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ALIEN DREAM: Dogon Dance CD
The first CD was good - very good. But, with only two minutes on the clock in the new one's opening track, you can't help but feel that this is going to be a blinder - and it does not disappoint, for in that two minutes you hear Hawkwind, Gong & Ozrics in one magnificent package. The track itself then begins to climb on waves of searing electric guitar, rolling drums, Blake-like space synths, rumbling bass, Gilli-style space whisper and Hawkwind-like crescendos - juts fantastic - and it's only the opening track!!! For this album, Michael Blackman has been augmented by the space -whisper vocals of Renee Blackman, guest appearance from Starfield/Hawkwind synth musician Keith Kniveton, plus Steve Eyre on multimoog synth. Yeh it's the main man who takes the honours with some incendiary guitar work throughout and drum/bass work that sounds like a real rhythm section in action. Compositionally, it's class and bite all the way, as you are taken to the stars on a journey of truly impressive proportions. Essentially all guitars, synths, bass and drums, it's a largely instrumental ride and seriously impressive recording quality too. In the line of instrumental space/acid-rock inhabited by the likes of Ozrics, Quimbys & Melting Euphoria, this album is right out at the front with the best of them, only, if anything, more direct and stronger, real driving space-rock as it should be heard. There is a crispness and sharpness to the sound, the tracks sound composed rather than improvised, with purpose and direction, but above all they all have warmth, feeling, atmosphere and strength. The guitar and synths work is seriously impressive and there isn't a track or moment on the album that is anything less than absolutely riveting. Impressive and then some.
ALIEN DREAM: Eleven Realms Of Night CD
Third album, and it's noticeable that, with each step into the future, the musician here gets farther and farther away from the obvious, and thus the Ozrics comparisons of before are now replaced by a space-rock maturity and dynamic originality that ensures every track is a journey into some distant galaxian future, using a warp-drive of electric guitars,synths, electric bass, drums and the odd echoed narration, not to mention synth-y help from part-time Hawkwind synths magician, Captain Black. The tracks -fourteen in forty-two minutes - are many and varied, inhabiting a sort of instrumental space-rock dimension that has atmosphere and drive. The sonic creations range from Dr Hasbeen-like space-rock though bubbling, spiralling synths/keys-led passages of great beauty and depth, to some strong and powerful passages that are a bit reminiscent of Tim Blake/Steve Hillage style interplay. But, overall, it's an instrumental, essentially space-rock album of quality, distinction, enjoyment, originality and accessibility, melodic and atmospheric, powerful when it needs to be and a very mature and enjoyable offering.
ALIEN PLANETSCAPES: Official Bootleg Vol 1 CD
Four tracks recorded live at the USA "Strange Daze" festival in 1998, two from CBGB's, New York in 1999 and three studio tracks recorded in '99 and 2000, go to make up this first of a series of band-released "bootleg" CD's. Make no bones about it, the quality of the "Strange Daze" live tracks, although still great to listen to and enjoy, is of a "bootleg" nature, but, for me, that only serves to add to the enjoyment as this stripped-down lineup playing an arsenal of synths, electric guitars, effects pedals, bass, drums, devices and keyboards launch into space on a classic set of instrumentals that sound for all the world like a badly recorded instrumental early seventies Hawkwind. The CBGB's tracks fare better sound-wise with more strength and more bass resonance and a generally more sibilence-free sound as the band just erupt into some classic acid-space-psych rock instrumental excursions that will simply blow you away. The two short studio tracks are sonic explorations into space-rock territory while the final track is heralded in on a wave of mellotrons and, over the top of synth swoops and effects, this is the sound that dominates the near nine-minute track. Overall, I loved this - if you want it wild, rustic and decidedly space-rock, this is just a gem.
ALIEN PLANETSCAPES: Official Bootleg Vol 2 CD
Fifty three minutes of the band captured live at the "Strange Daze" festival in 2001, the same line-up as 'Vol 1' only with Carl Howard on synths and effects replacing third guitarist Rob Alfonso. Again, we are in for a wild and rustic-sounding ride as the "bootleg" quality oft he sound comes into play, sometimes a bit of a sonic soup but mostly highly charged space-rock, jamming and psychedelia of the instrumental kind, with the band turning out a seriously red hot performance throughout. Definitely bootleg quality, but if you enjoy this sort of music, that won't matter one jot.
