Archive for November 10, 2015

Magic Moments At Twilight Time – “Flashbax Ω Ultimate” (Klappstuhl Records 2015, CD/DL)

Back in 1998 when Aural Innovations was in its early printed zine days I received the first of many submissions from the UK based Music & Elsewhere label. M&E was primarily a cassette label but this was a CD – the 1996 released Creavolution by Magic Moments At Twilight Time (MMATT). The first lines of my review, which appeared in AI #3, read as follows: “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”. When you receive 100s of submissions over many years it’s hard to revisit many of them. But Creavolution is one I’ve returned to periodically because… well, it’s just so damn FUN!

Mick Magic was a founding member of MMATT and also the M&E label head honcho. He’s been mining the archives of late, having recently released the Decadion 1 & 2 compilations which are two separate 12+ hour mp3 collections featuring a whopping variety of music from the 90s underground.

And now Mick has turned his attention to MMATT. Flashbax Ω Ultimate is a retrospective collection of MMATT music featuring all the different band line-ups with selections from their 1987-1992 cassette albums, just before work on the Creavolution CD began. The compilation consists of 18 tracks and over 2 hours of music. The first 12 tracks are available as a CDR for those who like physical products and comes with a download code for the entire package plus a 25 page PDF booklet that’s jam packed with band history (much of which reads like a sci-fi B-movie script), lyrics, track notes and photos.

MMATT’s music exists at the crossroads of the Space Rock, electronica, lo-fi homemade music, Punk and good ‘ol Rock ‘n’ Roll realms, though there is nearly always some kind of sci-fi element plus healthy doses of humor. The music often sounds like a Hawkwind meets John Carpenter soundtrack with a New Wave dance groove in the place of the Blanga. Razor sharp riffage is embellished by space electronics that flitter and dance about like troops of gurgling aliens. The synths often bring to mind droning drifting Prog sci-fi soundtracks and at times sound like tinkling video game melodies, and not uncommon are spaced out Punk-Industrial effects that recall the looped and phased freakouts that characterized the early Chrome albums.

We’ve got some great songs here. Among the highlights are the deep space Dub infused Torch song electronica of Pandora. Traveller II is a bouncy cosmic dittie with cool lyrics: “I am a Traveller II, I’ve been across this spatial void a thousand times or more. I’m greeted by the aliens with rockets labelled ‘Nuclear’ exploding at my door”. The aptly titled Blitzkrieg! is a punky chunky rocker with a cool combination of dirty metallic guitar and soaring synth lines. I love the propulsive good time sci-fi Hard Rock of Psychojolting, which is characteristic of everything I dug about Creavolution when I first heard it. And more fun lyrics: “I stand on the electro-floor. I feel the oscillators roar. The rumble turns my alpha on. So welcome to The Psychotron”. Ditto for the ultra-erotic Get Into The Dream Cream, which sounds like The Ramones gone Space Rock. Bewitched is an unrequited love song in the form of a disorienting but melodic sonic freakout. Acidic Heaven starts off as a killer slab of Hawkwind/Chrome ominously blazing Psycho-Space Rock but eventually lifts its spirits and veers into a high energy tripped out rocker. Magic Moments At Twilight Time is the bands ass kicking sci-fi Rock ‘n’ Roll Creavo-origin tale: “The story started years ago when came down from the skies. A craft of gleaming silver white, not seen by Earthman’s eyes. Aboard, an ageing scientist from some far distant world. From spatial peace he came amid this human madness hurled”.

There’s some gems among the bonus digital only tracks too. The 14 minute Xmas With Jody starts and ends like a radio play talking about the band’s origins, and all throughout we’ve got a Space Rock jam that’s like punky Hawkwind that’s extra heavy on the electronic efx action. The 33 minute Sister Jody is an all instrumental, relentlessly rocking Blanga freakout Space Rock jam that was the entirety of Jay Time’s audition in 1987. And we’ve got a promotional bit for Garry Lee’s Starship Overflow radio show that customizes what would become the opening Creavolution song.

In summary, kick ass sci-fi dance party Rock ‘n’ Roll freaky Psyched out Space Rock and plenty of good fun mind-fuckery are the order of the day on this outstanding retrospective from one of the UK underground greats that deserve all the above ground attention they can get. I hereby declare this absolutely essential. Because really… when all is said and done… MMATT just love that Rock ‘n’ Roll lifestyle.

To stream and purchase the download visit: http://klappstuhl.bandcamp.com/album/flashbax-ultimate
Email klappstuhl.records@framed-dimension.de for information on ordering the CDR
Visit the Music & Elsewhere/Mick Magic/MMATT web site at: http://www.mickmagic.net
You’ll find the Decadion collections I mentioned here too.

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Alan Davey – “Sputnik Stan Vol. 1: A Fistful of Junk” (EarthQuake Records 2015, CD/LP + Comic Book)

Alan Davey’s latest is a cracking fun adventure with Sputnik Stan and his ship computer Mel Function as they whiz around space collecting junk and hoping the Hubble Telescope fails because that’s the holy grail of junk. Stan likes to stop at the “U.F.O Cathouse” for a little R&R occasionally (which is conveniently attached to the International Space Station). And that’s the quickie summary of the story which is presented in music, lyrics, narratives and a 20 page comic book with absolutely freakin’ amazing artwork by Kevin M Sommers. Comic books are an IDEAL pairing for Space Rock!

Alan plays all instruments (guitars/bass, synths/keyboards, drum programming and sampling), and we’ve got vocal/narrative contributions from Kevin M Sommers, Frank Morris, Jody B Green, Zoie Green, Sarah Davey, Alisa Coral, Tina E Smith and Christopher Krawczyk.

Our story opens with spaced out atmospherics and effects as Mel reports to Stan, a gruff character who muses about his mission. We then launch headlong into Weigh It In Tranquility, a classic heavy duty Alan Space Rock ‘n’ Roller with pounding bass leads dueling with the guitar. But then we glide into melodic synth driven mission control mode which melts into Magnetosphere Disturbance, a pulsating Space-Prog number with hypnotic guitar leads that sing over the astral drifting synths. Zoie Green’s lead vocals are lovely on the mesmerizing Hubble’s Looking Tasty These Days. Stoic covers a lot of ground in just a few minutes, kicking off with electronic and compositional gymnastics. There’s a lot of zig-zagging around before we launch into the main song, with its Rap-like vocals against a chaotic but steady rocking acidic pulse. Delysid Funk is a get down funky tune with a nasty Hard Rock edge and cool dual guitar leads. And when the DJ voice comes in we learn that Stan was listening to this song by “The Eclectic Devils” on the radio. My Man On The Moon is another trademark Alan styled Space Rocker with a Prog and Metal infusion. Stan stops off at the U.F.O. Cathouse on Unidentified Flying Orgasm Parts 1 & 2, which is a mind-bobbling banquet of song, effects, and saucy swaggering Space Rock and Funk-Fusion when Stan hooks up with a couple of gals (played with appropriate nasty girl character by Sarah Davey and Alisa Coral). Finally, 18 Engines, One Mission is a destructive slab of fuzz Metal infused Space/Hawk Rock ‘n’ Roll that over 8 minutes takes plenty of time for both song, narrative and instrumental stretching out.

Throughout the set we hear Mel’s reports and Stan’s responses, and I got a kick out of Stan’s constant quips to Mel, as if the female voiced computer were his nagging spouse. Particularly humorous is when Stan is dum-dee-dum singing to himself as he accumulates Aluminum, Titanium, Uranium and Magnesium. Kudos to Frank J Morris for doing such a good job as the voice of Stan. In addition to Stan, Mel and the DJ interspersed between and within songs we’ve got various forms of Houston communications, who treat Stan as a Han Solo styled rogue. All well done and craftily mixed and stitched together to create a good time junk hero, Drive-In movie Space Rock adventure.

The CD will be available November 16. It’s limited to 1000 and comes inserted into the 20 page 10.25 x 7 inch comic book. The CD comes in a 2 panel cardboard sleeve and that slips into the comic which comes with a plastic protective sleeve to eliminate corner folding when storing. All in full colour! The LP should be ready a few weeks later. It’s limited to 200 and is a double colored vinyl package with Sides A & D being a 12″ and Sides B & C being a 10″. Alan plans to release Vol. 2 in 2017.

For more information visit the Alan Davey web site at: http://www.alandaveymusic.com
CLICK HERE to order the CD
CLICK HERE to order the LP

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

The Chemistry Set – “The Endless More And More” (Fruits de Mer Records/Regal Crabomophone 2015, LP)

A little background for newcomers: UK psychsters The Chemistry Set got started back in 1987 during the Neo-Psych rage era, getting John Peel airplay and even appeared on Tony Wilson’s (Factory Records) TV show. They toured the UK, Europe and US before splitting in the 90s and then kick starting again in 2008. They’ve since released five 7″ singles on Fruits de Mer. And now we’ve got a killer set of 12 original songs, some of which appeared on the previous singles, that draw on a variety of Psychedelic and Rock ‘n’ Roll influences.

I’ll hand it to The Chemistry Set… they have a compositional flair for melodic songs that hook you on the first spin. The musicianship, vocals, harmonies, production and arrangements are rock solid, creating a Psychedelic variety pack across these dozen tunes.

I love the Pop-Psych grandeur of The Splendour Of The Universe, colored by Beatles/Revolver styled freak guitar and spaced out Floydian effects. Bouncy Sunshine Pop meets energetic Rock ‘n’ Roll on International Rescue. The Canyon Of The Crescent Moon has a similar spring in its step, but also a swirling Arabian vibe and the chorus reminds me of Soft Hearted Scientists. Time To Beathe is a slowly lulling Psychedelic crooner with wildly tripped out space guitar embellishment. Imagine turning Astronomy Domine into a lullaby and you’ve got something like this song. I like the Folk-Baroque sweetness of Winter Sun. Albert Hoffman is a Syd-like song that is, as you might expect from the title, laced with spaced out lysergic effects and a bonus grungy Psych guitar solo. Crawling Back To You sounds like a classic Paul McCartney fun time solo tune. Elapsed Memories alternates between haunting Psychedelic mysticism and Power-Pop. And speaking of mysticism, The Open Window goes full blown Indian raga for a cool grooving blend of mind-bending shamanic drone and Bluesy swagger in the vocals. The band get heavier rockin’ garage nasty on The Fountains Of Neptune. Dig that cool eerie organ and deep space swirl. Come Kiss Me Vibrate And Smile is similar but throws in some acoustic guitar jangle for a fun contrasting edge. And A Cure For The Inflected Afflicted is the heaviest rocker of the set, with 70s Hard Rock riffage and even a Blues harmonica fill. A solid set that grabbed me on the first listen and keeps on giving a half dozen spins later.

The Endless More And More will be available in January. Note that this is a vinyl LP only release, limited to 600 copies in a gatefold sleeve with a fold-out periodic table poster. The promo sheet also announces that in late spring 2016 there will be a limited edition box set that will be housed in a ‘Chemistry Set’ box with experiments, test tubes filled with candy and assorted paraphernalia, plus a bonus 12″ featuring the band’s previously released cover of Hendrix’s Love or Confusion and two new remixes. Fun stuff indeed.

For more information visit the Fruits de Mer Records web site at: http://fruitsdemerrecords.com

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Jack Ellister – “Tune Up Your Ministers And Start Transmission From Pool Holes To Class O Hypergiants” (Fruits de Mer Records 2015, LP)

After albums by Yordan Orchestra and MYTRON plus several singles of his own, Dutch Psych maestro Jack Ellister is back with his first full length LP.

The set opens with The Man With The Biochopper, which first appeared on Ellister’s 2013 released Fruits de Mer single. I was smitten with this song on the first spin two years ago and dig it even more on this fresh revisit. It’s a monstrously mind-bending slab of spaced out Psychedelia that’s like a combination of Syd-era Floyd and the more contemporary Vibravoid, to give newcomers to Ellister’s music a reference point. And I love how the song ends on a screaming high intensity note, leaving the listener white knuckled and pop-eyed, only to segue into the acoustic based The Sun Sends Me Hail, Victory, Power, Peace and Shelter (as much a mouthful as the album title). Its starts off gentle but then starts to rock out with Bowie flavored vocals, bringing to mind the acoustic songs from Hunky Dory. But things change quickly as the music gets more freaky and effects-laden and closes with a plane engine noisy finale. Saddle Up The Horse is a catchy, bouncy, Folk infused Psychedelic Power-Pop tune with some crazy wailing sax. Calm Adapter is a lysergically meditative, ambient and Shoegaze driven lullaby. Great Esmeralda playfully teases the listener by alternating between freaky spaced out buildups and power rocking segments, before finally letting the full song loose. This bleeds seamlessly into the brief but totally freaked out Wishmachine, which combines free-wheeling tripped out instrumental bits and song snippets. Old South is the most instrumentally stripped down song of the set, being a tasty singer-songwriter acoustic guitar and vocals song. Curator goes back into space, being a freakily haunting soundscape and effects driven song with ghostly vocals that are part drone-chant and part singing. Finally, A Hunter Needs A Gun closes the set as monstrously exciting as it opened, with a song that along with The Man With The Biochopper may be, in my opinion, the two best Psych songs of the year. It’s totally trippy and totally catchy, Psychedelically uplifting and intense. I like how the guitar licks scream, the vocals are angst ridden, but both are tempered by heavenly drifting keys, melodic guitar solo and dreamy atmospherics. Lots happening here and it’s all very cool.

