Archive for October 7, 2012

Dave Fuglewicz – “The Wizard’s Porch” (self-released 2012)

Electronics maestro and veteran hometaper Dave Fuglewicz first recorded The Wizard’s Porch in 1996 as part of a collaborative project that fell through. Consequently, the recording sat until 2011 when Dave decided to add some finishing touches and release it as a solo effort. For the CD release of The Wizard’s Porch, Dave decided to include both versions of the piece, the as-is 1996 version and the newer spiced up version, both of which clock in at 28 minutes (just a couple seconds difference between the two).

Starting with the 1996 version, the music is driven by a repetitive pulsating machine-like space drone, surrounded by bleeping, blurping alien noises, bird chirps, and what sounds like real bells. Throughout the piece I kept thinking this would be ideal as the effects/music that accompanies and supports various scenes in a sci-fi film. The first part marches along slowly but steadily, and has a dark claustrophobic feel that conjured up images of being stuck on the spacecraft in the first Alien movie. Then around the 11 minute mark the pace picks up and the space cauldron gets louder and more intense, with all manner of spaced out effects, and the bells providing an interesting contrast to the overall sci-fi theme.

If I were a proper reviewer I would conduct a close compare and contrast of the 1996 and currents versions. But I prefer to just surrender to them as one big space excursion and jot down impressions that the immersive experience inspires (or maybe I’m just lazy). Having said that, I can tell you that the repetitive pulsating machine-like space drone still functions as the core of the piece, and rather than feeling like I had taken the same journey a second time, just kept tripping along merrily for another 28 minutes (i.e., Part 2).

In summary, put on the headphones and experience some seriously image inducing outer-space brain candy.

For more information you can visit the Dave Fuglewicz web site at: http://www.davefuglewicz.com
I would also encourage you to search Dave Fuglewicz at archive.org, as he has lots of downloads available there.

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Stay – “The Fourth Dimension” (Subterfuge Records 2012, 21918SUB)

Stay are a quartet from Barcelona, Spain who – though describing themselves as a space-rock band on the back of the album – play a killer brand of 60s inspired pop-psych. They’ve had a single and some compilation contributions for Fruits de Mer Records, so that alone should tell you a lot about them. The Fourth Dimension is their fourth album.

Songs like The Change Is Coming, Yellow Rainbows, In The Rain and Time Machine demonstrate the band’s flair for tightly composed songs that include brief but awesome instrumental segments, excellent guitar-organ interplay, plus great melodies and lyrics.

The band is clearly influenced by The Byrds on All I Know, with its jangly guitars. Gone With the Sun has a distinctive Byrds/country quality. And Everything – dedicated to Gram Parsons and Townes Van Zandt – has an acoustic country feel.

Among my favorite songs of the set are You Got Me Wrong, with its raw, grungy, acidic guitar, and we’re treated to a monster screaming, bubbling trip guitar solo. I really dig the ripping tripped out guitar break on Take Me Away. And ya gotta love the fuzz bass and power-driving groove of I Don’t See Myself, which also includes a spaced out Doors-like segment.

The album was recorded in Liverpool and just released this month (September 2012). The recording quality and production are excellent, making a primo showcase for this talented band’s songs and musicianship. Fans of 60s influenced psych songs with melodies that stick in your brain on the first listen will dig this for sure.

The Fourth Dimension is available in CD, vinyl and digital download editions. For more information you can visit the Stay web site at: http://www.stay.cat
Visit the Subterfuge Records web site at: http://www.subterfuge.com

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz