is Something Wrong – beautiful choir mellotron, wonderful understated soloing from Giorgio Gabriel.
There are a few slightly more bombastic tracks that would have fit in well on Primitive, Earth for example. Or All The Lights In Town. Put it this way, granny couldn’t dance to it. Time changes a-plenty, stunning guitar, mellotron and keyboard interplay.
New Normal sees John Hackett adding some sublime flute. He and Nick Magnus opened for the band on several UK shows recently, including one at the CRS where a certain Steve Hackett appeared unannounced on stage with his brother.
Tourist Trap, another contender for best track, could have been an early solo piece by Peter Gabriel. It even has the word monkey in the lyrics. There’s Lamb Lies Down riffing with even a touch of Fish in the vocal. All liberally sprinkled with delightful mellotron, Hammond and synth breaks. It finishes far too quickly for me.
Needless to say this record comes highly recommended. Good headphones and a decent stereo will have you finding new bits you missed in the car or through your MP3 pod dock thing. It’s an early contender for record of the year. You see, it’s that rare beast - prog made by genuine, talented people who love prog for people who love prog. And for no other reason. Not to make them rich beyond dreams of avarice, not for ‘brand positioning’. A record that will make you smile.
Conclusion: 9 out of 10
BRIAN WATSON
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Motion Theory - Featherhead Country of Origin: UK
Format: CD
Record Label: Independent
Catalogue #: N/A
Year of Release: 2009
Time: 43:15
Info: Motion Theory
Samples: Click here
Tracklist: I Love The Smell Of The Universe In The Morning (6:17), Until You
Leave (4:09), Lucidity (6:33), All I Need (4:23), Big Boys (5:50), Make Some
Noise (3:50), Cycles (5:17), Featherhead (6:56)
Motion Theory are a young four-piece formed at Durham University in 2008 where the members, Dom Main (lead vocals and synths), James Kerr (bass), Jamie Wesley (guitar) and Will Soutter (drums), were apparently studying classical music. Within months of forming they released Sunlight On The Sand, a six-track EP, which was followed in late 2009 by an album, Featherhead. The band gained wider recognition when they entered three of their compositions into the UK Songwriting Contest and all three made it through to the semi-finals.
Despite the young age of the band, whose combined age is less than that of BB King, it is clear from the offset that the quartet are no musical slouches and are experienced in musical dynamics and composition that exceeds a lot of bands who are further along in their careers. Opener I Love The Smell Of The Universe In The Morning is testimony to this with an energetic vibe that encapsulates a sound not unlike that of Muse but with a degree more subtlety, particularly on the end coda. Until You Leave is more up-front with full-on guitar assault from the off and a lively bass line that jumps all over the place. Main has an impressive voice that spans the octaves, although one can't help but feel that the recording has not captured the best of his singing - possibly studio inexperience combined with financial limitations and need of a good producer (the drums are rather too loud in the mix for my preferences as well) - although this doesn't detract from the music. Wesley unleashes some blistering fretwork at the end of the song to boot. Taking things down a tad, Lucidity goes for the slow burn with a vaguely ethnic rhythm and a large chorus, with a rather discordant guitar solo in the middle, well originality never hurt anyone! Despite being the most commercial song on the album, All I Need manages not to sell out the integrity of the group with flourishes that hint at their aspirations and, again, Wesley showing his adept and versatile guitar playing.
Continuing to vary the mood, Big Boys takes things right down and showcases a more subtle approach that is perfectly arranged and has become my personal favourite on the album. When applied correctly, simplicity is often more powerful that brutal onslaught. Although Make Some Noise does its best to refute this as a powerful, and somewhat anthemic song that must serve brilliantly as a live number, particularly if employed as a set opener with appropriate audience participation! Different again is Cycles with more words per minute than even the fastest rappers and a middle section where guitarist and drummer sound as if they are racing each other to the end. A lovely melodic bass line somehow holds things together, although I swear all four musicians are playing in completely different time signatures! Final song and title track, Featherhead is one of the numbers contributed to the songwriting contest and once again displays a mature subtlety, carefully contrasting the somewhat angelic vocals of Main against the grittier guitar breaks of Wesley. I don't think the clap-along section in the middle worked too well as it was too much of a break between the far more impressive opening and, particularly, closing sections but on the whole is an impressive closing number.
Motion Theory have far more ideas than any band of their age and experience should, by right, possess. The fact that they are able to convincingly put them into practice augurs well for the future. It is hard to pigeonhole the music as it covers many bases - alt rock to prog with tangents off in multiple directions - but the talent is definitely there. It will certainly be interesting, and no doubt entertaining, to hear what the group comes up with next.
