Gothycka Mucha Moderator
Gender: Age: 40 Zodiac: Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Posts: 1152 Location: Miasto Kominów
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Posted: 06-11-2005, 23:47 Post subject: Astral Surf Gypsies - Breath of the Rat Lady (2005) |
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At the very beginning I have to admit that I've never been very fond of psychodelic music. And I've never been convinced by over five-minute long recordings of splashes, gurgles, crackles and sounds generated by all kinds of synthesisers, as they too rarely compose a smooth melody.
On the album offered by the Americans from Astral Surf Gypsies there is the fusion of neofolk and psychodelic sounds and it's really interesting. We are given seven tracks, out of which three have a bit longer lyrics - two of them (the opening song Adore Thee in Song and the closing one Might of Thy Breath) are the recited fragments of The Book of the Law by Aleister Crowley and the third one (Taramis (I Am Star)) is the invocation to the goddess Tara. It says a lot about the atmosphere of the album - it resembles the achievements of the psychodelic kings from the turn of the 60's and 70's, with the same set of instruments and inspirations.
The album itself is weird to listen to, as it lacks really expressive melodies, the songs are all alike and it's difficult, without taking a look at the player, to decide, in what point of the album one is. Of course, it is not an objection - the album is constructed as a cohesive suite and I wonder myself whether the division into tracks is not artificial - the album may well be in a multiplot one-track form. Moreover, the sounds are not dominating, they don't draw the whole of the listener's attention. Just the contrary, they float as if subliminally. I know that some people would not be able to live without this album but I can't say I'm one of them. Nonetheless, I appreciate the young Americans' effort (Breath of the Rat Lady is their debut album) and I wish them all the best for the future.
7/10
Track list:
1. I Adore Thee in Song
2. I Magi Nation
3. Rifless Sea
4. Ballad of the Rat Lady
5. Taramis (I Am Star)
6. The Veiless Mater
7. Might of thy Breath
The Band:
Daniel Anthony Ezekiel Niehaus - vocal, guitars, synthesisers
Justin "Ratpick" Moore ? synthesisers, vocal
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