"In Search Of The Acid Metal Grille is a REAL masterpiece of space ambient rock. I am currently playing this CD on my radio programme and will play Dead Earnest releases in future shows".
J.J. IGLESIAS working for Spanish radio RLF-CADENA JOVEN 107.03 on the programme 'The Gates Of Delerium'.
"Besides taking me to new places, memories of Harvey Bainbridge, Tangerine Dream and a little Floyd. If they ever come to the West coast and the bay area, I'd love to meet them and perhaps perform on the same bill".
SPACESHIP EYES/SPIRITS BURNING musician DON FALCONE from the USA West Coast
"I thought that Mooch was a very ballsy CD, ballsy for the band to have done, and ditto for you to have released, considering that at no time does it veer into the conventional rock that I was expecting would build out of the retro-sequencing. Very impressive all round. I hadn't heard electronic music approached like that since the Project Q tapes of the early '90's".
CARL HOWARD, USA musician and underground music mail order expert.
"Mooch: briliant - I really LOVE that!!!".
Short and to the point from German/European Radio DJ LORD LITTER (Lord Litters tape department Radioshow, real independent music on air across Europe via Radio Marabu)
"Like the previous Mooch CD, it's ambient trance, but there's considerably more bite than before, due in no small measure to Pete Wyer's fine guitar playing, alternately reminding me of Robert Fripp and Steve Hillage. The other Mooch CD's I've heard have been rather too reliant on samples for my taste, and, I feel, suffered from an attempt to tell a story.
Acid Metal Grille on the other hand, is considerably more focused and musically tighter, gaining much from the absence of a specific storyline. The first track has a very early Pink Floyd feel,with bits of 'Atom Heart Mother' and 'Meddle' to the fore (no bad thing), and ends after 15 minutes of - perhaps slightly over-extended - electronic twiddling with a superb showcase for Pete Wyer's guitar work. By this time you're getting into the mood, lighting incense, relaxing in your floor cushions and saying things like 'wow' and 'far out'.
Track two - and this one is certainly overlong - is a cool jazzy bridge to the best cut on the CD, 'Acid Drenched Symphony'. Echoes of 'On The Run' from "Dark Side Of The Moon" here, with some neat synth and a mind-numbing hypnotic riff. Superb".
CHRIS TERRAN in MATRIX magazine saying the right things - being compared to the classic work of Pink Floyd is not a privilege every musician receives and clearly illustrates the stature of the music on the CD.
"The music of Mooch fits the science fiction scenario perfectly with its washes of spacey keyboards that sometimes touch on the planet of Tangerine Dream and then float away to ambient beaches where traces of tribal dance can be heard. On the track 'Acid Drenched Symphony' electric guitar soars with the spacey effects that constantly ebb and flow. At just on 20 minutes, this track is a mastepiece. Recommended to those who like instrumental space music"
CRANIUM MUSIC mail order's RICHARD STOCKWELL in New Zealand, keeping it short and saying good things (but it's all this and so much more, of course).
"The Mooch CD is very good, by the way. The title doesn't describe the music at all - I expected a heavy Hawkwind sound".
