Magic Moments At Twilight Time - "Creavolution"
(Music & Elsewhere 1995, MMATTCD1)
Magic Moments At Twilight Time - "Creavolution"
(Music & Elsewhere 1995, MMATTCD1)
From Aural Innovations #3 (July 1998)
MMATT has recorded what for me is probably the first spacerock 'n roll, dance party, sci fi concept album I've ever heard. I mean we're talking Hawkwind on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. The music is performed by Mick Magic on guitars and various synths and electronics, with guitar help from Damien Page on three tracks. Vocal duties are handled by many including Mick, Leonie Jackson, Sammi Taylor, Inga Leru, Gary St. John, and Brain John Doran. I must emphasize that this is space as in spacerock 'n roll. I liked the varied vocals and much of them have a new wavish, and, as we'll see, sometimes humorous feel to them.
The disc opens with "Starship Psychotron", a synth gurgling dance beat tune that certainly inspired the cool back cover painting of the CD depicting a flying saucer hurtling towards Earth with space party folks dancing away. This is the starship returning to Earth and sets the stage for the story to come. The next track, "Lights Turn Blue" begins with an alien voice telling the tale of an old scientist and the nuclear holocaust that has occurred. The tune then launches into a synth spacey rocker with electronic percussion maintaining a furious dance beat and a fiery guitar solo from Damien Page. Other standout tracks include:
"Purple Eyed & Mystified" sounds like a heavier, spacier Blondie with a crunching guitar sound and freaky synths. "Spirit Electric" starts as an acoustic psychedelic piece with dreamy vocals. Then a flamenco guitar is introduced accompanied by the spaced out bubbling synths. The whole thing ends up as a real rocker though the flamenco stays along with the heavier crunch guitar. This is different folks. "The Night Fantasia" and "Love Let Thy Name Be Darkness" stand out for their haunting vocal harmonies. "The Torch", with its pounding rock beat, features Brian John Doran's humorously operatic vocals accompanied by Leonie Jackson, and a bouncy, slightly blues tinged solo from Damien Page.
A crowd screaming "Its paaaaaarty time!" leads off the closing number "Rock & Roll Lifestyle". Gary St. John carries the tune with his Elvis-like singing backed by, what I call, the party chorus. And, of course, the synths bubble away occasionally to remind us this is a sci fi adventure.
I gave MMATT a thumbs up for offering something of a twist to my conception of both space, and rock 'n roll, as well as producing music for a cosmically damn good time.
For more information visit the Music & Elsewhere web site. Music & Elsewhere has been aggressively releasing cool indie music of all stripes for years. Check them out!!!
Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz