Ov- Noctilucent Valleys
(Soft Abuse SA018)
From Aural Innovations #37 (Sep 2007)
Out of San Francisco, Ov is the new project from longtime collaborators and recent newleyweds Christine Boepple and Jewelled Antler's Loren Chasse. ARMS OF THE MOUNTAIN synth drone, pulse, acoustic guitar, keys, big full sound, very nice!! SPRING CLOCK sounds like toy keyboards, kazoo? The sound on these first two songs is very rough, lo-fi, kinda takes away from the overall enjoyment! THE NOCTILUCENT VALLEY mellow, still, quiet, faint vocal by Christine. Very 60's psychedelic but also modern...organ..again very lo-fi! BONE OF THE BONE SCHOLAR/MOON OF THE MOON SCHOLAR drum machine, kooky keyboard jamboree! A bit long and samey but pretty cool...such a gnarlie homemade sound, seems to be the Jewelled Antler esthetic?! Like Daniel Johnston instrumentals on speed! Slows way down with some kinda trumpet sound! More engaging than the manic first 6 minutes! GHOST OF THE FUTURE lilting, whimsical, xylophone? Guitar strumming, percussion, recorder?! My fave track so far. Wow, the sound clarity just gets rougher and nastier, and I even enjoy that sorta thing, but....CENTAUR IN SATURN space coolness, meditative, guitars and drones, bells.....SOUL OF SWAN water running, manic strummed acoustic guitar. THE NOCTILUCENT CLOUD other worldly electric guitar dronage along with second plinking guitar. CANALS droney chord organ, bells, like a 1982 Daniel Johnston instrumental space cassette! Gets old pretty quick but there's 11:51 of it! My wife says it's pleasant tho, maybe she's right!
For more information you can visit the band’s web site at
http://www.softabuse.com
Reviewed by Carlton Crutcher