ALIEN PLANETSCAPES: Official Bootleg Vol 6 DBLCD
This time round, with more people involved on drums, basses, synths, guitars and devices than you can throw a stick at, we're treated to two and a half hours of previously unreleased and long-deleted studio tracks of which the sound quality throughout is excellent. Featuring archive recordings made between 1981 and 2000, this is a stunning set of instrumental tracks that cover every part of this musical spectrum that encompasses bands such as Gong, Hawkwind, Ozrics, MQB, Quarkspace and beyond. Too much fine music to review in detail, sufice to say that this is a shining set of 14 tracks that range from relaxed and almost space-jazz in an early Hawkwind kind of way, through atmospheric pieces to all-out assaults on your senses. A truly magnificent assemblage of tracks, courtesy of leader, composer and synths/keys player Doug Walker and his merry band of men.
ALIEN PLANETSCAPES: Celestial Dance Hits Cass Only
Most of oit based around a quartet line-up with Doug Walker towering over the proceedings on synths, orgam sequencers and fx, with a rhythm section plus occasional guitarists, as yuo go on a range of space-rock rides in their own inimitable instrumental manner.
ALIEN PLANETSCAPES: Radio Special Vol VIII DBLCD-R
Again culled from the AP archives, this features the AP big band from October '92 with drums, bass, percussion, tenor sax, alto sax, percussion, tape effects, guitar, effects, tapes, sampler, synth, effects, synths, sequencers, organ, keyboards, digital horns, flute and effects, all played by seven musicians. Across five lengthy tracks, the band whips up a very potent brew, again with a more rustic sound quality than you'd expect, but the sheer adventurous nature of the music and the jamming will have you on the edge of your seat as you wonder at the moments where the band are in full flight and nail-biting at passages where the band threaten to fall of the ege completely before rescuing the improv and taking it onwards and upwards in directions you never anticipated. As a double CD, for me, this was challenging listening, but if you want something that takes you to heaven and hell on the same journey, then this one's for you.
ALIEN PLANETSCAPES: Victims Of The Blacklist CD
Not out until June, but get those orders in now and be certain to register your copy of the new album from one of the most talked-about bands in the space-rock press at the moment. They've appeared at the last two 'Strange Daze' festivala held annually in the USA, and have been greeted with nothing but acclaim. A recent tape they sent to me of the set they played at the '98 festival is nothing short of jaw-dropping and the band sound even better than they did on the first CD with some classic guitars, synths and rhythms, the likes of which come out as a cross between early Hawkwind jams and Kraut legends such as Agitation Free, Cosmic Jokers, Amon Duul 2. This new album promises to be a biggie, so remember who told you first - us!!
ARCHITECTURAL METAPHOR: Other Music CD
Instrumental album of classic space-rock, psychedelic jamming and more, with eight tracks that build and build so that the album becomes a burning cauldron of electric guitars, synths, electric bass and drums. A three minute opener leads the way before the band tear into a corking five minute cover of Pink Floyd's 'On The Run' and electric guitars, spiralling, swirling synths, deep boinging bass and crashing drums, give the piece an electrifying treatment that Floyd never came close to emulating, as the structure is maintained but the energy levels reach new heights. There follows three tracks of superb space-rock/psych/prog influenced instrumentals, climbing higher and higher with an early seventies Floyd-Hawkwind air hanging over the proceedings. Of the final three tracks, two are Hawkwind covers and one smoking ten minute instrumental gem between them, a cauldron of electric guitars, bubbling synths and a strong, dynamic mid-paced rhythm section. Overall, it's a fantastic instrumental album that showcases the band at their finest. Sensational stuff.
ALAN DAVEY: The Final Call CD
Brand new studio album……………not to be confused with the new Bedouin album. it's being released on the CD Services own Centaur label. It's a way more cohesive album than the 'Chaos Delight' CD without a wasted moment on the entire album. Starting with 'Shahadah' that opens with a couple of minutes of atmospheric space-synth music and throbbing sequencer rhythm, before taking off on an instrumental space-rock trip, revolving around his strong electric bass, banks of swooping synth layers, all managing to combine space and dynamics, but with the added touch of distant percussive layers adding to the effect, with a brief chant at the beginning as the track opens out, giving a sense of real atmosphere to the track as the drums emerge, the bass and guitar drive forward and the piece takes off - a superb opener. 'Sawn' provides echoed drums, a deep bass undercurrent and a gorgeous string synth/synth
flow, multi-layered passage, providing a feel that is positively heartwarming, while at the same time continuing the space/emotional feel of the album, while the synths just fill out all around creating a truly wondrous slice of instrumental brilliance with synth choral effects worthy of seventies T.Dream and as wide-eyed a set of satisfying, flowing synth layers as you'll find. 'Cloud Watching' opens with brief synth wind effects and organ-like drones, to which flowing synth lines are added, filling out the sound, creating a really strong sense of deep space atmospherics as sounds come and go around the main, multi-textured, synths-filled heart of the piece, which gradually builds and billows out majestically to the end. 'Bird Nebula' continues the warm spacey feel as another slice of chugging space-rock, this time with a resonant undulating synth bass line circling overhead, while a crunchy lead guitar takes centre stage as the more dynamic percussive and steaming electric bass cruise through the cauldron of delights, with synth melodies, string synth backdrops and space effects filling out the sound to perfection.
Track five is a more 'out there' piece of synths-dominated instrumental music with a really deep bass line rumbling along underneath while assorted synth layers, textures, echoed percussives and effects, rumble, soar, swoosh and bubble away to create a really dark sea of deep space music for over five minutes, before the album suddenly launches into a classic slice of Hawkwind-esque space-rock, as we get a reworking of Davey's classic 'Sputnik Stan', now titled 'Stan's Orbital Salvage', here with some strong, resonant electric bass work leading the way while drums, synths and synth swooshes/effects fill out the mix in classic 'Silver Machine' fashion, in fact this would have made a great follow-up to that track, all those years ago - it's got that sort of feel and atmosphere and sense of urgency mixed with a space-rock sensibility that few others can exhibit, before it slows to a really beautiful melodic finale with guitars and synths drawing the piece to a slow close - awesome for nearly seven minutes. Following this is 'Zakah', a multi-textured piece of synth-dominated space-melodics, with an organ/bass sounding drone rumbling along while high-flying, dark layers of synths and electronics soar above the equally dark resonance underneath to produce a truly deep set of space music with feeling. 'Black Light' is slowly flowing, layered synths with little melody lines weaving in and out of the electronic textures that build to a rich textural range as the track soars slowly to the skies and out into the uncharted regions of space itself. 'Many Voices' gets even deeper with a mix of gorgeous string synth lines set against a backdrop of dark slowly undulating percussive-like rhythms and develops into a spacious slice of deep synth space music that will have you in awe of the mix of emotion and intensity, the album closing on 'Hajj', again a mix of synth layers, drones, melodies, space effects and deep flowing bass textures.
That's it - one gem of an album for sure, essential for space-rock and synth fans alike, and one you will find yourself playing in the dark at night as much as for deep feeling atmosphere during the day and a simply awesome set of electronic-based music.
FLESH RESONANCE: The Dark Between The Stars CD
Sometimes you get an album by a new talent that is so good, you listen to it all the way through, love every minute of it then, sit back and think "how on earth am I going to review THAT!!!". So, what is it? Well, it's a kind of ambient space-rock - and it's electronic.......errr, and it's ambient, too. Played mostly by the two musicians Tony Longworth & Keith Hill, it opens with this lilting instrumental that for all the world sounds like something out of '74-era Floyd, then proceeds to 'Futures Past' which is for all the world a driving slice of rhythmic ambient electronic music that works superbly and the sort of track you want to play again and again. 'Behind The Sun' is driven by a massive electronic drum sound as string-like synths sweep the background in stabbing fashion, guitars ring out the back of the mix, a curiously buried vocal gives an eerie industrial feel to it all, before a brief guitar solo rings out then it's back to the mystery of it all. 'Forgotten Sunrise(reprise)' is a weighty slice of slow-moving ambient dub with eerie voices, big beefy rhythms, acid synths all around the mix and a more than addictive, haunting quality to the track. 'Beneath These Ancient Skies' is a driving slice of electronic prog-rock with a slight industrial flavour as muscular synths, a lead guitar that cuts through like a knife, deep bass synths, a river of string synths and more driving rhythms, allied to treated voice intoning lyrics about alien life and their technology, all huge-sounding stuff with swirling guitars, big rhythms, a vast ocean of soundscapes and a very powerful feel. One is put in mind of the likes of USA electronic-dominated acts such as Spirits Burning, The Brain and Quarkspace, only this has a much darker edge to it all. The synth layers continue to swirl around the place as rattling electro-percussive rhythms suddenly roar into life and propel 'Pulsar' on some mad techno trip to the outer reaches of the galaxy as acid synth trance-like leads sparkle and soar all across the mix on a totally rampaging slice of beat-driven space-techno that booms through your skull. The pace slows for 'Morpheus Dreaming' with a new sea of swirling, slowly flowing synths, a deep river of bass moving slowly while tablas and bells are heard as a kind of percussive backdrop under the synth stream on top. 'Prism' is an altogether spacier piece with heavenly wordless vocal and synth layers that swoop like comets all around, above and behind the mix, all quite stark yet warm feeling as the voice floats to heaven, in many ways a bit like and certainly the feel of Orbital's classic 'Halcyon' track, only decelerated and before the rhythms began - superb. 'Twilight' starts with a propulsive set of percussive rhythms from drums and percussion, as sitars, choirs, deep, evil treated voice, deep bass, sitars, electronics and more are piled into the mix top produce a dark and utterly unnerving yet absolutely amazing track, that drives along on its fantastic layers of sounds and samples, again mixing hints of industrial, heavenly, ambient, tribal and more to excellent effect for over six minutes. 'Infidel' returns to the electro-industrial space-rock territory with a song built on electronic technoid/trance drums and sequencers, possessing strength and thunder as deep bass synths boom out, vocal move upfront, a surround-sound sea of electronics makes its presence know and the song ploughs a dynamic furrow ona train-like rhythm. After a one minute spacey interlude, the CD sees its way out with another corking slice of evil electro-industrial space-rock, the vocals sounding more like those on Krel's 'Ad Astra' album than anything, an album with which some of this album shares a lot in terms of sound and feel, only this is more electronic. Overall, then, a new take on electronic music that works a treat, sound immense and improves with every play, being fantastic to start with.
ORODRUIN: Epicurean Mass CD
Slow and steady stoner-influence rock with more than a touch of the early Black Sabbath to it all as the slowly trailing, dark vocal weaves a path over menacing waves of decelerated guitar riffs running like a river of activate sludge, before gathering pace and doing the whole early Sabbath makeover to perfection. In its own way, it's positively refreshing to hear this way of doing things, especially as you also get some sizzling lead guitar solos in there too. With acres of space for the guitar work, a clutch of classic seventies-influenced songs, a dirty but superbly produced sounds, huge disembowelling electric bass and those churning guitars, all propelled and anchored by some solid drum work, this is one of the best examples of the genre.
PINKSTUFF: 21st Century Blues CD-R
Described by the musician as "8 powerful, instrumental, sci-fi metal numbers, brimming with filthy riffs and memorable hooks", I can report that this description is pretty well spot on. Most tracks revolve around assorted layers of sizzling guitar work, from sparkling lead electric through fuzz-laden riffing, to attacking soloing, with the sparcely used synths providing an effective co-lead and spiralling backdrop, almost, as on 'Vaccuum #3', adding an almost trancey element to the proceedings, as the driving electronic drums propel this mass of guitars and synths onwards. Most of the tracks follow a similar sonic pattern, witht the guitars as lead and rhythm instruments, the main variation being in the pace of the pieces and, to an extent, the intensity of the guitar soloing and how many layers the musician decides to add to this driving force of guitars. Where real drums come in, as on the amazing moment in 'Up To Three Times As Evil' where this happens, the effect is jaw-dropping as this huge wadge of dirty lead and riffing guitars just shoots forward over this massive rolling drum rhythm, a defining moment on a stunning track, but by contrast it all dies down for a minute or so, before the whole thing rises up once more to see the near ten minute monster out in a hail of drums, bass and guitars. Throughout the album, the guitar dominate and it's most definitely psychedelic sounding from start to finish, more psych-rock than space-rock as the synths tend to be confined to very much an occasionally used role, the whole mainly being the sound of gloriously psychedelic, lead and riffing guitars, drum rhythms of various persuasions, and thundering synth bass. The guitar work just sizzles, storms and spirals,and it has to be said that for instrumental psych-rock, this, while it could be argued as being a tad "samey", is still one helluva fine album with guitar work that cuts through superbly. If you like this, then there are three more albums previously of similar music, but try this one first.
ROOT DECO: Dragon Rings A Bell CD
Wow - this is something else. It's like a souped-up answer to classic Jefferson Airplane mixed with a dash of early Springsteen, a touch of Pete Droge, some scorching Kaukonen-Casady-like guitar play and a set of psychedelic bluesiana that hits the spot right from the start and never looks back. They've got that feel of the Airplane out on a limb with great songs, none of the politics (USA that is) and some wicked guitar work not to mention a corking rhythm section throughout. The vocals are a touch more gravelly than the USA mob, sort of like Spirit with throat problems (well...), but are still superb - in fact, no - they remind me most of that guy out of The Call whose name I cannot recall, perhaps even a bit Springsteen too. Really, it's got all the right ingredients and the guitar work is to die for - this is phenomenal stuff that gets better the more you play it, with not a bad track on the album. Fantastic - buy it - NOW!!
SATURNIA: Hydrophonic Gardening CD
Second album from the only psychedelic band I know to emanate from Portugal, and over fifty one minutes and seven tracks they've created something that, although needing about three or four plays to get into, is the sort of album that will endear itself to you, providing that you are the sort of person that likes predominantly instrumental, synths/keyboards/guitars-dominated psych albums that occupy a place very much in the field of late sixties/early seventies psych-space-prog, with definite nods to early Pink Floyd, some of the more "far-out maaaannn" Krautrock bands but with a more synths-oriented sound like that of Tonto or cosmic Gong, even Edgar Froese-style mellotrons being the main lead in 'Planetarium'. The chunkier rhythms and miles of space synths is on 'Vimana' is about as heavy as it gets and the overall feel of the album is one of cosmic bliss in a psych-rock setting that is more atmospheric than rock, but always travels, never drifts, always substantial but more of a musical canvas that anything overtly melodic, in many ways a similar sort of feel, although not exactly sound, to '69-era Floyd. Overall, it's no classic, but it's certainly not disposable either, and one I will put on as mood music more than concentrated listening, but play it I will.
SCATTERED PLANETS: Andromeda Keg Party CDEP
6-track, twenty-six minute debut from the USA duo of Doug McMahan on synths and Bob Lennon on fuzz guitars. With an electronic/programmed array of rhythmic backings, they play a heady space-rock brew. Opening with the dark, swirling mass of synths and guitars set to a low-down rumbling rhythm, it kind of makes you think you've been sucked into some giant black hole where normal time and space become a distant memory. This feel is only made more so by the intensity of the second track, 'Electric Dreams' where a massive cauldron of sound is made up of guitars, synths and deep bass, as barely perceptible vocals intone their echoed words in amongst the heady mix. It's music that is verging on the edge of chaos, with lots of layers and textures, solidity at the bottom end, thick slabs of fuzz guitar, a positive black universe of electronics and plenty of unfathomable echoed, treated vocals. In many ways, it's like a deep, dark, twisted, almost vocal-free Dr Hasbeen type of thing, and if you can surmount its overt intensity, it's worth staying the course.
SPACEHEAD: Of Stars And Time (Reissue) CD-R
Now on Lab 23, this is the only official version of this now on the market. First off, Dibs, bassist, vocalist and composer, has taken five tracks from the original album and remastered them to improve the sound so that the background noise so prevalent on the EBS copies has largely gone, although you still have to turn it up slightly more to get the full-on Hawkwind-style space rock effect that is launched from the speakers. That said, they do sound better now and, as a set of corking space-rock, works a treat. Then you get the fourth track from the 'Sentinel' cassette that the Dead Earnest label didn't put on the, now deleted, CD of 'In Space We Trust', a track called 'Fyre Dragon'. Next is a previously unreleased instrumental called 'Saucers' recorded in 1999. Finally, you get the bonus of a cover version of Hawkwind's 'Upside Down' recorded live in Buxton in 1998, and the fifty-one minute album is complete.
SPACEHEAD: Escape Velocity Previews CD-R EP
In advance of the new studio album being recorded, Spacehead have elected to release an exclusive preview of the album taken from the initial mix of the material. You might think this an odd thing to do, but when you hear the quality of the tracks and how the composing, arranging and sheer performance of the band have increased a thousand-fold since even the album I put out on Dead Earnest, I think you will not only see why they have released this CD but also be waiting with more than eager anticipation for the album when it comes, and that WILL be a gem because I've heard the whole thing.
For now, let's take this EP. It features 3 tracks that will be on the new album (but not these versions) and a bonus fourth track that won't, the last one being a Brock/Tree composition that will remain exclusive to this release. The first thing you notice is how, for the initial mixes, the tracks sound superb, with the new line-up, featuring Dr Hasbeen main man Martin N, putting in a rock solid delivery, sounding more than ready to take their place as potentially the best space-rock band on the planet Just listen to the opening track for proof of this as the band just launches into space right from the off - synths, electric bass, steaming guitar riffs and drums storming through a song that will be swirling around in your head for ages after with its corking hook-line and Dibs' vocals sounding than ever, and the whole thing sounding like a slice of classic driving Hawkwind, but crisp and fresh. Then, for track 2, they only go and deliver another steaming piece of space-rock, with track 3 even better than that. As Hawkwind-inspired space-rock goes, the compositions rock, yet are kept short, tight and totally cohesive - simply the best set of songs yet delivered by the band and promising much more to come. Finally, the 4th track, 'Blue Skin' - much more of a demo with sound to match but it burns bright, as a fuzzy wall of sound drills a hole through your skull and assaults your senses with the murkiest of mixes but Dibs' bass pounding away as synth swoops pour all over the place, so heavy as to be almost industrial strength. But it is the sheer quality of the first 3 tracks that really make this so essential - thought you knew Spacehead up to now? Think again, because they've taken a major leap into the future with the song-writing on offer here. Oh, and each CD comes individually signed by the band members, as a bonus, but it won't be around once the new album is near, so get it while you can.
VOODOO SHOCK: Voodoo Shock CD
From the opening disembowelling electric bass and purposeful sludge-riffing, driven by crunching drums and seventies inspired vocals, you just know you're in for a treat as what sounds like one steamingly classy, Sabbath-inspired stoner band immediately take charge and take you into their own world of stoner doom. 'Fountain Of Freedom' is as fine an opening track as you'll find, neatly mid-paced but so alive and vital, with the necessary muddiness mixed and produced to perfection, if you get what I mean. The instrumental scenery is to die for, as the bass, guitar and drums just scythe a path through your skull, the passage of great beauty on 'Rainbow Sky' where it all drops down to reveal the vocal entering, showing that the band has a great dynamic sense, and when it all starts to power up and build once more, the effect is awesome. 'Tomorrow's Bloom' increases the pace a little and sounds for all the world like some lost early seventies Sabbath track complete with Ozzy-esque vocals and the trio on fire, that guitar and bass sounding awesome. Five further tracks continue this level of enjoyment as yuo are completely hooked into what has to be one of the finest stoner rock album on the planet of recent times. Then we get to track nine - a stoner rendition of the old Moody Blues classic 'Nights In White Satin', a song I've never been able to stomach, but here give the necessary slo-mo stoner treatment and actuallly coming out sounding more natural than at anytime in its history, and you gett he feeling it was always meant to be this way. Ending with the eleven minute slow-doom epic that is 'We Cry', brings the album to a stunning close and the only thing that feels right after this, is to play the whole thing again all the way through. It's awesome, and more - a truly amazing album.
WALL OF SLEEP: Overlook The All CDEP
Decidedly heavy and pretty Sabbath-y sludgy stoner, with all the usual ingredients that you'd expect from that description, only it moves at a more urgent pace and has a seriously vast depth of sound where the pounding bass and drums, seriously stoned riffs and excellent lead and overdubbed guitars light up the proceedings in a rather excellent manner. Good songs, good vocals, nothing overly cliched, and a refreshing addition to the roster.
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