ZNR's STEPHEN ROBERTS proving you can't judge a book by the cover, or a label by its last release (especially if it's a label I'm running)
"La Dead Earnest, etichetta scozzese nata in occasionedell'ultima, apprezzatissima emissione dei Krel, propone la sua seconda uscita con un ritorno piuttosto soprendente: 'In Search of The Acid Matal Grille' e infatti la quarto album dei Mooch, una sigla che designa il chitarrista Steve palmer ed un manipolo di collabatori instabili, i cui precedenti lavori erano stati pubblicati dalla Taste. Dopo un disco di escordio ('3001')segnato dall'influenza di Steve Hillage e Ozric Tentacles,il soundscaping dei Mooch si arrichiva progressivamente di elementi etnico-sciamanici, che attraverso i msiteri di 'Postvorta' giungevano alla rivelazione finali di 'Starhenge', un'opera bizzarra e straniante, di non facile ascolto a causa dell'estrema eterogeneita nei materiali alleni accumulatisi tra i solchi. Quella che viene etichettata dal gruppo stesso come 'seconda fase' dei progetto Mooch non ha lasciato ancora tracce discographiche (anche se qualche inedito potrebbe venire alla lucein futuro), ma solo una serie di concerti che segnanao l'inizio della collaborazione con il chittarrista Pete Wyer ed il conseguente cambio di ruolo di Palmer, passato alle tastiere e all'elettronica. Gli elemente etnici venivano nei frattempo ancor piu esasperati e,per fare un esempio, desta curiosita sapere che effetto potesse produrre un gong birmano innestato in una miscela sonorA gia radicalamente rivolta all'Asia come quella di 'Starhenge'.'In Search Of The Acid Metal Grille' e invece il culmine di una terza fasenella storia dei Mooch, fatta piu di strumenti occidentali (sia sintetci che organici) che di timbri esottici, una parentesi segnata anche dalla collisione con il Megadog ed il giro dei club in genere. Realizzato da Steve Palmer con Pete Wyer ed altri musicistidella sceni di Exeter, il disco si colloca nell'ambito di un suono ambient all'apparenza piuttrosto tradizionale, Kosmische Kurier-oriented se possiamo dire cosi. Tuttavia, esso riesce ad inglobare un po'tutte le esperienze passate risultando complessivamentemeno estremo ma piu convincente dei suoi predecessori. "In Search Of The Acid Metal Grille features 4 long spacey soundscapes full of analogue and dogital keys bubbling and hissing away in the best '70's Krautrock tradition, tranquil, floating or pulsating in endless loops. Mooch has made a very fine and professional sounding album though I still seem to prefer 'Starhenge', since that one seemed to offer me more diversity and adventure. This last remark is of course a strictly biased and personal observation that shouldn't keep you from buying the latest Mooch effort, because it's very good".
Divisa in quattro composizioni piuttosto eleborate, la ricerca della griglia metallica ha inzio dalla contemplazione metafisica di 'Ocean Of Mercury', introduzione un po'alla 'Phaedra' per la seduzione dei timbri sintetici che edificano paesaggi alieni per mezzodell'accumulo di variazioni minimali di di una semplicissima cellula musicale; la calma oceanica so rigonfia man mano della risacca attivata dalla chitarra di Wyer, fino a lasciare spazio allo space-dub indolente e cerebrale di 'In Search Of Homo Sapiens Psychedelicus', il branopiu vicino ai Mooch di 'Starhenge', ma con attitudine piu rilassata e maggior classe. 'Acid Drenched Symphony' e la sezionepiu psichadelica dell'album, una sorta di space-rock andato in stallo e peerso per sempre negli abissi dei tempo, inevitabale introduzione a 'Vastscape', che esplorail vuoto cosmico con le pupile diatate sull'infinito.
Non sappiamo se all fine l'acida griglia metallica sara mai rinvenuta, ma il buon fine della missione e comunque garantito dall'esplorazione stessa, perchi volesse arruolarsi, le coordinate sono quelle riportate in calce".
ENRICO RAMUNNI in ITALY's "ROCKERILLA" No 223 (March '99) - haven't a clue what it says yet, but I think he likes it - where's Viv Drake when you need her?? - translation below - apologies but it's bizarre stuff.
'In Search of the Acid Metal Grille' is in fact thefourth album of Mooch, an acronym designed by theguitarist Steve Palmer and a group of like-mindedcolleagues, whose previous works had been released byTaste. After a disc ("3001") marked by the infuenceof Steve Hillage and Ozric Tentacles, thesoundscaping by Mooch effortlessly mixed ethnic and progresive; crossing the mysteries of"Postvorta", they reached the final revelation of"Starhenge", a bizarre and strange work, not immediatelyaccessible.
The next phase of the Mooch project is in a completely new direction frombefore, unless we see a return pof some of those elements in the future. It heralds the arrival of thecollaboration with guitarist Pete Wyer and theconsequent change of role of Palmer, moving to theelectronic keyboards. The ethnic elements, in themeantime, became still more sparse and, as anexample, it mixes electronic soundscapes with ethnic elemnts in an unusual fashiom that maintains the interest."In Search Of The Acid Metal Grille" is instead theculmination of a third phase in the history of Mooch,made with more western instruments (it is syntheticrather than organic) and les of the ethnic elements, aboundary that crosses with Megadog andthe general '90's electronic ambient scene.