Conclusion: 7 out of 10
MARK HUGHES
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Supernal Endgame – Touch The Sky ~ Volume I Country of Origin: USA
Format: CD
Record Label: ProgRock Records
Catalogue #: SEJPE001
Year of Release: 2009
Time: 78:48
Info: Supernal Endgame
Samples: Click here
Tracklist: Everlasting Fanfare [Part 1] (4:25), Still Believe (10:27), Psalm
51 (3:54), Disclosure (2:57), Fall To My Knees (5:15), Expressions (5:09), Loving
Embrace (6:46), Grail (9:05), In Your Hands (6:03), Gossamer Strings (3:24),
You Reached Down (6:17), At Play In The Fields (5:46), Perfect Grace (4:11),
Everlasting Fanfare [Part 2] (5:01)
Back in 2004 an album entitled Portal produced under the name of Worlds Collide received a commendable DPRP recommendation although it had originally been released 6 years earlier. The man responsible was engineer, guitarist, and keyboardist John Eargle and since then he has teamed up with Rob Price (vocals, drums) and Dan Pomeroy (guitars) to form Supernal Endgame. Although Touch The Sky ~ Volume I is the debut release from this Texan combo, the trio in question have been making music together for nigh on 30 years. This latest collaboration was born out of Eargle and Price’s shared desire to produce songs where the lyrics have a spiritual bias (ala Neal Morse) and the music has a melodic progressive rock flavour with AOR overtones.
The threesome are supplemented by several guest musicians including Roine Stolt who provides guitar for one song and Randy George (Ajalon, Neal Morse) whose bass talents can be heard throughout much of the album. They take a leaf out of Cryptic Vision’s book (and before that Genesis) by reprising the albums key song, in this case Everlasting Fanfare, using it to both open and close the album. Here however the device is not entirely convincing thanks to the rather overblown finale that concludes both parts. Better is the tranquil opening section to Part 1 that recalls Pink Floyd’s Welcome To The Machine with ambient keys, piano and acoustic guitar underpinning the vocal melody.
The uplifting Still Believe is probably for me the albums best offering that successfully sustains its 10 plus minutes with a compelling guitar theme and prog-pop chorus that evokes 80’s era Genesis. George’s upfront bass line leads into a lively instrumental section with Randy Lyle’s violin and the heroic keys adding a familiar Kansas timbre before returning to the main vocal melody. It was at this point that I was struck by the similarity between Price’s confident (if unremarkable) singing and the voice of Everon’s Oliver Philipps. From here on in my attention span began to be tested by pleasant but not totally engaging efforts like Psalm 51, Disclosure and Fall To My Knees. It’s during the latter tune where the bands Christian beliefs really become apparent in the reverential but not overtly preachy lyrics.
Loving Embrace is clearly intended as the albums showcase ballad and works fine for the most part due to the obvious but effective inclusion of acoustic guitar, violin and a memorable chorus. The mood is spoilt for me however by an annoyingly obtrusive synthesised rhythm which is thankfully drowned out by the soaring guitar solo. Stolt fans will be heartened to know that their hero makes his appearance during track eight, Grail. It’s another chorus centred song but it still allows plenty of room for some blistering guitar dynamics from the Swede maestro whose apocalyptic soling adds an edge often lacking elsewhere. During a lull in the proceedings guest Brad Bibbs provides a sensitive but haunting solo of his own on violin.
Following the up-tempo and extremely word heavy In Your Hands, a welcome respite comes in the shape of the albums second and best instrumental, the delicate Gossamer Strings. Here Pomeroy’s exquisite acoustic guitar is matched by heavenly violin performed by yet another string player, Katie Price. In contrast, one of the more tuneful of the up-tempo offerings is the evocatively titled At Play In The Fields. With a suitably celebratory atmosphere in both the lyrics and tone, a ringing guitar rhythm drives the song along at a vigorous pace with lyrical synth and strident lead guitar perfectly complementing the infectious Yes like chorus.
Touch The Sky ~ Volume I is so named because it is as John Eargle puts it “…the first of a two-volume tribute to the act of worshipping the divine...” It certainly has a triumphant upbeat feel throughout and as John Eargle further explains if you are uncomfortable with the spiritual subject, the music can be enjoyed on its own merits. My only gripe is that despite the strong melodies and hooks prevalent throughout, at nearly 80 minutes it does feel like a long haul at times where the songs begin to sound a tad samey. Also Eargle’s otherwise crystal clear production is a little over bright for an album of this length, often sounding shrill even to my less than sensitive ears. That aside, this album has much to recommend it and I for one look forward to volume two with keen anticipation.
