Brimstone Solar Radiation Band - Smorgasbord
(Karisma
Records KAR050)
From Aural Innovations April 2010 update
I have been waiting for this record for some years. I really like their first two releases and was really glad to hear the band still existed. They have a really unique melodic rock sound with roots in the 60s and 70s and create heartfelt music with a lot of vocals layers. Medic, a 6 minute long track starts things off with an uptempo melodic rock track with horns and Mr. Edwards distinctive vocals! A lot of cool parts twist and turn on the 6 minute track. Pretty brilliant stuff. Godspeed Mother Earth is a 4 minute track that starts with acoustic guitars and those “oooh oooh” like vocals like on “The Wall”. There is a nice balance between harmonium and acoustic guitars on this one. Happy is another acoustic track with piano that kicks into a more uptempo and very happy song. The Great Yeah is another very happy acoustic driven guitar track with a nice guitar break (but too short) and also far too short organ solo. It reminds me a bit of Motorpsycho somehow but the ending is very much like LOVE. I don’t Mind has that organ sound like they used a lot on their first record and is again quite an uptempo track with a bit more attack. Sanctimonious High has a little Jefferson Airplane feel to it. Thin Air has a country like pedal steel part to this song, which really gives it a different feel. Animal Riot Hill is another quite fast track but is best when it comes down in the middle with the sax solo. A bit King Crimson like for 1½ minutes before kicking into high gear again. Spain is a melodic acoustic track about going to Spain with your friends. Beatles like vocal harmonies as well. Crazy Rainbow is one of my favourite tracks on the CD. The CD ends with a Hill of Beans, one of the longest tracks, actually the next longest after the opening track. This is a beautiful slowly building track and nice way to end the record.
Visit the record label web site at:http://www.karismarecords.no
Check out the band web site at: http://www.brimstone.no
Reviewed by Scott Heller