Produced by StevePalmer and Pete Wyer with other musicians from theExeter locale, the disc generally has an ambient soundwith a largely traditional appearance, CosmicCourier-orientated if we can say that.However, it manages to fuse a little all ofthe past experiences, and as a result is lesscomplex, but more convincing than its predecessors.Devised in four elaborate compositions, the'search for the metallic grille' has begun from themetaphysical contemplation of 'Ocean of Mercury',introducing a little of 'Phaedra' for the seductionof the synthetic stamp, that creates alien passagesfor half of the build-up by little changes from onesimple musical motif; the calm ocean is stirred by thehand of the guitar of Pete Wyer, finally leavingspace to the relaxed space-dub and cleverness of 'InSearch of Homo Sapiens Psychedelus', the brandclosest to the Mooch of "Starhenge", but with a morerelaxed attitude and greater class.'Acid Drenched Symphony' is the more psychedelicsection of the album, a type of space-rock going in style, and lost forever in the abysses of time, an inevitable introduction to 'Vastscape', that explores the cosmic emptiness with the dilated pupil ofinfinity.
We do not know if in the end the acid metal grille will ever be recovered, but the satisfactory conclusion of the mission is in fact guaranteed from the same exploration, because you want to ensurethat the coordinates are those reported in the games.
CROHINGA WELL reviewer being terribly honest but still likes it
"Mooch describe their music as 'ambient psychedelia' and in this they succed to an extent. The music is partly Tangerine Dream style keyboard journeys though the music is subtler and more is happening musically. The tracks with guitarist Wyer, on the other hand, recall Ash Ra Tempel's guitar and electronics explorations. The 22 minute 'Ocean Of Mercury' is one such track with Palmer maintaining a sequenced synth pattern accompanied by more floating keyboards and Wyer's slowly soloing guitar. 'Acid Drenched Symphony', the other Palmer/Wyer duo track is similar and aptly titled. Again Palmer sets down a sequenced synth style but it shifts continually throughout the track's 20 minutes. Quietly symphonic keyboard textures create the background layers and Wyer's guitar intermittently comes in to explore for a while and then fades away. The guitar eventually becomes more prominent (though I wouldn't call it 'acid drenched') and while not overly exciting, it does sound really nice playing against the rapidly vibrating sequenced portions.
'IN Search Of HSP' has the big drum holding down the beat instead of the sequenced synth giving the tune a tribal flavour. The synths are particularly trippy and the whole thing conjured up images of an Indian ceremony under a clear night sky with shooting stars and meteor showers. 'Vastscape', at 7 minutes the shortest track, but the most cosmically atmospheric. A synth produced horn seems to call the faithful to congregation with the sound of the wind blowing and repeated synth lines that shift subtly throughout the tune. Music for mind expansion indeed.
At first I thought I liked the synth/guitar duo tracks best. But in the end I thought the other two were stronger as I felt more encouraged to close my eyes and let the music carry me away".
JERRY KRANITZ of AURAL INNOVATIONS USA mag, diving into the Mooch experience
"Unspoiled by hard dance beats, these are zoned tunes for the chill-out room only. Restrict it to herbal exercises and you're sure to spend a great deal of time mellowly coasting on its mellifluous waves.If you're into meditation, this is a fine breed of wispiness to drive out the cares of the day. Just don't expect to go a be-bopping.'In Search Of The Acid Metal Grille' is definitely quiet-time music. The title itself gives a fair indication of what the musicians had in mind for its ultimate purpose.
Mooch have had modest success in the past on the independent record shop circuit. No doubt thweir latest album will be just as successful".
GUY HALEY for leading UK science fiction magazine, SFX
"Been around for a while now producing very ambient music - and the reason why they lasted is because their soundscapes have always been interesting. This is no exception. In fact it has to be the best so far. This is a full length CD but only 4 tracks (gives you an idea of how long each track is). They are more than mere tunes;they are each a journey. Enjoy your trip".