Conclusion: 7 out of 10
GEOFF FEAKES
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Olivier Feuillerat Projekt – Stories For An Open Mind Country of Origin:
France
Format: CD
Record Label: Independent
Catalogue #: OFPCAT001
Year of Release: 2009
Time: 54:18
Info: Olivier Feuillerat
Projekt
Samples: Click here
Tracklist: One Of Ben’s Mind Games (7:55), Here Comes The Chopper (4:37),
Un Dimanche (1:47), Manhattan Man (4:32), Sem Sem (4:18), Piuviose (5:49), Borderline
(4:38), Walk On Mars (3:32), Plume (0:57), Seven Snakes And A Half (4:26), Nehen
Nehefi (7:45), Beyond The Silver Rainbow (3:04)
Olivier Feuillerat Projekt – Stories For An Open Mind is a solo concept lead by Olivier Feuillerat (electric, acoustic and synth guitars, keys, synth, bass, percussion, orchestra programming, sound design), and also featuring Stephane Gassin (keys, piano 1,2,3,5,6,7,9,11), Marco Manchera (bass 1,4,5) and Jean Denis Rivaleru (drums 1,4,5,7), which all in all means the Feuillerat is somewhat of a accomplished musician, with vocal inclusion being sampled from 1984, Lost and a speech by Winston Churchill.
What we have here is a very cleverly put together piece of work that’s has a very crystal clear production and sound, that incorporates a variety of styles including jazz fusion, progressive rock, metal and experimental. Feuillerat's playing is very dynamic and fluid and he has obviously spent some time plying his trade. He was nominated as a Finalist @ ProgAwards 2009, for Best Debut Album. If you close your eyes you can clearly hear the influences of Pat Metheny, Lee Ritenour, Allan Holdsworth, Joe Satriani and in places Jean Michel Jarre. If you like any of the mentioned guitarists you’re going to like this, especially if you are fans of Metheny or Holdsworth, especially when Feuillerat plays the synth guitar.
One Oof Ben’s Mind Games opens the whole affair sounding like an orchestration from a TV program. At the end of the instrumental the vocal sample is taken from Lost and ends with the line, ”Ben has a thing for mind games.” The guitar work in places is like listening to Allan Holdsworth. Feuillerat proving that he is a dexterous and accomplished guitar player. This instrumental almost has an eastern tone to it in places and incorporating more orchestration, twisting and turning never knowing what’s coming next.
Here Comes The Chopper opens with a vocal sample from the film 1984 and a metal guitar rhythm that at a push wouldn’t sound out of place on a Dream Theater album. There is a jazz fusion keyboard solo thrown in for good measure too, which works really well. This probably is the heaviest track on the album, and my second favourite track.
Un Dimanche opens with bird song and keyboard and then acoustic guitar giving the feel of a lazy, relaxing summer’s day. You could imagine yourself relaxing with a nice red wine whilst listening to this.
Manhattan Man sounds like The Pat Metheny Group, and has really excellent bass and drum work, which holds everything together. Feuillerat would appear to have a really passion for jazz, as he takes a very laid back approach while playing guitar and again incorporating jazz fusion keyboard work.
Sem Sem again is a driving jazz instrumental with a summer feel to it. All the playing on it is again tight and competent, and there are some very good rhythm passages being interplayed between each instrument.
Piuviose is another beautiful track opening with a piano piece, which segues into some great jazz guitar work mixed in with heavier rock leads.
Borderline is the nearest tune that could be called prog. When I say prog I mean the heavier end of prog with some church organ chords thrown in for good measure. The only problem I have with this track is that Feuillerat does not come across as being comfortable playing this style as he does with the jazz pieces.
Walk On Mars is an atmospheric experimental piece which again could be lumped into the genre of prog, sounding slightly like something that Jean Michel Jarre would compose.
Plume is a very strange instrumental of piano and acoustic guitar working together, giving the feeling that this is an album filler or outtake. Compared to the other tracks on the album it does somewhat feel out of place.
Seven Snakes And A Half sees Feuillerat doing what he does best, working the guitar twisting and turning creating beautiful imagery with different tones holding the listeners attention.
Nehen Nehefi opens with an 80’s feels to it in places, and I thought at one stage I heard a short Miami Vice drum break, but don’t be put of by that. Vocal samples are courtesy of Winston Churchill’s from a speech given at the House of Commons 18th June 1940, (The famous "This is their finest hour" speech which parts were also sampled by Iron Maiden on Ace’s High). This track is a very dark experimental piece but is well executed.
Behind The Silver Rainbow is another beautiful but strange piece that more than tips its hat to Allan Holdsworth, slowly ambling with a bass lead and layered keyboards a great jazz instrumental, and to be honest is probably my favourite track on the album.
Is this a prog album? In general the word prog can and does at times incorporate many types of music that doesn’t follow the norm, and some do try and exploit this. Basically what we have here is an above average jazz album with some prog passages and a few experiment pieces thrown in for good measure. There is nothing original on this album, and Feuillerat wears his influences loud and proud on his chest. This release won’t set the world on fire, but what has created here is a very good first album. Where he goes from here is anybodies guess, but as he grows as a musician he could be a name to be reckoned with in the future. Watch this space.