In summary, this a kick ass set of spaced out Psychedelic songs with beautifully crafted production and arrangements. Highest recommendation!

This is a vinyl only release pressed on blue/turquoise 180gr vinyl with poster in a frighteningly small quantity of only 111 copies. In fact, according to the Fruits de Mer web site it’s already sold out. No surprises there. But this is too damn good to not make more widely available. The cover art was done by artist Anne von Freyburg, who was Ellister’s partner on the 2011 released Palast CDEP recorded as MYTRON.

For more information visit the Fruits de Mer Records web site at: http://fruitsdemerrecords.com
Visit the Jack Ellister web site at: http://www.jackellister.com

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Ex Norwegian / Permanent Clear Light split single (Fruits de Mer Records/Friends of the Fish 2015, 7″ vinyl)

Despite their name, Ex Norwegian are from Miami Beach and, though new to me, have been around for a while with several albums under their belt. (Check them out at http://www.exnorwegian.com and on Bandcamp at http://shop.exnorwegian.com) Their contribution to this split single is a cover of String Driven Thing’s It’s A Game, which was also a hit for the Bay City Rollers. The song is well produced and arranged, having a killer rocking 70s Pop sound, excellent vocals and instrumental fills. Very cool. I’ll have to check out more from these guys.

The flip side features a new song by Finnish trio Permanent Clear Light, who have contributed to numerous Fruits de Mer compilations and whose 2013 debut album Beyond These Things made my Best Of list for that year. Corneville Skyline is a bouncy, joyous Pop-Psych tune with lusciously trippy orchestration and effects and a solidly catchy melodic hook. Kind of reminds me of XTC too. According to the promo sheet Permanent Clear Light expect to release their second album in spring 2016, which is GOOD news!

The single is pressed on lathe-cut 7″ vinyl in a limited (LIMITED!!!) quantity of only 50 copies.

For more information visit the Fruits de Mer Records web site at: http://fruitsdemerrecords.com

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Michael Padilla – “Atmospheres: Ambient Works Volume One” (Fruits de Mer Records/Strangefish 2015, LP+CD)

On his new solo album, Michael Padilla explores territory very different from his Psych bands The Soft Bombs and Dora Flood. Atmospheres consists of four soundscapes influenced by Eno’s Discreet Music, created using a sampler and looper pedal.

Side A opens with Northern Lights, which floats us along on a celestial sailboat, gliding over an endless succession of gently ebbing and flowing soundscape waves of classic meditative and spiritually uplifting ambience. Crossing East has a Mellotronic sound with its beautifully melodic keyboard/flute combo feel, as if it were one isolated layer from a classic 70s Prog album. Padilla travels down a more overtly orchestral path on the Side B dominating Ecstagony. An underlying tuba-like drone supports an astral string section that tugs at the heartstrings, creating the sensation of sitting in some kind of planetarium symphony hall. The Waiting is a short coda to Ecstagony, though it’s darker and heavier on the drones and the string section is replaced by an electronic horn section. Very nice set though I have to say I’m partial to the Side A tracks. And all this with just a sampler and looper pedal? I’d stupid about the details of the arsenals at musicians’ disposal and always marvel at what technology can do.

Atmospheres will be available in January. Note that this is a vinyl LP only release, limited to 500 copies pressed on Fruits de Mer’s first ever picture disc. Mindful of the concerns over picture disc sound quality the LP comes with a CD version that includes a fifth bonus track.

For more information visit the Fruits de Mer Records web site at: http://fruitsdemerrecords.com

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Charles Rice Goff III and Michael LaGrega – “Sharpness Of Formulation” (Taped Rugs Productions 2015, CDR/DL)

Charles Rice Goff III and Michael LaGrega follow up last year’s Organic Matter in the Midst of Space with a set of 6 experimental sound collage space explorations. The duo utilize an arsenal of synths, keys, electronics, effects, violin, bass and other devices to create excursions that are simultaneously mind-bending and chaotically disorienting.

The fun starts with Annulment Of Suspension, an intense combination of space symphonics, alien insect analyses and percussion. Whirring and buzzing electronics pepper the proceedings as space waves and drones variously rush and flow, punctuated by percussive blasts and blows. The Machine Economy consists of a contrasting blend of heavenly space symphonics and machine-like electronica, noise and percussion patterns, which soon develops into a chaotic but strangely rhythmic and melodic dance song, bringing to mind a Vangelis/Kraftwerk/Hip-Hop mashup. Goff created a very cool video for this piece, which you can CLICK HERE to view or get it in the download package listed below. Do yourself a favor and view it on your computer, iPad or some similar device. You will NOT get the full lysergic effect on your little phone.

Goff and LaGrega have more fun crafting dissimilar elements on the 17+ minute Amid That Which Is. Ambience, freaky alien electronics and a parade of instruments and sounds converge to create a dreamily intense symphony of controlled chaos. The intensity level gets kicked up a notch when the percussion blasts are introduced along with wildly swarming electronic patterns, though it’s all tempered by the underlying drifting ambience. The whole is a creatively perplexing glom of components that, once again, are brought together into a turbulent but craftily cohesive whole. Next we go into full blown cosmic orchestra mode on Plasticity Nullifies Vividness, which sounds like some kind of interstellar Leonard Bernstein. Analysis Of Being-In features more art damaged space-ambience and symphonics blended with various sounds, electronics and effects to create an intense avant-garde sci-fi soundtrack feel. Finally, The Manual Doorlock Buttons Of Perception is a multi-layered ambient/soundscape excursion with a 50s sci-fi soundtrack edge and a wee bit of zaniness that brings the set to an ultra-cosmic close.

In summary, Goff and LaGrega have a flair for bringing seemingly dissimilar elements together in creatively disorienting ways. Check out Sharpness Of Formulation for a deep space adventure that is both challenging and fun.

For LOADS of information visit the Taped Rugs Productions web site at: http://tapedrugs.com
Download Sharpness Of Formulation for free at: https://archive.org/details/SharpnessOfFormulation
Email Charles Rice Goff III at padukem@sbcglobal.net if you would like a CDR copy

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Frostlake – “White Moon, Black Moon” (Discus Music 2015, CD)

Frostlake is singer and multi-instrumentalist Jan Todd, who is also part of Orchestra Of The Upper Atmosphere whose outstanding 02 set I reviewed earlier this year. Frostlake plays electric and acoustic guitars, viola, synth, electric piano and electronics, with assistance from other musicians on bass, flute, synth, piano, clarinet, glockenspiel, drums and various forms of percussion.

The dozen songs on White Moon, Black Moon are singer-songwriter Folk-Prog at their core, through with a beautifully dreamy Psychedelic and Space-Ambient quality. Throughout the set I was impressed with the way ambience, effects and field recordings are deployed, being a powerful presence or embellishment, but always contributing to the larger picture that is being painted. I like the spacey atmospherics and effects, ambient bass and Celtic quality on No Looking Back. Similarly, the bass clarinet adds a dreamy ambient flavor to Night Watch. The accordion does the same for Quiet Storm. And ditto for the E-bow on the title track, plus slide guitar which injects a spaced out Dave Gilmour feel. Songs like Snowlight, that seem instrumentally sparse, actually speak volumes with their spectral moodiness and cautious but effective use of percussive effects and melodic ambience. Falling Through Shadows has a dreamily eerie Psychedelic orchestral Folk flavor that I enjoyed. I like the drifting, cosmic jazzy feel of Connection. Dark Winds and Endless Rain struck me as Space-Ambient takes on the Trespass era Genesis sound. And Thin Red Line is similar but with the bonus of some of the most exquisite compositional/instrumental arrangements of the set.

Frostlake’s vocals are beautiful and ideal for the supporting music, and her lyrics are variously introspective, poetic, and fairy tale narrative. If your tastes cover the gamut, and in this case convergence, of Folk-Prog-Psych-Space/Ambient, then you’ll find much to enjoy and discover over repeated listens to White Moon, Black Moon.

For more information visit the Discus Music web site at: http://discus-music.co.uk
White Moon, Black Moon is also available through Amazon UK

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Unimother 27 – “Frozen Information” (Pineal Gland Lab 2015, CD)

Italian musician Piero Ranalli has a varied background, being a member of Space/Psych/Stoner band Insider, and was also in the now defunct heavy Prog ensemble Areknames. Unimother 27 is the solo vehicle he began in 2006 to explore his diverse Space Rock/Psych/Kraut/Prog interests. Frozen Information is his fourth album and the first since 2008. Ranalli plays guitars, bass, synths and the occasional voicings, with drums and percussion credited to “Mr Fist”.