GUILFIN magazine review - I wonder if he's come down yet
"In Search of The Acid Metal Grille on levy, joka pitaa, kappeletta, jolden kaikkien idea perustuu sykkivaan sekvensiin. Taman elaman syketta heijasteievan pulssin paalle on levitetty toisinaan erinormaisen onnistruneita kitaroilla ja syytikoilla tuotettuja ambient-soundeja. Vailaillaon kuin kuuntelisi 70-luvun Pink Floydia; onpa levylia muutama patkakin, joiden fillis on kuin suoraan 'Wish You Were Here'ita ekstaattisine urkusoundeineen. Kuitenkaan kyse ei ole plagiaatista vaan varsin omaperaisesta aanimaailmasta.
Mukaan on myos saumattomasti nivottu koko joukko etnisia instrumentteja perkussiosta huiluihin. Vaillia tuntuu, etta levy vie mukanaan kokonaan toisiin maailmoihin - nin kuin onnistuneen musiikin kuulukin. tama on levy niille, joita tavanomaisen new age - musikiin lapselliset ratkaisut arsyttaavat mutta jotka kutenkin etsivat meditatiivista musiikkia."
JUHA PITKANEN for the Finnish magazine COLOSSUS - anyone know what he's saying????
"In 1994 maakte de Britse groep Mooch de CD 'Postvorta'.'Een platje voor hippies', werd eerder gescheven. Het zelfde geldt voor 'In Search Of The Acid Metal Grille'. Het viertal staat onder aanvoering van multi-instrumentalist Steve Palmer (voornamelijk synthesisers) en wordt aangevuld met Gary Lewin, Phil Watsonen Pete Wyer die respectievelijk ook synths en gitaar spelen. Ze maken elektronische muziek die sterk geworteld zit in die Berliner Schul(z)e maar die ook verwijzingen kent naar spacerock. De CD bevat vier lange nummers. 'Ocen Of Mercury' (met 23.00 minuten, het langste stuk) kent van die typische sequencerlijnen die van Tangerine Dream zouden kunnen komen (Phaedra) maar ook van Pink Floyd(On The Run) en die gitaarbijdragen klinken vroeg-Gilmouresk. Het verschil met hun voorbeelden is echter dat de muziek niet oveal weet te boien. Het tweede nummer met opnieuw een aardige titel 'In Search Of Homo Sapiens Psychedelicus' (de heren zoeken wataf) wordt gekenmerkt door een kalm voortkabbelend ritme (organe pecussie), analoge synths en effecten die connecties met die Ozric Tentaclesoproepen. In 'Acid Drenched Symphony' worden de sequencers snelleren wordt gesoleerd op elektrische gitaar. Het wel erg spacey 'Vastscape' roept herinneringen op aan die kosmische klanken van lasertoetsenist Tim Blake uit de jaren '70. Deze jaren - en ook enkele die ervoor kwamen - waren duidelijk overal rond op dit schijifje."
PAUL RIJKENS for Dutch mag iO PAGES - Now I don't understand Dutch but invoking Tabgerine Dream, Pink Floyd, Ozric Tentacles and Tim Blake in the same review can't be bad - can it?
"Wardezew herenmaken, is heel bijzonder: het is hele vertrouwde ritmische elektronische muziek met vette keyboards en lekkere sequences, maar ze hebben er een hele eigen invulling aan gegeven. Door het gebruik van sampels en enkele bijzondereinstrumenten uit verre streken (wat is een 'been'(zo stong het er in het Engels) bij de lijst van instrumenten?) is het extra boeiende muziek geworden. Steeds hoor je weer andere toevoegingen afwijnkende klanken en verrassende wendingen,zonder dat het ook maar ergens experimenteel of onverteerbar wordt. Moocj bewijst hier dat het wel degelijk mogelijk is om op basis van vertrouwde muziek iets heel nieuws te maken. Met name ook de integrale van oude en nieuwe instrumenten is bijzonder goed geslaagd, eb ik deze CD dan ook van harte aanbevelen aan alle fans van Node, RMI, Redshift,eb andere oude elektronische muziek. Originakiteit:8 composities:8 uitvoering:8 aanbevollen:8".
FRITS for KLEM, NETHERLANDS - I was worried until I saw the marks at the end so I guess he's saying good things...
"Progressive rock with mellotron erect and throbbing but lacks any genuine creativity and inbentiveness. Mooch are more successful in their endeavours to chart electric and electronic ethnic and eclectic ambienceon their archly titled CD album 'In Search Of The Acid Metal Grille'. Based around teh computerised compositions of Stephen Palmer, the launchpad for ideas sounds as if it were based somewhere south of Mandragoraand west of the Magic Mushroom Band with the ghost of an earlier incarnation of Steve Hillage adding guitar on the strongest tracks 'Acid Drenched Symphony' and 'Oceans Of Mercury'
PTOLEMAIC TERRASCOPE reviewer, clearly a technophobe, with the odd factual error (mellotrons? prog rock?) and some strange theories (Mandragora?) - still, any publicity is better than no publicity!!
(Referring back to the review of Krel/Spacehead CD's in the same article)"Mooch do the heretical thing of not sounding like Hawkwind at all. As penance they compensate with two Hawkwind references in their album title.Mooch play computer keyboard instrumentals, spacey but mellow and again, strongly '70's. Somewhere along the milky way, they must have listened to Brian Eno. Ranging from the atmospheric to the merely boring" (thanks alot - ed) "maybe Tangerine Dream fans would dig it.Best touch is the ambient electric guitar on two of the four tracks. Now beam me down to terra firma for a nice hot cup of tea and some Hob Nobs"
RYCHARD CARRINGTON in ROCK 'N' REEL magazine - once a synth
music hater always a synth music hater - his ref to T.Dream illustrates he has not exactly been around the synth music world very often. Incidentally, to our readers outside the UK, Hob Nobs are biscuits!!!
"Now this is one compelling album. It is kind of ambient music for people who aren't keen on dance and don't want the repetitive beats in the background. I have put this album on a number of times just to relax to and you find yourself drifting away. This is a four track, near 70 minute album that never loses your interest. There aresynthesizer landscapes with guitars washing over them; there are ethnic influences on here that display another side of Mooch. The glorious guitar work has a tendency to reach a crescendo without losing any of its emotive beauty. This is ambient synth music that would appeal to fans of Pink Floyd and The Orb.Each track has different elements that take hold of you and transport your thoughts to a new landscape. It is so difficult to describe this album as it is different and original, but still accessible; it is completely instrumental but it loses nothing by not having vocals. Now I must say that normally I like to be able to get a handle on what I am listening to, but with this release it si so much easy to pick you up and allow it to take you on a trip of your mind.The best way I can sum it up is a lovely relaxing, interesting, emotional ambient album littered with synths, guitars, keyboards and compelling rhythmic passages.
WILL MUNN for RHYTHM 'N' BOOZE mag, UK.
"Terry Riley loops and T.Dream synth chorale dipped in techno pulses"
ROB CHAPMAN in MOJO magazine, UK
"The album opens up with 'Ocean Of Mercury'. This starts off quite melodic, then builds up in tempo to become quite an uptempo piece of music which features swirling synth textures, electronic drums and guitar. The music reminds me of Tangerine Dream towards the end of the track, but more ambient. 'In Search Of...' is quite a melodic piece of music that features percussion and synths. A haunting piece of music. 'Acid Drenched Symphony' is very rhythmic and features lots of sequencer passages and swirling synths. This has to be the best track on the album - an excellent piece of music. The album closes with 'Vastscape', featuring lots of different synth textures, an excellent closing track.
DAVE ROBERTS for SPACE RIDER mag, UK
It is so easy to jump to the wrong conclusions, especially when noting the album title.
If you think this contains lots of high-energy acid techno, then think again and try looking at the opposite end of the scale. Ambient atmospherics with a hint of the Orb and the Ozric Tentacles is what you get and it's gorgeous. It's all the work of Steve Palmer, a guitarist who has added the usual keyboards, samples and synths to the four longish tracks on offer. The journey commences with Ocean Of Mercury, an evocative moody instrumental that varies between Tangerine Dream style loops and quieter passages of
haunting beauty. The next section, In Search Of Homo Sapiens Psychedelicus, offers an organised beat onto which squelchly analogue synths chart a salubrious path. The other tracks all have a distinctive individual mood that prevents any listening weariness
from becoming apparent. There is something about these compositions that leave the listener feeling aurally satisfied, it's as though they have been specifically made to ensure the overall mix is brimming over with comforting effects. Some may now believe that ambient music belongs to a bygone age, but modern composers like Palmer prove this theory to be incorrect.
