Aural Innovations Issue #5 — Album Reviews, Part 1
Aural Innovations was a magazine and website on space rock and related genres, offering reviews, interviews, and general articles. It ran from 1998 to January 2016. The website is no longer active, and all articles are being imported into DPRP, to keep everything available for everyone. Read Aural Innovations — A Brief History, written by AI founder Jerry Kranitz.
Mirza — Iron Compass Flux
(Darla 1998, DRL 068) 
Keith Henderson
Mirza is a band I discovered totally by accident. I was scanning the Darla Records homepage looking for another title, and the mini-review of Flux just caught my eye, probably because of the mention of Ash Ra Tempel as an influence. Giving it a little more scrutiny, I came to the conclusion that it was something I just needed to have. In some cases like this I end up disappointed, but not this time. Mirza makes very refreshing and exciting instrumental music, that ebbs and flows and always keeps you guessing. Steven R. Smith is the protagonist for this four-piece orchestra, although I couldn't begin to list all of the instruments and sound effects employed in the recording session (they're not given anyway). I recognized the name Kyle Statham in the liner notes (who assisted in recording and mastering), not because of his own Bay Area alternative band (with the charming name, Fuck) of which I later learned, but rather since he has recently worked with another area krautrocky group, Mushroom. 'Funny Bunny' Kyle has good taste.
"Iron Compass Flux" is nearly an hour long, but with only 6 tracks, there's plenty of time for each piece to develop fully. Rather than any set song structure, Mirza prefers to explore one particular idea for a few minutes or so, and then just let it drop in favor of something new. But rarely do things change abruptly; often the merging of one section into the next happens so gradually, you aren't even aware of what is occurring until the change is already complete. For what appear to be live studio recordings, Mirza shows a maturity and level of togetherness that is rarely seen.
The opener, "The Path is White Clouds," runs through no less than six different phases, including Göttsching-style stream-of-consciousness guitar soloing over a base of cosmic drone. Pulsing synths and drifting ambient interludes provide the links between the unrestrained sections, which become quite tense and frantic at times. "Ember Lights" is heavy on incidentals, and sounds more like an X-Files soundtrack than anything else. "The White is Past-Clouds" is not really a reprise of the initial track, but is a wonderful loose jam of slightly dissonant guitar-drone, more cosmic soloing, and lively percussion.
The true highlights on Flux are tracks 4 and 5, the title track and "Sousa," respectively. Again, each proceeds through a handful of completely disparate phases, utilizing all sorts of embellishing tactics: echoed guitars, bells, synths, and sounds that appear to be sitar, accordion, piano, maracas and alto sax (but who knows what they really are?). "Sousa" is really like nothing I've ever heard before - it has a strong Eastern flavor, and has that disturbed, slightly psychotic sensation that I experience when listening to some Scandinavian/Nordic artists (like Circle for instance). The wrap-up, "Feeding the Serpent from a Cup," I can only imagine as the experience of listening to a grandfather clock after dropping acid.
There is nothing conventional about Iron Compass Flux, and neither did I find anything to be pretentious or contrived. The music is very expressive, dangerous, and implants shifting moods in the listener's consciousness. I'm not sure how effectively Mirza can transfer their music to the on-stage environment, but then again, I'd prefer to experience this music in solitude anyway. If you're a fan of The Spacious Mind, The Outskirts of Infinity, SubArachnoid Space, or any other improv-style soundscape artist, you should find Mirza to your liking.
Jerry Kranitz
Mirza plays all instrumental, exploratory psychedelia that at it's best is an inventive blend of industrial music and psych jamming, but can also tend to be droning and without direction. Of the six tracks on this nearly one hour CD, three fell into the later category and three bore what I considered to be a solid trademark sound for the band.
As the music began I heard the threat of yet another hour of endless drone. However, "The Path Is White Clouds" soon settled into a Doors-like psych jam. It had some good sounds and I liked the way the tempo gradually built into a semi-fury, but overall it didn't really excite me. "Feeding The Serpent From A Cup" was an interesting tune that sounded remarkably like a rawer version of the opening to Pink Floyd's "Time".
The stronger tunes were "Ember Lights", "Iron Compass Flux", and "Sousa". "Ember Lights" features industrial atmospherics weaving in and out of various synth patterns. I enjoyed the industrial beat club freakout with the heavily echoed bongos. The 14 minute title track is similar though more ethereal. In fact, I sensed a strong Ash Ra Tempel/Can influence as the lengthy tune developed. Here the drone is subtle and put to good use creating mechanical space soundscapes that conjure up all kinds of sci fi images. The last couple minutes see an easing of the pace with a spacey, somewhat minimalist piano finale. "Sousa" is a potent psych tune that jams along like some of the weaker tracks, but I felt like the journey was headed somewhere. Low-end pounding bass and drums set the beat, accompanied by an Eastern influenced acidic guitar and exploratory electronics. This was my favorite tune on the CD. Without question, Mirza is a band with possibilities for fans of jamming exploratory psychedelia.
For more info and to buy the album, visit the Darla website.
Vocokesh — Paradise Revisited
(Drag City 1998, DC136CD) 
Doug Walker
I have known and admired the music of Richard Franecki for 18 years, starting with his work in F/i, who he left for solo work in 1989. I've got all of his solo works so when I heard I would get the opportunity to review his new release I couldn't restrain my enthusiasm. Now I face the dilemma of how to review the music, since it is both great and terrible at the same time.
Certainly, as both Synthesist and Guitarist, Rich has developed quite an individual sound on both instruments. His synthesizer work throughout is rich and vibrant with a wealth of interesting ideas. His Guitar work is a decent approximation of "Space Ritual"-era Hawkwind and "Yeti"-era Amon Düül II, and he expresses his ideas with both grace and confidence.
Where the problems arise are on the band tracks... drummer Jan Schober stinks, and his musical inability drags every track on which he appears The guy can't do a simple pressroll, his rhythmic sense is unsteady so he is reduced to uncreative bashing. The work of the rest of the band (which is simply arresting) is diminished.
A prime example is track 3, "the Circle is the Square", chords of which have been in Franecki's vocabulary for about 15 years. Schober's rhythm is so bad the track is played at half the tempo of the original. Rich's fine Synthesizer obligato can't even save this track. Please guy, get yourself a Drummer.
On the up side, "One Brief Glimpse" is a great display of why this guy is one of America's premier Synthesists. Here he creates a rhythmic Gong-like drone, over which long notes are stated, as white noise boils up like steam from the grates on a city street in winter.
"Quest" works with similar sounds, the synthesizer both reacting to and treating what sounds like bowed sawblades, then rhythms from a Drum machine are treated, phase-shifted and a string melody floats in on top, progressing into a lush orchestration with strings, plucked piano frame, and pretty bits of Acoustic Guitar and Dan Electro Electric Sitar (?), Electric Guitar just giving in little Bass Drones and accents.
"Paradise Revisited a & b" opens and close the CD, and both tracks display Rich's KrautRock roots... once again, everything else is in place and done exquisitely. But Schober's banging on "A" really forces the track to the bottom, whilst on "b" he is replaced by both Drum loop and Drum machine, proving that he can be dispensed with.
Interestingly enough, Franecki left F/i in 1989 to pursue "more experimental sounds" than that band was performing; I hope he doesn't consider Schober's playing Experimental. This guy has been on almost every VOCOKESH release, and he's just NOT GETTING BETTER. And Richard, who's been described by his former band mates as America's Conrad Schnitzler, is too good a musician to allow someone unprepared to slow him down. Most SpaceRock fans will find his work interesting, and "PARADISE REVISITED" is more than worth having. Just skip the tracks with drums.
Keith Henderson
Stylistically-speaking, Paradise Revisited is absolutely right on target. Lots of tasty guitar styles and electronics galore, sprinkled amongst a selection of crunchy spaceborne riffs. Could be retitled Space Ritual Revisited, frankly. Of the seven tracks, only "The Circle is the Square" did I find to be uninteresting and monotonous - an additional instrument (e.g., sax, flute, violin) would have really helped here. Both halves (a and b) of the title piece are highlights; for comparison sake, pick your favorite Hawkwind track from In Search of Space or Doremi. "Dusk in the Garden of Vocokesh" went a little overboard on the noise and sound effects, though had a very nice hypnotic section reminiscent of Neu!'s "Hallogallo."
It appears that the recording was done live in the studio, followed by some overdubbing. Hence, you never expect the performances to be entirely perfect, and some tracks will inevitably go on a bit too long. Such is the case here, as I think a bit of fat could have been trimmed off. (There's something to be said for the old way of doing things, where the LP format limited artists to choosing only the best material for release.) So with a bit of editing and some better drumming in places, Paradise Revisited would have been one of the best releases in years. As it is, it's definitely worth owning. I'll stop short of weighing it against F/i's Helioscopium - but how nice it is to have two space rock groups in Milwaukee now!
Jerry Kranitz
On their latest release, Vocokesh serves up heaping does of heavy, droning, acidic spacerock, and floating ambient soundscapes. The music is primarily the work of Richard Franecki (ex-F/i) who plays guitar, electric sitar, dulcimer, bass, and electronics. Franecki is joined by Jan Schober on drums and percussion, and John Helwig plays bass on three of the seven tracks.
The disc opens with "Paradise Revisited a", the beginning of which contains an eerie organ melody, synths, and spacey guitar lines. About three minutes into the tune a steady drum beat comes in and the guitar starts to crunch while the organ and synths continue. Franecki's psych guitar solos slowly against what becomes an enormous wall of intergalactic drone. The rhythm and beat of the tune remains simplistic, but it's power lies in the intense and somewhat disturbing atmosphere that is created. The spirit of F/i is much in evidence though Franecki's guitar leads are psych influenced whereas F/i's music has become more metallic.
"Dusk In The Garden Of Vocokesh" is a lethargically ambient piece that begins with a busy conglomeration of electronics and wood block sounding percussion. Acoustic psych guitar soon joins and meanders along in a sort of drugged out other-world manner against ocean wave synths and the prominent percussion bits. "The Circle Is The Square" is a heavy rocker which again reminded me of F/i. Heavy psych that is droning, but will carry you away to unexplored realms. These guys make simplicity sound so good. Eight minutes of repeating riffs and rhythms that sound and feel great against a wall of orchestral space textures.
"One Brief Glimpse At The Face Of Oblivion", at 17 minutes is the CD's magnum opus. Another ambient track with an intense atmosphere includes some freaky synth work that makes this sound like an industrial version of Tangerine Dream. The last several minutes consist of crunch guitar and psych riffing. Lots of good music and ideas here but I don't think the song's length is justified. Chop off about seven minutes and it's a killer tune. "Quest" and "Paradise Revisited b" are interesting pieces in that they introduce Middle Eastern flavors. The later is the stronger tune and a bit on the abstract side. It's heavenly electronics and seemingly found sounds, clangs, bangs, and bells make for a weird trip. Overall a very strong set that works hard at working with both the heavier and more ambient sides of spacerock.
Check out the Vocokesh Bandcamp page for more music.
Eloy — Ocean II - The Answer
(Gun Records 1998, GUN 167) 
Paul Ward
Man is a prisoner of time, yet time lives in Eternity Eloy's classic tale of the mythological Poseidon, the creation of Atlantis and it's eventual destruction in Ocean in 1977 promised a return of Atlantis' secrets as the third millennium approached ... and this latest offering from arguably Germany's most creative and talented "Art Rock" outfit does not disappoint!
More than twenty years after the release of Ocean, the original album continues to inspire Eloy's many fans, and the announcement that they were to record a 'sequel' ensured that The Answer would be the most anticipated release from the band in it's long and productive history. The use of the incredible artwork of Wojtek Siudmak immediately impresses the intended continuation of the original story, an impression which is only strengthened by the orchestral overtones and mournful siren-like harmonies in the opening instrumental Between Future and Past and it's segue into Ro Sefan which sets the scene for the rest of the album.
Eloy have not tried to mimic the style of the original album, but instead have managed to merge many of the styles and techniques for which the band have become famous for. On this album I can hear aspects of many Eloy albums, both lyrically and musically. The combination of mythology, time, space and the ever present dream for a better future is what makes Eloy stand out above the crowd, and this album is no exception. Perhaps not as lyrically 'obvious' as Ocean, The Answer focuses on the pending release of enlightenment hidden for centuries as civilization continues it's ever present decay .....
Musically, the album has all the classic Eloy hallmarks, from the inspiring choir-like backing vocals, wonderful instrumentation and Frank Bornemann's unique vocal style. Eloy's albums from the late 70's (such as Ocean, Dawn, & Colours) have always had what could best bedescribed as a 'full' sound - this release sees a welcome return to this style which seems to havebeen less focused on latter albums. At the same time, the sounds that they have developed overthe last decade have not been forgotten, and listening to the album there is a merging of the oldand the new which results in a feeling of completeness.
For Eloy fans, this is a must-have item. For those of you with a few Eloy albums in your collection - it's time to add one more. For those who have never heard Eloy, now is the time to discover what you are missing!
Keith Henderson
Eloy's music has always resided in the continuum between symphonic prog and spacerock, and despite being from Germany, not really part (stylistically-speaking) of the psychedelic movement known as "krautrock." This album is no exception, and actually rights a lot of the wrongs that were present on other recent efforts like Destination and Ra. On those albums, Frank Bornemann had metallized his sound a bit too much (trading poignancy for bravado) and his vocals too often sounded 'pinched.' Since then, the return of Klaus-Peter Matziol on bass (and perhaps changing attitudes towards heavier music) has led Eloy back towards where they were once great, ie., grandiose conceptual works that are both musically compelling and eminently ethereal.
To be honest, I can't really tell how Ocean 2 conceptually fits into the original Ocean (1976) story, but then I only 'get' these concepts when presented in a multi-media format anyway. But musically speaking, the link between the two albums is almost seamless, despite the 22-year wait. "Paralysed Civilization" and "Awakening of Consciousness" are instant classics that are a step up from anything on 1994's The Tide Returns Forever. The synth stylings of Michael Gerlach and Bornemann's peculiar fretting style (where each note is kind of 'scooped') still produce that unique brand of spaciness that Eloy has always maintained, and Matziol's chunky bass lines are the best in years. And Frank's voice (still heavily accented) is back to where it should be, stronger and more certain than ever. Ocean 2 is a triumphant return for Eloy, a band that had almost lost its way a decade ago.
For more info, visit the official Eloy website.
Circle — Pori
(Metamorphos 1998, META 016-CD)
Jerry Kranitz
Circle is a six-piece from Finland that plays a unique blend of spacerock, psychedelia, and avant garde progressive. The band consists of T. Elo on guitars and vocals, T. Harrivaara on bass and doublebass, J. Lehtisalo on guitars, keyboards, and vocals, T. Niemela on keyboards and stick, J. Peltomaki on drums, and V. Raitio on percussion.
On "Pori", Circle returns with their trademark sound of repeating rhythms and melody lines around which the band develops loose themes. The disc begins with a four minute intro of what sounds like a modern classical symphony. They then launch into "Vesitorni" (I had trouble making out the song titles) with its pounding rhythm of heavy rock, spaced out synth melodies, and subtly psychedelic guitar lines. A great clash of the passive and aggressive. Another strong tune is "Back To Pori" which combines a crunchy guitar sound, orchestral space keyboards, and chanting choir to produce a most cosmic feel. My favorite tune on the disc is "Kartano", which features the same trademark Circle rhythms, but is an aggressive spacerock freakout. Lots of cosmic guitars and vibrating synths. For a band that isn't a purely space outfit this has got to be one of the great space tunes of '98.
The one track that disappointed me was "Porin Jazz Juhiat". A jazzy, and wonderfully exploratory tune, it has great possibilities but unfortunately doesn't justify its 13 minute length. The rest of the disc features the classic Circle sound, though I should also mention "Karhun Kansaa" which sounds just like Materials' "Conform To The Rhythm" but with psych guitar and freaky sounds.
In summary, though "Pori" has far more to offer spacerock fans than last year's "Fraten", I don't think that - song for song - its as musically solid a release. But its got some great tracks and is highly recommended to spacers who welcome challenging music.
For more music, visit Circle on Bandcamp.
Füxa — Accretion
(Mind Expansion 1998, me204)
Asha Vida — Nature's Clumsy Hands
(Burnt Hair 1998, singe016)
Tomorrowland — Sequence of the Negative Space Changes
(Kranky 1998, Krank029)
Keith Henderson
Following with my journey to southeastern Michigan to meet up with the Walk on Water and Asteroid #4 guys, I thought I should at least check out some of the other area bands that are often lumped together (rightly or wrongly) under the Space Rock banner.
From Detroit, Füxa (pronounced 'fuchsia') is normally a duo comprised of guitarist Randall Neiman (ex-Windy & Carl band member) and bassist Ryan Anderson (ex-Asha Vida), though for the Accretion mini-CD, they've added full-time drummer Eric Morrison. Neiman and Anderson both play Moog synths also, and we hear a lot of these throughout the album. Accretion is a apt title for this collection of single-themed vignettes that hover close to Kraftwerk/Neu! territory.
The opener "Standing Under (" is a pleasant up-tempo poppy tune with guitar strumming and repetitive Moog lines that carry the piece along. [The Feelies (a New Jersey 'krautrock' band masquerading as 'alternative') used to do this sort of thing back in the 80's, though with only the guitar.] "City" falls along similar lines, though with the gliss-style guitar soloing and cool synth bleeping, this one is more cosmic. Following the ambient interlude, "Metro," we're treated to more bleeping synths and peculiar farting noises that make "Some Soviet Station" an interesting work.
This one features more cosmic guitar playing, but it's a bit too thin and distant here. Morrison contributes the 5-minute funky drum/bongo solo that comprises "Landings," but which I found rather boring. "Tonality" quickly picks things up again though, a Neu! style romp conjuring up images of a railway journey with its rumbly bassline, and frivolous fun with the 'roller-rink' Moogs. Ninety seconds of ambient space entitled "Spruce" closes out the brief (36 minutes) and to-the-point Accretion.
For more info and music, see the Fuxa page on Bandcamp. You can also find Fuxa on Facebook.
Asha Vida is quite a different entity, leaning more towards loose, improvised psych jams with duel guitars (Craig Badynee and Eric Pieti), bass (Nick Sheren), and drums (Jessie Rafferty). Badynee is also the group's vocalist, and handles most of the keyboard/sampling duties. Clumsy Hands features six tracks totaling over 60 minutes, so you know there are some long-winded compositions here.
I found it to be a real hit-and-miss affair, the three odd-numbered tracks being the worthy ones. Both "Per Aspera Ad Astra" and "Sic Itur Ad Astra" quickly fell into an inescapable abyss with monotonous twangy guitar chords and soft-jazzy electric piano noodling. At 10 and 18 minutes, respectively, these two tracks amount to a large portion of the album wasted. Fortunately, the opening track, "Il Buono Tempo Vera," is an excellent 6-minute improv jam including effects-laden guitar and wild electronics, reminiscent of Yeti-era Amon Düül II. "Poena Sensus" also works well as a tripped-out journey very much like Hawkwind's first album... Sort of a controlled miasma of sonic expression.
The lone lyric line, which reads (I think) "All beauty is marred by nature's clumsy hands, which would explain your teeth to me" is an interesting bit of prose to say the least. "Diem Paridi" (love these Latin titles) clocks in at 19 minutes, again a Yeti-style sonic symphony with very little in the way of melodic lines, but still quite interesting and space-happy throughout. The band explores everything from minimalism to droney fuzz guitar on this one.
Tomorrowland hails from nearby Ann Arbor, Michigan; the ambient/electronic duo of Nick Brackney and Steve Baker, playing a full complement of instruments (guitars, bass, keys, percussion but no drums per se). Sequence offers 10 tracks of similar length that, like Füxa, pretty much stick to one central theme. However, most of the tracks failed to put forth many ideas, instead tending towards minimalist ambiance and 'sustaining a mood,' as it were. Echoed effects and simple, repeated synth motifs carry most of the tunes in a way that only Cluster have done truly effectively (on Sowiesoso and Zuckerzeit) in my eyes. And here, I just don't find much that keeps my interest. I can point to "Dustbot," that featured some interesting 'computerized bleeping,' insect noises, and some actual movement to the underlying rhythm. And also "Sunbeam," a five-minute excursion into ambient euphoria embellished with some backmasked synthetic tones. But much of the remainder really didn't contain enough expression or musical ideas to warrant much further thought. Another case of 'style over substance,' in a genre that makes it difficult to produce anything but (I have the same response to most Tangerine Dream). This is why Sowiesoso rates so highly in my book.
In the end, I found that both Füxa and Asha Vida offered enough interesting music to warrant further investigations. Although Accretion is the more even recording, it also seems a little 'safe' if you know follow my drift. With Asha Vida, the high points of Clumsy Hands are worth the effort of skipping around the slow spots. And 'safe' is the last adjective I'd use to characterize them. As far as labels go, I'd be hard-pressed to say any of these releases fall into the SpaceRock genre in the classic sense, but then these are modern bands with modern sounds, and I really can't think of any one thing they should be labeled instead. And what's wrong with that?
Check out Tomorrowland on Bandcamp.
Mercury Rev — Deserter's Songs
(V2 1998, VVR1002772)
Christian Mumford
Whereas in the first half of the 90's Mercury Rev played a spazzed out, quirky and noisy psychedelia, a sort of "Lost In Space", Gong-meets-Flaming Lips, the Mercury Rev of their two recent albums have toned down the demented acid freakouts, and without the quirky ramblings of the former singer, the creative nucleus of Jonathan Donahue and Grasshopper (both guitar) and Suzanne Thorpe's airy flute playing, provide a dreamier slice of psychedelia.
Stylistically and instrumentally this evokes, to my ears anyway, Love's "Forever Changes" and Miles Davis "Sketches of Spain" (the latter whom they have covered in the past with "Very Sleepy Rivers"), but imagine in a grainy 1930/40's Coney Island setting, with a childlike, magical Disney feel with lush arrangements. Mercury Rev makes a mythic past reappear like a faded, yellowed picture coming to life again. I might have blown the dust off and bought "Deserter's Songs" in a magical junk shop for a nickel, or I might have ordered it on the internet with plastic money...
"Tonite It Shows", "Holes", and "Endlessly" are arguably shimmering highlights, whereas "I Collect Coins" is like a scratched old 78 (cliche gimmick, working splendidly for once) evoking dusty old ballrooms left untouched for half a century. "Opus 40" is another signature tune on the album as well, and "Hudson Line" carries on with heapings of childlike wonder, with sax and heavier guitar parts and an earthy B3 organ... not to mention (in general) an eerie bowed saw, piano, harpsichord and much more, providing a breathtaking, earthy atmosphere brimming with Americana, yet with an oddly Syd Barrett-like flavor as well.
The possible slight blemish here is that "Deserter's Songs" does slip abit towards the end song-wise, as if they put all the best songs on first! Fairly straight up stuff like "Goddess On A Highway" and "Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp", plus a few dissonant, experimental instrumentals, are somewhat removed from the magic of the first side, but then maybe the division was intentional so as to simulate a sort of LP "feel" as well. Levon Helm of The Band guests on the album, playing drums on one track. I can't recommend "Deserter's Songs" enough - definitely not spacerock in its purest form (go for their first album for that), but definitely a classic, psychedelic, record.
For more info, visit the Mercury Rev website and Mercury Rev on Bandcamp.
Various Artists — Wir sind Kinder der Revolte Vol. 1 - Open Air Burg Herzberg
(Think Progressive 1998, TPCD 1.807.030) 
Christian Mumford
The Burg Herzberg festival is one of Germany and Europe's largest annual outdoor festivals, drawing 10 000 strong to witness everyone from Ozric Tentacles to John Mayall and beyond, since 1991.
This CD collects some wonderful psych/kraut/spacerock bands from Burg Herzberg outings spanning 1995-97. Opening with Gong's "Would You Like Some Tea?", basically a wacky 20 minute abbreviated Radio Gnome Trilogy jam, and closing with Man's incredible 10 minute "The Ride And The View", it's almost fascinating that these legendary underground bands even exist today, especially as vital and fresh as they all sound here.
Guru Guru present "Space Baby" in their usual goofy way, and Hawkwind seem to have some technical problems during "Love In Space" where Ron Tree drops in and out, also being the least interesting of the tracks here.
Faust carry on with a spooky, screechy, rhythmic piece called "Allerdings Weiút Du", and the equally legendary Embryo provide a sort of jazz-funky "World Music" thing with "Maroc", however its decidedly pretty strange and psychedelic, a lot like being really stoned at a 70's airport lounge, and wearing a white nylon suit two sizes too small!
Chris Karrer (ex-Amon Düül II) takes a similar route in baggier pants, a sort of mideast desert trek of sorts with "Ya Habibi". Finally we let Man take us home, but eagerly awaiting the next volume of this great series!
Holy River Family Band — Welcome To Riverhouse
(The Wild Places 1998, Wild 004)
Jerry Kranitz
While I thoroughly enjoyed Holy River Family Band's debut CD, "Haida Deities", I felt that the music tended to continue good jams even after the ideas had played themselves out. I'm pleased to say that on this new release the band has taken a giant leap forward and done so with the confidence to make it a two-CD package.
As before, the band lineup includes Jens Unosson on organ, electric piano, analog synth, bells, and vocals, Arne Jonasson on guitar, saz, bouzouki, oud, sitar, cümbüs, mey, zurna, violin, hurdy-gurdy, recorder, vocals, and Mathias Barder on drums, percussion, flutes, and vocals.
The big difference for this listener is that the music has more of a sense of direction. There are more shifts in mood, atmosphere, and even style. The cosmic instrumentals are still there but we also have vocals on several songs which are a welcome addition. The trademark sound is still psychedelia with an Eastern flavor.
Arne Jonasson's many acoustic stringed instruments ensure that the music is always interesting though I have to confess I still don't know what a saz, oud, cumbus, mey, or zurna are. Across the two CD's there is a perfect mix of acoustic instruments and slowly soloing electric guitar.
Jens Unosson's synths lift the stage into the heavens at times with slowly meandering melody lines and at others with multi-textured layers of keys that Jonasson jams to. On some tunes his organ gives the songs a cool 60's pop-psych feel. But this is only the surface as much instrumental activity is going on in the background. In fact, the music can be quite complex despite the ease and dreaminess of the pace.
The best moments though are when Mathias Barder adds flute to the mix. I can just feel the cloud ease itself underneath and carry me away. In summary, the band has taken the ideas that were introduced on Haida Deities to produce a solid and better defined work.
Sabine — Sabine
(Wurlitzer Jukebox 1998, #50)
Keith Henderson
Here's one of those finds I sometimes make when I'm just flipping through mass quantities of bargain-priced discs, and a particular item just catches my eye for some unknown reason. And when it just has that 'look' to it, you know, I just buy the thing. Many turn out to be awful duds, but this one was a pleasant surprise.
The liner notes are just about barren of anything informative (which added to the mystery of the purchase), but what I can tell you that Sabine is an all-instrumental trio (from Washington, DC apparently) of C. Porter (Guitar, Keys), C. Molter (Bass), and R.S. Kelly (Drums). Their label, based in Warwickshire, England, is also a mystery to me, though I've discovered they also feature the drone-rock bands Soundsmith and Flowchart, whoever they might be.
This is a mid-length CD, 40 minutes of psychedelic improvisational material divided into only four separate tracks. The opener, "Perada," is perhaps the best of the lot, its high-pitched ethereal guitar runs making this one the closest to classic spacerock, or even moreso in the vein of early Guru Guru freakout jams.
"Jemaa el Fna" (that's the way it's spelled...don't ask me to pronounce it) is an amalgam of crazy Eastern-flavored screeching, blanga-bass noodling, and some dark, regimented beat passages not unlike Magma. Throw in some synth-whirring going up, down, and all-around, and you've got some real chaos going on this one...perhaps a little too much for my tastes.
The bass gets funkier in "Chinese Poems with English Translations," and the jangly high-end guitar produces a 'chime-like' kind of effect - pretty cool. Finally, "All is Pre-Set" kicks in with a syncopated drum rhythm, then the Entwistle-style chunky bassline takes over, and then the mid-range drone guitar tops off the layered sonic pyramid scheme. The track changes gears several times, quickening and backing off, until we end up with spacey atmospherics atop a rumbly bass riff to close out the album in excellent fashion.
All of the music is very experimental, but it's also still rock music; I'm glad they haven't forgotten that for the sake of being different. I'd liken their approach to that of Vas Deferens Organization or Djam Karet, who have proceeded in a similar fashion...to steal from the latter, absolutely No Commercial Potential. We'd all agree that's a good thing, eh?, or you wouldn't be reading this, would you?
Ozric Tentacles — Spice Doubt Streaming: A Gig In The Ether
(Cyberphonic, 1998 160032) 
Jerry Kranitz
Spice Doubt is the CD version of a live internet "netcast" concert that took place on June 7, 1998. An interesting little bundle, it comes encased in a green gel-filled packet that is somewhat airtight and can't be easily pulled off. The trick, as I found out too late, is to insert two envelopes on either side of the jewel box which releases the suction and lets you remove it. (What I mean by "too late" is that I got impatient and took to it with a scissors.) According to the Ozric Tentacles website this is supposed to be a limited edition of 7500 copies that will not be commercially available. Which is interesting because I got mine at the local Borders and have had several other reports of its easy availability. But hey... that's a good thing. For a long time only "Arborescence" and "Jurassic Shift" were readily available in U.S. music shops so along with the Snapper re-releases the Ozrics catalog is getting easier to find on this side of the pond.
The good thing about Spice Doubt is that the music is nothing short of amazing. It rocks hard and does so in a far off galaxy. The classic Ozrics low end pounding rhythms are accompanied by fiery synths and a guitar sound that blazes into orbit. Explosive tracks like "Sploosh", "Oolite Grove & Citadel Jam", and "Dissolution" feature rapid fire guitar licks and phenomenal synth work. The Ozrics gift is that they are totally cosmic but their music is nothing to relax with. This is warp ten and climbing.
The problem with Spice Doubt is that we've all been here too many times before. The band has mastered their style and seem to be prisoners to it. Take a chance guys... experiment a little! I was going to finish off this piece by saying "for completists only", but the fact is this is a nice live testament with great sound and the band smokes. Do what I did. I wasn't going to mail order it but when it was staring out at me from the CD racks I grabbed it.
Check out the Ozric Tentacles website for more information.
The Bevis Frond — North Circular
(Flydaddy, 1998 FLY-029)
Jerry Kranitz
What appeals to me about The Bevis Frond is their combination of simple song structures and raucously crushing psychedelia. Nick Saloman is psychedelia's true acid minstrel, equally at home lulling his listeners with an acoustic guitar as bulldozing them with an electric. A singer-songwriter who's guitar turns each tune into an anthem. On their latest release, North Circular, the Frond offer up 26 new tunes for a full two hours of bliss on a two CD set.
Some of the standout tracks include: "Hole Song No 2" , "That's Why You Need Us", and "Blew Me Out" feature 60's pop stylings made totally Bevis by the rawness of the band's sound. Hole Song has a simple but catchy melody that could almost be a Beatles tune only its grungier and has some great wah-wah guitar. "Growing Up" and Stoneground Head" bring Hendrix to mind, with Growing Up being a true freakout track. Heavy power trio junkies will drool over this one. Somewhat along the same lines is "You Make Me Feel" with its driving jam rock rhythms and screaming wah-wah guitar. Psychedelia for head bangers.
Most of the tunes are in the 4-5 minute range but there are of course some extended tracks that break the ten minute mark. "Heritage Coast" is a song, but jams out in a big way. This and "The Stranger's Mirror" demonstrate how a guitar solo can be slow and lacking in chops, yet pack an emotional punch that comes straight from the heart. "The Pips" could be described as North Circular's journey into Miskatonia, but taking a far more dissonant and disturbing route. With plenty of crunching guitars and Bevis acid licks the song may also set a record for the most occurrences of the word FUCK in any song. I think Nick was a tad angry when he wrote this one.
North Circular doesn't offer anything new to Frond fans. But it is full of the great songs and rockin' psych that the band offers up so well. It's also priced very reasonably for a solid two hours of music.
More music on the Bevis Frond Bandcamp page.
Nebula — Let it Burn
(Teepee 1998, TP-010)
Keith Henderson
Nebula is the latest entry into the stoner rock fray, but since the trio features two ex-members of Fu Manchu (guitarist/vocalist Eddie Glass and drummer Ruben Romano), they're not really newcomers at all. Somewhere along the line, they picked up bassist Mark Abshire, who capably furnishes the necessary rumbling, muddy cadences in the Geezer Butler tradition. Let it Burn is the debut CD-EP (6 tracks - 23 min.) by the band, and pretty much recreates what they were doing in the parent group.
With the exception of the final track ("Raga in the Bloodshot Pyramid"), which is a true raga complete with sitar and tablas, all of the songs hover close to the Sabbath ethic, and affix the same psychedelic touch and frequent wah-wah guitar leads as you find from Monster Magnet, etc. In fact, there really isn't very much you can say to distinguish the songs from each other.
However, one song does stand out as being a true highlight (track 4), though I can't say for sure what the title is. According to the track listing on the back cover, track 4 is Dragon Eye, though you can clearly hear "Oh, my, my, my, I've got the Dragon's Eye" sung during the chorus of track 5 (supposedly "Vulcan Bomber"). My suspicion is that the titles are out of order and that "Vulcan Bomber" is the tune I really enjoyed.
One area that Nebula has room for improvement is the vocals - not that there's anything terribly wrong with Glass' voice, but rather the lyrical lines are just a bit too monotone, and just not very inventive. I think this is probably the first time he's been lead vocalist (only playing guitar in Fu Manchu), so perhaps it will be awhile before he settles in to that role. Other than that, one's enjoyment of Let it Burn simply depends upon how much you love the burgeoning stoner rock genre.
Various Artists — Metazoon
(Metamorphos 1998, META-014CD)
Jerry Kranitz
Metazoon is a ten-track compilation featuring six Finnish bands most of whom are in the space/psych realm and a couple progressive bands. The bands include Dark Sun, The Spiralothropes, Transparents, Moon Fog Prophet, Lotus, and Circle.
Dark Sun's entry, the instrumental "TimeSpace Continuum" is a new track not featured on the Feed Your Mind CD. It's a little different than the songs on Feed Your Mind (see review in AI #1) and seem more overtly spacey. Far out synth washes and flute against a bass/drum beat that reminded me of Pink Floyd's Run Like Hell. Hope this means a new disc is on the way.
The Transparents really impressed me with their heavy funk influenced spacerock. This may sound crazy but "Great Rush" reminded me of Rare Earth meets Deep Purple with a cosmic edge. "Arctic Grail" is very much along the Gong/Hawkwind axis and even had genuine Gong-like space whispers.
Moon Fog Prophet isn't a space band but nonetheless had some of the strongest tunes on this disc. The band's sound is King Crimson influenced in much the same way Anekdoten is. "Follovers" is a heavy instrumental track with lots of mood and tempo changes and a good bit of dissonance thrown in for good measure. "Jesters Interve" introduces a vocalist that isn't bad but with only this one track to judge by I don't think he fits the music. These guys would be potent as an all instrumental outfit.
On the somewhat weaker side are The Spiralothropes and Lotus. The Spiralothropes offer two tracks of guitar, bass, drum, keyboard and vocal psych. "The Blossom Queen Of Hearts" is the stronger of the two with its darker atmosphere. Lotus doesn't seem to be a space band though there is some drifting synths. Theirs is the longest track at 13 minutes and though it had some interesting ideas it didn't really hold my attention.
The last two tracks are by Circle. Other than saying that Circle is amazing I'll simply point you to the other reviews we've done in Aural Innovations.
My only complaint is that not all the bands have full recorded releases available so seek this compilation out and raise some interest. For more information contact Metamorphos; Rantamaki 2 B 6; Fin-02230; Espoo, Finland.
Aspera Ad Astra — Peace
(AudioInformationPhenomena 1998, AIP 03)
Keith Henderson
A quartet from Philadelphia, Aspera Ad Astra delivers that thick, dreamy space that is usually associated with the midlands of England. This recording, apparently their debut, was made at the Asteroid #4's Deep Space Studio and not surprisingly, the two bands share some common ground. The liner notes for Peace aren't particularly informative, but the four (Matt, Mark, Justin, and Drew) obviously man the standard instrumentation (guitars, bass, and drums), along with some piano, various sound effects and sampled bits.
The album sports eight tracks (plus an untitled bonus track stuck on at the end), mostly slowly-driven, deliberate tunes that work not to 'rock your boat' or anything, but rather to lull you into a state of contented indifference. The drummer, however, does his best to move things along, and this is evident right from the outset in the Bonham-esque intro to "Taking to Waking." In the end, the tune loses out to too much sappiness and mirrors the problem with too many hip alternative bands.
Things improve dramatically with the next two tracks - "Sick 'n' Sad" jacks up the spaciness and features intertwining guitar lines; "Step into Me" on one hand drags in the mire, but then again features irresistible shimmer-guitar playing and a totally cosmic bridge section. A prime example of how music can sound both retro and uniquely modern. The thinly-delivered vocals call for you to "Set free your mind, and step into me." Yep, ok - can do. Following a couple less-inspired tracks of mostly piano noodlings, "Scannin' Lights" gets right back to the thick, interwoven drone guitars and a downright heavy chorus.
The final credited track, "Take it Easy," is another dreamy piece that goes through more development, with spacey interludes amidst loud fuzz-guitar and more heavy-hitting percussion.
Call it 'shoegazer' rock if you will, but Aspera Ad Astra succeed in creating cosmic soundscapes that are both musically interesting and accessible. And it's more challenging to make an album of laid-back tunes and make it work, while avoiding the temptation of covering up deficiencies in writing with misguided bravado and/or heavy sludge. Thankfully, they avoid these crutches, but I do get the feeling that they'd take a step forward if they just let their hair down once in a while and just let loose with reckless abandon.
Grimble Grumble — Grimble Grumble
(Won't Go Flat Records 1998, CD)
Keith Henderson
From what I can tell (yet another release with virtually no liner notes), Grimble Grumble is a four-piece band from Chicago with dual guitars, and only occasional vocals (female). Pink Floyd fans will recognize the band's name as the character in Syd Barrett's "The Gnome," though musically, GG is really just another laid-back cosmic drone band. I haven't seen a discography, though I know they have a number of other releases, including a split LP with Azusa Plane, and a release on Detroit's Burnt Hair label (Asha Vida's home). This one, whether untitled or eponymous, is a 5-track mini-CD totaling 32 minutes, though since the CD is only indexed as 2 separate tracks, it's hard to know what's what.
There's really not much to say about the music, other than much of it is motionless and stark soundscapes that slowly drift from one subtle tone poem to another. The only significant movement occurs in the very first track ("Let It Take You Where It Will"), which features an active bassline covered with echoey guitar and pleasant atmospherics - Nice start. "Harmonic Transmission" was the track (I think) in which we hear some vocals, but they're quite subdued and nearly buried. This is also about the time when the jangly guitar-drone started to bore me. After a bit more of the same, it really mellows out with "(bermorgenfallsdiesonneschein" which sounds as if it could be straight from Steve Hillage's Rainbow Dome Musick. A bit of tribal percussion ("Cut Up #5") quickly wraps things up though, and left me wondering...Isn't there something more?
Grimble Grumble, like so many of the others I've been finding lately, just seem to be content to look upon their instruments as devices for merely providing texture as opposed to rhythm, beat, or kinetic energy of any kind. It's almost like the antithesis of techno music, which has drifted off to the opposite extreme. I'm discovering that I am not a big fan of either, and look to those bands who can strike a better balance, like Asteroid #4 on the textural side and Korai Öröm on the kinetic side.
Check out the Grimble Grumble Bandcamp page for other albums than this one.
Spiritualized — Ladies And Gentleman We Are Floating In Space
(Dedicated 1997, DEDCD 034)
Jerry Kranitz
Never let it be said that I dislike pop music just for the sake of it. In fact, I'm always on the lookout for bands who can back up a good tune with great music. Though not successful through its entire 70 minutes, this disc by Spiritualized contains some intensely cosmic space music that will shake the walls of your rocket as you reach warp speed. A British band, Spiritualized consists of Kate Radley on keyboards and vocals, Sean Cook on bass and harmonica, Damon Reece on drums and percussion, and Spaceman on guitars and vocals. Numerous other guests contribute strings, winds, and horns,
The band's core sound, and the element that really grabbed me, is a wall of sound created by the horns and combined with synths, piano, and freakout guitar that will make you think Syd Barrett is back in action. Don't let the horns throw you... when it works it works, and it is some far out spacerock.
The closest comparison I can come up with, and its a tenuous one, is Porcupine Tree. The disc opens somewhat like Porcupine Tree with a voice stating "ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space". After a bit of a buildup it launches into the horn-heavy rocker "Come Together". The eight minute "I Think I'm In Love" displays the band's main weakness in that they tend to get a nice groove going and don't take it anywhere. This tune and a few others seem to get too wrapped up with a good idea and are unable to develop it.
Things really start to cook, though, with "All Of My Thoughts". The tune alternates between being an easy-going song and a complete space blitz. There is also some cool 60's style organ and a light, but still discernible piano line. "Electricity" is another heavy psych rocker that reminded me of Iggy Pop singing with Hawkwind. (an interesting image, huh?) Lots of organ and wailing acid slide guitar against that great horn wall of sound. "Home Of The Brave" and "The Individual" run into each other as a six minute instrumental. Here the horns become more than a trademark background sound and take on a crazed life of their own. Imagine a psychedelic Coltrane jam and you may well get something like this. One of the stronger tracks on the CD.
My two other favorites were "No God Only Religion" and the seventeen minute epic "Cop Shoot Cop". Both feature brain piercing guitar work that hails back to the earliest Pink Floyd. "Cop Shoot Cop" starts with a beat-jazz coffeehouse feel with pulsating synths. Soon after the vocals begin the guitars come crashing in. The band really stretches out and alternating the instrumental excursions with the song aspect makes this a well spent seventeen minutes. I believe I read that this is the band's third release. Program your CD player to the half dozen really solid tracks and you've got a winner here. I've seen this readily available in record stores.