Conclusion: 7 out of 10
JOHN O'BOYLE
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Maudlin Of The Well – Part The Second Country of Origin: USA
Format: MP3
Record Label: Independent
Catalogue #: N/A
Year of Release: 2009
Time: 44:32
Info: Maudlin Of The Well
Samples: Click here
Tracklist: An Excerpt From 6,000,000,000,000 Miles Before The First, Or, The
Revisitation Of The Blue Ghost (10:55), Another Excerpt: Keep Light Near You,
Even When Dying (5:59), Rose Quartz Turning To Glass (7:30), Clover Garland
Island (8:18), Laboratories Of The Invisible World [Rollerskating The Cosmic
Palmistric Postborder] (11:50)
Having been a fan of all things avant-rock for some time, you can believe that the excitement of reviewing Part The Second by Maudlin Of The Well is, for me, palpable. This disc was funded entirely by the donations of fans, and said fans were credited as executive producers when the album reached fruition. This album is free, so if you are already bored with my review, please direct yourself to Maudlin Of The Well’s website and download this masterpiece immediately!
This album is not particularly lengthy, but it is so beyond substantial as a musical product, that one hardly seems to notice. Track breakdown as follows:
An Excerpt From 6,000,000,000,000 Miles Before The First, Or, The Revisitation Of The Blue Ghost: Instantly sets the mood for what is to come. Opens with, and maintains a rather thin textural presence throughout, though this is not with the absence of tension/release. The guitar and drum playing in this song is simplistic, and yet powerful in the conveyance of tone. The climax near the halfway point never fully dies down, and carries the listener directly into track 2.
Another Excerpt: Keep Light Near You, Even When Dying: The subtle piano/violin opening is very ethereal in nature. As a listener, this was the point in the album that I truly knew I was in for something special. This track is essentially an instrumental, and never loses its pulsating sense of groove. Following a masterfully executed guitar solo, the track delves into some more classically structured stylings. Hand-clapping a la Steve Reich’s Clapping Music permeates through the remainder of the track, as does an indistinguishable vocal line.
Rose Quartz Turning to Glass: Opens again with piano/violin; adding more strings throughout the introduction. This time, however, the introductory statement is led by the strings, who accompanied the piano in the previous track. The initial thematic idea continues as layers of primitive sounding percussion are added to the mix. The strings relinquish the melody at the 2:00 mark, and begin an exchange with the piano. The drums and piano eventually give way to a heart wrenching minute-long solo violin around 3:00, which is finally joined by guitar, and more ambient vocal work. The full band enters at 5:20, and the mood shifts to a very Pink Floyd styled outro. Guitarist Toby Driver is on fine display in the coda of this multi-faceted track.
Clover Garland Island: A declamatory and dissonant guitar/drum introduction lasts for a minute until the band launches into a bass/guitar driven groove which is interrupted by an erratic guitar solo. The layers continue to increase, and the rhythm section of the band does a fine job maintaining the groove that was established early on. Around 3:15, the band reaches a climax in which the strings suspend over into the next section. This is yet another fine example of tension and release, as the chordal structure alternates from tonal clusters, to major chords. Very effective, indeed. The track concludes with an extended string passage, followed by another full-band groove which reaches just enough of a heightened state before decaying away with more string/vocal interplay.
Laboratories Of The Invisible World [Rollerskating The Cosmic Palmistric Postborder]: The guitar opening displaces any sense of time or structure, which is exactly what continues throughout this nearly 12 minute opus. The technical prowess of all the instrumentalists is on full display for the duration of Laboratories… and as listener’s, we truly reap the benefits. Many ideas are tossed about here, with the guitar work being the most memorable to this reviewer. The 7:00 mark is the most grand of any point on the album, dynamically and musically. The vocal outburst combined with dense texture makes for a very powerful impact. The remainder of the album does an excellent job maintaining the excitement as a choral like progression repeats for several minutes. The motive from Keep Light Near You… is utilized as the coda of the album; this time played on grand piano, which I think is a very touching conclusion to a beautiful work.
This is the type of piece that makes one reflect on all that is good in life. I feel lucky to have come across it, and I have yet to remove it from my car’s CD player since the initial listening. A subtle and yet powerful album, Maudlin Of The Well’s Part The Second should stand the time as one of the greatest pieces of music of our time. This was made by the fans, and for the fans, and is easily discernable with each successive listen. Again, visit the band’s website immediately, and prepare to be swept away in the soundscapes!
Conclusion: 9.5 out of 10
STEVE KILBURN
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Alamaailman Vasarat - Huuro Kolkko Country of Origin: Finland
Format: CD
Record Label: Independent
Catalogue #: NN027
Year of Release: 2009
Time: 39:47
Info: Alamaailman
Vasarat
Samples: Click here
Tracklist: Mielisaurus [Mindsaurus] (3:30), Liskopallo [Lizard Ball] (4:50),
Meressa Ei Asuta [Nobody Lives In The Sea] (4:04), Natiivit [Natives] (3:47),
Luonto Tuli Lahelle [Nature Came Close] (3:03), Tujuhuju (5:32), Luola [The
Cave] (6:32), Omall Ajalla [In Your Own Time] (4:20), Lautturin Viivat [The
Lines Of The Ferryman] (4:06)
Finland has made a name for itself in the world of rock music and is the home of great musicians and bands. To this list Alamaailman Vasarat is no exception as this band has excellent musicians.
Alamaailman Vasarat is a six piece musical collective, led by Jarno “Stakula” Sarkula who is the main man playing saxophones, clarinets and special woodwinds. He also is the man behind most of the compositions. Other “band” members are Tuukka Helminen and Marko Manninen (cello), Teemu Hanninen (drums & percussion), Miikka Huttunen (pump organ, grand piano & melodica) and last but not least Erno Haukkala (tuba, trombone & piccolo trombone). Looking at the instruments it may be clear why I speak of a musical collective instead of a band. These are not the instruments one would expect.
On their website they call themselves “The Finnish Prophets of fictional world music”. Founded in 1997 by Jarno en Teemu just after Jarno had bought himself a saxophone. They found reason enough to start off a new “band” which evolved into Alamaailman Vasarat. The members to like experiment with various instruments and therefore their instrument base is growing and changing each album they make. The Tubax is an instrument that makes its first appearance on this album. Huuro Kolkko is their fifth effort, with their first record released back in the year 2000.
Huuro Kolkko is a completely instrumental album comprising of 9 tracks which all tell a tiny bit of the story of a man called Huuro Kolkko, a Finnish explorer from the early 1900’s. In the year 2008 a relative of Kolkko contacted the band and inspired them to do a concept album. The band has made it convenient as they have described the idea in a short story about every song on their website. Reading through the stories you will find the concept in the travels of Huuro. His travels take us on a journey trough Africa and other far away continents.
I did not have any clue what to expect really when I started to listen to this album which starts with Mielisaurus, which after about 20 seconds the cello starts playing and reminds me of Apocalyptica as most will know also as a Finnish “rock band”. Although the cello playing reminds me and Alamaailman Vasarat produces a rocking sound the two bands are difficult to compare. It’s not the same type of music, the only true comparison lies in the Cello.
At first I had my doubts if I would like the music, but I must admit the album really started growing on me. It is absolutely fun listening. It’s different yet familiar, strange sounding but also fun. Alamaailman Vasarat play a type of music that does not let itself be categorized very easily. There are jazz, folk, progressive, metal and a handful of other influences present here. Some of the tracks have a familiar sounding tune, in TujuHuju I hear a melody close to the classic Hava Nagila, in Omalla Ajalla I can even begin to hear the influences of another old classic The Great Pretender, this track of course being a very bass oriented in the vein of old New Orleans Jazz.
By far the best track to me on this album must be TujuHuju, here we can hear the outstanding musicianship of Alamaailman Vasarat.
The album artwork shows us some of the bugs Huuro must have encountered during his travels. The rest of the packaging is fairly simple, withy the inside booklet showing shadow pictures of all the members and tells us which instruments they play. The production of the album is of good quality, with a clear sound.
A different approach in playing “rock music” and a fun approach I must say, after 4 or 5 spins I really began to like the album. It will most definitely be played more often.
If you like new and different approaches to modern day “rock” then this must be on your list of albums to have. Do not run off after just a few seconds but try to listen carefully to the music, you can start by visiting their MySpace page. It is well worth it.
Conclusion: 8 out of 10
GERT HULSHOF
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Asher Quinn – Forgotten Language Of The Heart Country of Origin: UK
Format: 2CD
Record Label: Voiceprint
Catalogue #: 0438833292
Year of Release: 2009
Time: CD 1 73:26
CD 2 77:03
Info: Asher Quinn
Samples: Click here
Tracklist:
CD 1: Bow Down (5:17), The Mystic Garden (3:58), Alla, Hallelujah, Elohim (2:34), Swing Lo, Sweet Chariot (3:35), La Vie d'Une Oiseau (3:21), If You Believed In Love (3:10), Heal You Heart (7:15), Lily Of The West (4:08), Gypsy Madonna (3:32), Bird On The Wire (2:48), I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say (3:06), A Solitary Bird (5:19), The First Time I Saw Your Face (3:19), Field Of Stars (2:38), Girl Jesus (2:59), Hang On To A Dream (1:48), Soldier Of Love (5:49), Gloria (4:03), House Of Spirits (4:45)
CD 2: Morning Sun (3:08), Golden Brown (3:26), Love Call (4:40), Missa Greca (5:20), Greensleeves (4:29), Sacred Heart (4:50), The Marriage Of The Sun And The Moon (2:27), Silent Night (3:23), Have Mercy On Me (3:56), This Love 3:58), Copper Kettle (4:02), Prayer For The World (4:54), Please Let Me Get What I Want (2:33), Forgiveness (3:46), Down In The Willow Garden (2:4), Sailing On The Silk Blue Sea (5:42), Amazing Grace 4:42), Return To Your Soul (9:06)
Asher Quinn is an English composer, singer, instrumentalist from London (UK) and currently working as a Jungian analyst. He started out playing the piano but eventually went on to become a troubadour and travelled extensively as such. Ant Phillips became a friend and would produce his first album Open Secrets (1987). Part of his music has been inspired by singer/songwriters as Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Daniel Lanois, whilst other parts by his travels and along with classical composers. This album is a compilation of many vocal songs but also a number of instrumental songs, originally recorded for piano solo. It's a beautiful way of relaxing, chilling out and just listening to the lyrics, many of them performed by Asher (Asha), whose voice his characteristics from singers like Cohen and Cat Stevens (Yussuf Islam).
The first three songs are in the vein of Leonard Cohen and a mellow Cat Stevens, the fourth track is Asher's New Age influenced version of the famous negro spiritual. La Vie d'Une Oiseau is a New Age piano piece, with just some recorders added. If You Believed In Love is a vocal ballad with the piano accompanying. Heal Your Heart, sung by Susanna Bramson and Gypsy Madonna, are mellow ballads close to New Age music. Lily Of The West is a typical troubadour like song, a 'traditional', recorded earlier by Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. A You Tube version of the Leonard Cohen's classic Like A Bird On The Wire is an homage to Cohen but Asher's piano version, a low budget recording, can hardly compete with the original.
Asher adapted the hymn I Heard The Voice Of Jesus in a 'troubadour' kind of a way in the style of early Dylan. Another piano improvisation, orchestrated in a later stage by Phillips is the beautiful New Age song A Solitary Bird. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is a simple but true rendition of a song by Ewan McColl, a nice combination of plucking an acoustic guitar with a tasteful orchestration. More gentle ballads, again sung by Asher, are Field Of Stars, based on an original composition for acoustic guitar and Girl Jesus, a live version, based on a piano piece. Slightly orchestrated is Hang On To A Dream, a classic hit by Tim Hardin, taken from his cover-album Songs Of Love And Chains. Asher's voice sounds like Cat Stevens with Marianne Faithful characteristics (from after Broken English).
Purely orchestral New Age are Soldier Of Love with a lovely guitar solo by Camel's Andy Latimer and House Of Spirits with woodwind instruments playing the melodies. Sharon Sage shares the vocal with Asher in the spiritual song Gloria inspired by Slavonic Liturgies.
CD2 opens with a live version of Morning Sun, a ballad accompanied by piano. Golden Brown is a Leonard Cohen meets Bob Dylan like adaptation from the hit by The Stranglers. New Age combined with folk music in Love Call is followed by a spiritual from Greece, Missa Greca, adapted by Quinn and Asher's rendition of the famous sixteenth Century folk song Greensleeves. One of the best pieces of Asher's (New Age) debut is Sacred Heart and is included on this compilation and is quite a contrast to Quinn's version of Silent Night, child's play to me. In between the track mentioned afore we have The Marriage Of The Sun And Moon from the album by the same name. Another You Tube version of a piano piece is Have Mercy On Me, as mentioned before, is of disputable sound quality. This Love is one of the many mellow ballads, just like the American fireside traditional Copper Kettle.
Prayer For The World and Please Let Me Get What I Want are tasteful symphonic ballads, the latter is an adaption from Morrisey and the Smiths, the mouth harp reminds of Dylan. Forgiveness is a live recording from Asher with his acoustic guitar as a Dylan-cloned troubadour. A sweet song, but I'll bet I would like Art Garfunkel's version better: Down In The Willow Garden. Originally a piano improvisation, later transformed to an orchestrated acoustic guitar piece: Sailing On The Silk Blue Sea is a very nice instrumental track. A reworked version of the Daniel Lanois song Amazing Grace is a good example of New Age meeting soft pop music with a symphonic touch. A worthy final track, also the longest one, is Return To Your Soul, a track in the vein of for example Suzanne Ciani, a very melodic piece.
Forgotten Language Of The Heart is a nice overview from works by Asher Quinn but the combination of troubadour songs, piano pieces, live recordings, spiritual songs and New Age music is a bit strange to me. From the point of view of a fan of progressive and/or symphonic music, only half of the songs could be described as somewhat symphonic, none of them being 'progressive'. Nevertheless the atmosphere is quite enjoyable. Personally I'd go for Open Secrets, rather New Age than 'symphonic' but for me still his best work to date.
Conclusion: 6 out of 10
MENNO VON BRUCKEN FOCK
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Moonlight Sky – Moonlight Sky Country of Origin: Slovenia
Format: CD
Record Label: KUD France
Preseren
Catalogue #: KUD 019 - 2006
Year of Release: 2006
Time: 46:49
Info: Moonlight Sky
Samples: Click here
Tracklist: Lunin Svit (5:33), Angel (5:16), Rigg’s Family Shot (5:45),
Pluton (3:24), Devet osem (5:33), Ocean (8:41), Štirje Svetovi (3:04),
How Much? (4:07), The Groove (5:26)
Moonlight Sky – I Am Country of Origin: Slovenia
Format: CD
Record Label: Nika Records
Catalogue #: NR-CD-P-0275
Year of Release: 2009
Time: 50:31
Info: Moonlight Sky
Samples: Click here
Tracklist: I Am [Intro] (1:36), The Look In Your Eyes (6:14), King Of The Golden
Ring (7:30), Secrets (3:02), One Day One Night (6:56), I Am Blues (5:50), Chautauqua
(5:11), Family Wound (5:20), Caviar (7:22), I Am [Outro] (1:30)
One doesn’t come across too many Slovenian rock bands, so it was intriguing to review these two albums by Moonlight Sky. Overall, the experience was interesting, but left me with the impression that the band still have some work/thinking to do in order to reach the level of other European bands. The level of musicianship was high and the level of composition was good, but too derived, retro and, over the two albums, uncertain in style: these concerns are sufficient to prevent a general recommendation from DPRP for either of the albums.< p>
The predominant flavour of Moonlight Sky is that of late 60s/early 70s psychedelic, blues-influenced rock. Not all of the pieces are of this type, and this is one of the concerns - that the band have really failed to establish a “sound” – but predominantly it is what you get. Despite this criticism, Moonlight Sky is the more coherent and, as a result, the better of the two albums.
The notable exception to the bluesy vibe is Ocean, which is what you can imagine Pink Floyd’s Shine On You Crazy Diamond Part 3 sounding like. This piece is an instrumental, like the majority of the tracks on the album, which is a pity because singer Andraž Kržic (who also plays keys) is excellent. He shows this as early as the excellent first number, Lunin Svit, which is the only song across both albums to be sung in the band’s native language; elsewhere the lyrics are in English. Angel’s blues rock comes in Deep Purple flavour, courtesy of the Hammond organ. It’s a good track, another of the three sung ones; the trio is completed by How Much?, in which the blues is diluted.
I Am could be by a different band, despite the only personnel change being the replacement of drummer Bor Zakonjšek by Žiga Kožar: the bluesy feel is almost entirely absent and the balance is now in favour of sung (in English) songs. There are some fine moments – the opening and closing acoustic guitar based instrumentals in particular are extremely beautiful – but the enjoyment of the album as a whole is dented by a lack of coherency and by two tracks in particular: King Of The Golden Ring and Caviar. The former sounds like the kind of reggaeish-pop number you would hear played by a house band at those cringe-worthy seaside resort dances back in the seventies, with associated unpleasant instrument sound selection; whereas Caviar is a fairly inoffensive prog-rock instrumental until the band decide to let Kožar perform a drum solo! Maybe you like drum solos, but I think they’re difficult enough to pull off live, let alone on disc. Noooooo!< p>
One Day One Night has a couple of sections, the first of which is a funky/jazzy rocker featuring an unpleasant guitar sound, before moving on to a prettier, wistful synth part. The instrumental Chautauqua seems to be an attempt at jazz-rock, with alternating soloists, but its jazzy vibe is weak and I’m left uncertain as to what the composition achieves. The most successful compositions, other than the “book-end” ones, are those that lie in “art-rock” territory : Secrets is a sweet ballad, I Am Blues brings back some of the bluesy feeling of the first album; and Family Wound has a feel of “musical theatre” about it.
My feeling is that, if the band chose its best compositions, then they could
put on a really tremendous live show, because the musicianship and the vocals
are all very strong. On these albums, however, they have yet to find their true
identity: they are perhaps looking back too much, trying to replicate what other,
more famous, bands have achieved in the past, in the hope that some of that
glory will rub off on them. It’s an easy trap to get into, in particular
if it means the band gets a lot of live bookings locally, but I see no reason
why they shouldn’t throw all of that away for their next album, garner
some confidence and follow their own instincts, their own soul, their own heritage,
their own music. It is then that the world will either see the real Moonlight
Sky shine or, if they follow this same path, fade away.
Conclusions:
Moonlight Sky : 7 out of 10
I Am : 6 out of 10
ALEX TORRES
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The Barstool Philosophers – Sparrows Country of Origin: Netherlands
Format: CD
Record Label: Independent
Catalogue #: N/A
Year of Release: 2009
Time: 58:58
Info: The Barstool
Philosophers
Samples: Click here
Tracklist: Afterglow (5:32), Silence (6:01), Lies (4:50), Dreamscape (7:56),
Eyes Show The Heart (6:17), Descendents Of The Fall (7:57), Fallen Angels (7:07),
Endless Seasons (6:16), Away From Here (7:02)
One of the things I take into account when deciding if a CD meets my personal taste or how I will score it for a review is the variety of the music on the CD. My listen of Sparrows, the debut full-length from Dutch band The Barstool Philosophers, initially revealed to me a band that was overly formulaic in arrangements and instrumentation. But as the fifty-nine minute CD drew to a close, enough musical variations were apparent to me that kept the CD from being a total disappointment.
The band grew out of some jam sessions in the late nineties between Martin Kuipers (INRI, Mystrez, Gate6, ex-Symmetry, ex-Change Of Seasons, ex-Harrow) on drums, René Kroon (Sun Caged, ex-Stigmatheist, ex-Lack Of Hope) on keyboards, Ivo Poelman (ex-Gracious Souls) on guitars and Mark Portier (ex-Ulcerate Fester) on bass. With each musician at the time having obligations to other bands, the embryonic line-up saw a two-year hiatus, with the musicians devoting their time to their main obligations. Song writing in 2001 and the arrival of vocalist Leon Brouwer (ex-Isolation) was followed by more song writing as well as recording. In 2004 new bassist Bas Hoebink (ex-Symmetry) came on board, replacing the departing Portier. A charity song was put out in 2006, with Sparrows following in 2009.
So with the release of Sparrows, based in concept and lyrics on a period in Brouwer’s personal life after the divorce of his first wife, what we have is a recording which may seem as I mentioned earlier formulaic at first, but which could grow on you with a few listens. The style of the music is neo-prog with a lot of edgy riffs from Poelman, like on opening track Afterglow. Brouwer has a singing voice all his own and staple-guns the high notes firmly, with an intensity that would stun Geddy Lee, Jon Anderson and Jasper Steverlinck like a taser.
On other portions of the CD, Poelman’s guitar is more melodic and evokes Steve Rothery, like on Dreamscape. Some Floydian keyboards from Kroon ease their way into the action on Silence, a tune which showcases a bit of determined bass from Hoebink, and into the early Marillion pointer Eyes Show The Heart.
The CD has crystal clear production quality. The booklet artwork is courtesy of Wim van‘t Hoff at Eyemagic Studios, Almelo. The emotive photographs were done in the locale of downtown Utrecht, Holland, where many of the events in the Sparrows concept took place.
So if you dig neo-prog and you have the patience to give the CD a few listens, it may be worth your while to check out Sparrows. If you seek bubblegum pop, this isn’t it.
An area of opportunity I see for the band with their sophomore full-length would be to throw some more instrumentation into the mix to spice up the variety.
Conclusion: 6.5 out of 10
JIM CORCORAN
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Øresund Space Collective - Good Planets Are Hard To Find Country of
Origin: Sweden/USA
Denmark
Format: CD
Record Label: Record Heaven
Transubstans
Catalogue #: TRANS044
Year of Release: 2009
Time: 80:50
Info: Øresund Space
Collective
Samples: Click here
Tracklist: Good Planets Are Hard To Find (9:43), Space Fountain (8:51), Orbital
Elevator (16:12), PF747-3 (19:35), My Heel Has A Beard (6:01), MTSST (19:28)
I reviewed Øresund Space Collective's It's All About Delay a while back and many of the comments from that review are still applicable to this review too. The music is outtakes from the band basically jamming in the studio. This time round the tracks are shorter and confined to one disc. It's more of the same style and approach where a (spacey) groove is set, with musicians taking turns playing solos. If you are looking for focused prog, angular riffing and the like, this probably won't be to your tastes. I think that this single CD of shorter improvisations is a much better package to sell. If it is priced accordingly then should be on your 'punt list'.
The opening title track Good Planets Are Hard To Find is a superb slow noodling, 'spacey chilled blues vibe', with ethnic sitar and bubbles. It builds up nicely and sounds like a great band jamming, which of course it is. Space Fountain fades in with some lovely Hendrix-esque distorted bluesy guitar licks, nothing revolutionary, just good music. Orbital Elevator is more aggressive with some upbeat driving heavy bass and drums mixed beneath crazy 'analogue' sounding synths and multiple guitars soloing.
I love some of the crazy titles like My Heel Has A Beard and PF747-3 even looks like the secret code that should be used to activate the ignition button on the Space Shuttle :-) It's also a bit more of a manic track, quite different to the first two.
It's very interesting and really for fans of extended jamming with no vocals . There's always lots going on, with lots of loosely similar ideas. I think it's great and deserves a place in anyone's collection who's a fan of early Floyd, Gong, Ozrics and hippy festival music. I'd love to see what these guys can do with some 'real focus', but perhaps this is what it is? I can't give it a full DPRP 'prog' recommendation, but I give it my own 'check it out' recommendation for it's style.
Conclusion: 7 out of 10
IAN BUTLER
http://www.dprp.net/reviews/201012.php#oresund
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