PHIL BROOK for ambientmusic.co.uk
Contrary to the impression gathered from this release's title, Mooch's sound is hardly "acid metal" -- no, definitely not. This music is reasonably ambient, quite spacey, and wholly impressive. Weaving electronic multi-textures with dense undercurrents, Mooch delivers a solid hypnotic ratio with a sneaky quotient of drama. Atmospheric electronics generate a misty panorama for intertwining outbursts of bubbling and sweeping synthesizers. Mix in some distant electric guitar, attributing a fiery tone to the mood. Then add a mild tempo of ethnic percussives, lending it all a very odd edge that evokes astral realms instead of exotic lands. But not each track displays an absolute calm, for some of this tuneage is surging with abstract power. The track "Acid Drenched Symphony" is like cyclic electronics meets fusion jazz. Of the four tracks on this 71-minute CD, three average about 20 minutes long, affording each piece more than enough duration to unfurl and expansively drift through regions of cosmic consciousness.
,b>some uncredited person that hasn;t reveale themselves to me for Sonic Space, whatever that is.........
Finally, our detailed review:"Picture the scene.........you are a fan of synth and/or ambient music. Youwant to buy something but you want something that's new, different yetfamiliar, original - something that's full of feeling. You don't wantanother '70's TD style CD 'coz you've got enough of those; you don't wantmore American space music that spends many a happy hour drifting away anddoing very little; you're fed up with the twee melodies and tunes or theloads of Schulze-wannabes coming from the Euro-mainland musicians; youthink you might like more ambient music but you are worried about thepresence of dance influences or trancey rhythms spoiling some wicked synthmusic.
Your problem is solved with the arrival of the fantastic new CD fromMooch
With 4 tracks at 6, 15, 19 and 22 minutes, this is a CD of music thattakes you places few have gone before in a wholly original yetspellbinding manner, and yet with soundscapes that are familiar,accessible, melodic but not actual 'tunes', rhythmic but neither clichedor repetitive.
The opening track lasts 23 minutes, opens with a full-sounding choralsynth intro before the framework of the rising and falling synth rhythmsand expansive synth backdrops proceed to weave a multi-textured web thatwill have you completely wrapped up in the music for the whole time. Theway the sounds and textures of the rhythms and synth layers are changedalong the trip is something new and engaging, as multi-synth soundscapespour out of the speakers and you absorb the whole emotional feeling of themusic in one towering composition. The textures cover the full range frombass synth undercurrents through distant and lead rhythms to emotiveelectric guitar used as wonderful textural and dynamic, restrained leadroles and the track is just a fantastic new musical universe in which todive into.The 15 min track 2 features a gentle drum/perc rhythm that's solid butnever obtrusive while lead synth melody lines and spacious synthbackdrops/surrounds unfold, creating a landscape that is beautiful,relaxing, demands your attention and is in a class of its own, full ofdepth and feeling, but, importantly, original.
The near 20 min title track features layer upon layer of the mostincredible synth music sounsdscapes backed or surrounded by a synth rhythmsequence that hints at '70's but maintains its own course and texturesthroughout. This track has the lot - deep emotive synths, full-soundingbackdrops (a key factor that runs throughout the album), some spellbindingelectric guitar work, again used as both lead and textural roles but usedeffectively and just in the right places at the right levels without theusual Floyd-like comparisons being apparent. If you had to make acomparison, there are parts of it that are a bit like a mid-late '70's TDin a parallel universe. Towards the later parts of the track, the guitargives an extra edge and bite to the complete textures of the piece, aperfect complement to the warm, expansive synth backdrops flowing allaround the mix. Throughout the track, the layers change and develop,maintaining musical continuity but never staying in any setting for toolong - all the time something is happening to keep your attention.Finally, track 4 is a 7 minute composition of full-sounding multi-synthlayers, distant, sparingly used rumbling drums, textural synthembellishments - overall a gorgeous sea of music that is over far too soon- yet perfect to guarantee loads of repeat plays.
This, then is possibly THE most original, emotional, full-sounding set ofNew Ambient Synth Music to emerge for a long time and is a pointer to thefuture of synth music in the next century It doesn't come any better thanthis.."