The latest from German Hard Rock/Prog/Psych/Krautrock improv ensemble Space Debris is a live document of their performance at the 2012 Finkenbach festival. The CD consists of six tracks, ranging from 8-20 minutes, of their proudly retro 70s styled jams.
Swirling Hammond organ and ripping fuzz guitar dominate the opener, Sunny Freaks, a combination of stoned Hard Rock and majestic Prog-Psych. The 20 minute Finkimountain runs the gamut from slow burn Hendrix, to trippy Psychedelia, spaced out Hard Rock, jazzy, funky and fuzzed heavy Prog-Psych, and includes oodles of fiery guitar and Hammond leads. Space Debris shift into cool trippy Psychedelic Jazz mode on Woodways (Part 1), with its sultry organ leads and wah’d and stinging guitar licks, and then transitions to multi-themed heavy Prog intensity for Part 2, though tasty electric piano leads inject a Jazz-Fusion sensibility. Out Of The Sun is a killer combination of heavy Prog with deep space guitar leads and monster Hammond, and high energy dancefloor worthy Psychedelic groove rock. Finally, the 16 minute Demons is a stoned but stately blend of Hendrix-in-space riffage, off-kilter electro rock flavored rhythms, eerie sci-fi stoner meditations, hip shakin’ tribal jamming, swirling Space-Prog, and the best damn guitar soloing of the set.
The members of Space Debris are totally in sync with one another, making for a nifty set of jams and lots of variety to keep things exciting throughout. And they clearly kick ass live. If you find yourself pining for the heavy sounds of the 70s, you can’t do much better.
For more information visit the Space Debris web site at: http://www.spacedebrisprojekt.de
Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz