Space Debris - Live Ghosts
(Breitklang 2009)
From Aural Innovations October 2009 update
It opens with something that sounds like the soundtrack to a trippy 70's sci-fi movie, but it's not long before Christian Jäger and company launch into
a groove and Solarization, the first cut on the new live album from Space Debris, takes flight.Live Ghosts is the follow-up to last year's phenomenal Elephant
Moon studio album. Space Debris have wisely chosen to make this a less epic
production compared to Elephant Moon, with relatively shorter tunes. While a
few of the songs seemed a bit filler-ish on the previous release, there is not
a single note wasted on Live Ghosts. The playing is tight, the songs are great
(I especially love the groovy riff on Love Weibrator), and the album sets the
stage for the next phase of the Space Debris story. Live Ghosts is the first
recording released by the band to feature new keyboardist Winnie Rimbach-Sator,
and he does a stellar job filling Tom Kunkel's mighty shoes, bringing his own
distinctive style to the Space Debris sound with smoking organ and synth licks,
as well as some beautiful and jazzy piano moments (especially on Latrino Mortadella
and Omnitron).It's almost hard to believe that this is a live recording, the
band is just so tight, whether they're playing something structured or just
improvising and letting it all flow naturally. But the playing is not so taut
and wound-up that the band can't let things get a little loose and raw around
the edges, imbuing their music with some really electrifying energy. And while
their sound still remains rooted in psychedelic rock, it's great to hear them
moving forward as well, taking on a bit more of a classic 70's fusion influence
in the Mahavishnu Orchestra vein. Blistering hard rock, spacey jazz and swirling
psychedelia all rolled into one superb performance. Live Ghosts rocks, and it's
a terrific addition to the Space Debris discography.
For more info, visit the band at their web site: http://www.spacedebrisprojekt.de/
Reviewed by Jeff Fitzgerald