The set opens with Moksha (to Huxley). After a dark Goth-Psych intro we skip through a brief Prog styled segment before launching into a jamming Psych rocker with a cool combination of dual acidic and spaced out guitar soloing, haunting church organ and a commanding rhythmic pulse which trips along until returning to the opening theme for the finale. Parts of this sound like the Bevis Frond gone Prog Rock. Dancing Thought is a bit different, exploring some contrasting but interesting King Crimson and grungy Psych Rock ‘n’ Roll territory. The Oblivion’s Cage is a thematically fluid mixture of spaced out synth work and effects, grungy but pleasantly melodic tune, tribal grooving rhythms and Prog-Psych guitar soloing. Clear Light Healing is an easy-paced melodic spacey Prog instrumental with a fun freaky factor injection in the form of oddball efx’d speaking in tongues alien/chant language, plus more tasty Psych guitar soloing. For Mad Stray Dogs Only is a welcome surprise, being a dynamic Acid-Punk Hawkwind styled space rocker with a motorik pulse. Hymn To The Hidden God begins and ends with a part doomy and part electro sci-fi soundtrack feel, and sandwiched between we’ve got soloing Psych guitar in a cool sorta jam-composed Space-Prog realm. A nifty blend of space theater narrative and trippy exploration. Finally, Brief Moments Of Eternity is a continually gear shifting avant-Prog workout with cosmic atmospheric passages, spaced out Jazz-Fusion meets Zheul vibes orchestrated by Zappa gymnastics, and is the most compositionally disorienting track of the set. Though very different from one another, this and For Mad Stray Dogs Only are my favorite tracks of the set.

In summary, Frozen Information includes lots of very cool variety and will appeal those whose tastes span the entire Space-Psych-Kraut-Prog axis.

For more information visit the Pineal Gland Lab web site at: http://www.pinealgland.it
The web site hasn’t been updated to include Frozen Information yet so in the meantime you can get on Ebay (CLICK HERE)

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz

Plant Tribe – “Late Noon” (Space Chant Records 2015, LP)

Plant Tribe are a guitar, bass, keyboards, saxophone, drums and vocals quintet from Long Beach, California who play a 70s inspired brand of Psychedelic infused Hard Rock. Late Noon is their debut album.

Opening track Past Life features a monster guitar and organ combo, with the guitar having a Hendrix flavor at first and then going Bluesy wah-Psych. The vocals are powerful and soulful and the overall sound brings to mind the Italian band Wicked Minds as a contemporary analogy. Worlds We Never Knew is similar but pleasantly surprised me with its 60s Garage edge, while still being molten hard rocking and soulfully Psychedelic. Eternal Villainy is like Deep Purple gone Psychedelic Blues, and indeed the vocals are as potent as Ian Gillan ever was though with a more Blues/Soul flavor. I like the easy-paced saucy attitude of Fish Bowl Blues, which blends Hard Rock, spaced out Psychedelia and Soul, and I really dig the emotionally charged finale, with its swinging sax and ripping guitar soloing. Gutterland is a short powerhouse swaggering rocker with an organ sound and groove that brings to mind Booker T. & the MGs gone heavy 70s Blues-Psych Rock. I love the combination of jamming wah’d Psych guitar, 60s organ, fuzz bass and boogie-woogie Blues vocals on the heavy hip shakin’ rocker Croakin’. Finally the 11 minute Mice opens with spacey atmospherics, trippy guitar and Eastern flavored drones over a rumbling rhythmic foundation. When the vocals kick in it adds the potent Blues rocking Soul vibe that has characterized the entire set. And when the band blast off we’re in full blown Blues infused Prog-Psych and Stoner-Soul mode with all musicians jamming away wildly yet cohesively.

Damn, that’s hot. I’ll bet these guys kick serious ass live. If you want to hear how smokin’ the 70s still sound, check out Plant Tribe.

The Late Noon LP comes in two flavors: One is black vinyl with double sided lyric/picture insert, and the other is a deluxe edition pressed on “milky clear vinyl with swamp green splatter”, and also includes an “Eternal Villainy” patch and 11 X 17 poster featuring artwork by cover artist Matt Sabbath. Both come with download codes.

For more information and to order visit the Space Chant Records web site at: http://spacechantrecords.bigcartel.com

Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz