Leaf Rec.Efterklang : Tripper (DK,2004)****°

One day when I entered a store that sold hi-fi material, I saw this DJ-turntable that was built for CD’s. So of course there were some youngsters discovering this as a new toy. You could scratch and loop parts of music from a CD. But you could also hear the limitations of the CD itself, like strange additional sounds, like those you also get when you push on “fast forward” on a standard cd-player. All these loops give these kind of odd “unnatural” bleeps and tiny skips in the sound-evolutions. A device like this is used by Efterklang as a ‘new sound’. This is combined with beautiful orchestrations, dreamy singing and choir passages. Compositionally it really is ‘new music’, under the form of artistic pop with an ear towards sound and musical developments. The group knows how to make the best use of these new strange electronic sounds, in combination with a good taste for beauty in music. Also the singers on this album have classical trained, gifted beautiful voices. Highly recommended !

Audio fragments : "Foetus", "Swarming" (or here),"Step Aside", "Prey and Predator" (or here),

"Collecting Shields", "Doppelganger", "Tortuous Tracks", "Monopolist", "Chapter 6"

Homepage : http://www.efterklang.net/

MP3 fragments & cover : http://www.juno.co.uk/products/160557-02.htm

Other reviews : http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=15437

& http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/e/efterklang/tripper.shtml & http://www.tonevendor.com/item/15767

& http://www.posteverything.com/artists/release.php?id=8102 & http://www.halo-17.net/6027.html

& http://www.leonardslair.co.uk/efterklang.htm & http://www.musicalbear.com/article/?1689

& http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/e/efterklang-tripper.shtml

& http://www.thebeatsurrender.co.uk/news/efterklang-ambitious-debut

& http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/e/efterklang-tripper.shtml

& http://www.themilkfactory.co.uk/reviews/eklang_tripper.htm

& http://www.foxydigitalis.com/foxyd/efterklang_tripper.html

& http://www.angryape.com/reviews/2004/10/efterklang-tripper

& http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=2470

& http://www.playbackstl.com/Current/PBP/Tripper.htm & http://www.musicomh.com/albums2/efterklang.htm

& http://www.betweenplanets.co.uk/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1049

& http://www.almostcool.org/mr/e/e33mu.html

& http://www.othermusic.com/perl-bin/OM/CD_Show_Info.cgi?ID=3042226.60551&catalog_id=43436

& http://www.ab-cd.com/icbin/media/LEF40.2.html

& http://www.cdreviews.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=318

German review : http://www.cd-kritik.de/frameset/frset.htm?/kritiken/cd/efterkl-tr.htm

& http://www.hayfever.de/reviews/platten/article/98726039/Efterklang_Tripper/

Dutch page : http://www.cucamonga.be/interviews/Efterklang1204.htm

& http://www.drijfzand.com/pivot/entry.php?id=4041

& http://www.iblog.dk/nldk/2004/12/02/efterklang/

& http://www.fileunder.nl/archives/2004/12/efterklang_trip.php

Locust MusicCyann & Benn : Spring (F,2004)****°(photo : Jean-Marc Grosdemouge)

Under stimulation of groups like Radiohead new pop, postrock & Indie groups luckily began to play in a more relaxed way, creating more sophisticated pop styles. Also the 4 piece French group Cyann & Benn go into this mood, possibly also influenced by Pink Floyd ’s sound (especially on “Buick to the moon”). Second track “I can’t pretend anymore” starts with electronic minimal music and a pastoral voice. This somewhat pastoral mood continues throughout the whole album, with soft electronica and guitar picking, and soft male or female voice. On “Melody” this voice gets a soft and sweet distortion while the music still softly lingers on. This varies from modern pop electronica (“Beyond Reality”) to folk-flavoured post rock (“a Dance with the devil”) towards acoustic soft dreamy art-pop moods (“Neurotic hope”).

Highly recommended !!

Audio : "Siren Song" Homepage : http://penguins.online.fr/cyann-ben/

Info on earlier label: http://www.gooom.com/artists.php?id=2

Intro : http://viviane.vog.free.fr/cyannandbenuk.html

Label entry for this release with more mp3-tracks : http://www.locustmusic.com/cyannandben.html

Short real audio soundfiles at  http://www.fnac.com/...

Review : http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/c/cyann-and-ben/spring.shtml & http://www.splendidezine.com/review.html?reviewid=1078227831441625

& http://www.tigersushi.com/site/frameset.jsp?page=Rcd.jsp&RcdId=7699

& http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/1339

& http://lostatsea.net/LAS/archives/reviews/records/cyannandben.htm

Other small description : http://www.midheaven.com/artists/cyann.and.ben.html

& http://www.tonevendor.com/item/11116 & http://www.cokemachineglow.com/2003/amir/40-31.html

French page : http://www.d-i-r-t-y.com/index2.html?first=http://www.d-i-r-t-y.com/textes/int_cyannetben.html

French review : http://www.matamore.net/annexes/chr_cyann.htm & http://www.i-n-f-r-a.net/chronique.php?ID=279

& http://www.m-la-music.net/article.php3?id_article=308 (with live picture used here) &

http://www.ifrance.com/lostsongsandotherblues/chroniques8/2003spring.html

& http://www.fluctuat.net/article.php3?id_article=430

& http://www.popnews.com/popnews/cyannben/ & http://www.adecouvrirabsolument.com/spring.htm & http://benzine.free.fr/musique/spring.htm & http://www.indiepoprock.net/review.php?id=310

French review of first album : http://www.indiepoprock.net/review.php?id=222

Soundfiles of earlier EP: http://www.tigersushi.com/site/frameset.jsp?page=Rcd.jsp&RcdId=7699

Their more recent release is reviewed next-->

Psychedelic Folkpop review page 2 :

-all items did get airplay in my radioshow PVHF- 

Listed here : Apothecary Hymns, Octopus Syng, Verdure, Cyann & Ben (2 X),

Your Team Ring (2 X), Edison Woods, Slowblow, Gravenhurst,

Stafraenn Hákon, Phil Johnston, Pure Luege, The God Box (2 X),

Daniel Patrick Quinn & Beano Jameson, Efterklang

1.Jugendstil Rec.         Apothecary Hymns : Half of what is seen/The Marigold (US,2004)***°

Immediately when I heard the first seconds of this single I thought this was much more Syd Barrett in mood then what most cover bands did with Syd Barret’s songs. But it is also more than that. We hear a variety of musical themes/playing in several blocks of ideas, in psychfolk, psychfolkpop, and psych styles, compiled to one beautiful compact song. Second side is an alternative folkpsych song with some American accent, and with beautifully enriching-the-musical-ideas acoustic guitar improvisations. Recommended. Only 500 printed.

Audio of "Marigold" : http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=19065

Other review at http://www.blissaquamarine.net/singlereviews24b.html

& https://www.freakemporium.com/cgibin/list_artist.cgi?artist=Apothecary Hymns

E-mail : druggist@apothecaryhymns.com

2.Locust MusicApothecary Hymns : Trowel and era (US,2005)***'

Nice to see that this project/group was invited to make a full release by one of my favourite labels. By making such a full release it’s more clear which focus Alex Stimmel, of this one-man band has. The direction is a kind of song-orientated neo-60’s psych-pop, with most of these a more acoustic foundation (like “The Marigold” with various guitars, good drumming, another favourite, or “The Human abstract” with banjo, guitar, organ) and with a few other tracks (at the beginning and end) which are more electric. The first track “Abandoned Factories” for instance has an almost hardrock electric bass on the bottom, flutes and acoustic guitars with neo-60’s voice on top, and electric guitars in the middle. Just one track, the one before the last, “All True Love is Happiness” is more early 70’s  70’s hard-blues-rock styled, in a convincing way, seemingly a cover from one of Jan Ackerman’s groups ?, with fuzz guitars and organ, followed by a musically fitting “In the Icy beds”. I also like to mention “Watching the bay”, which takes some element of the semi-naïve melodicality of the earliest Pink Floyd, and “the conclusion, in which nothing is concluded” before the more rock track using manipulated recordings and reverbs.

All songs are performed and written by Alex Stimmel, except for “The human abstract” which used words by William Blake.

Instruments used are acoustic & electric guitars 6 & 12 string guitars, banjo, electric bass, drums, wurlitzer, analog synth, organ, flute, recorder, kalimba, autoharp, glockenspiel, voice, & tape manipulation.

Audio : "The Father",  "Watching The Bay (A Sailor Song)", "Abandoned Factories", "The Marigold", here

& http://www.boomkat.com/artist.cfm?a=9022

Info : http://www.locustmusic.com/apothecaryhymns.html

Other reviews will be linked as soon as there are some available.

SoundHawk Rec.Octopus Syng : Beyond the karmadelic coldness,

  there’s the lovedelic warmth (FIN,2004)***

According to remarks from Jaire Pätäri, it seemed that, in 2001, when he came back from India the contrast from sunburst-everything and an everything-straight-forward in its relationship, first he experienced "karmadelic" difficulties on finding his own shape again in the colder, but softer realms of Finland. This found its way onto this CD release, with the result giving a flavour of something with "lovedelic" warmth. (-He "tuned in" for it and "dropped out" this specific result-).

“We could be everywhere” is great end 60’s psych with sitar and a rock band -although Octopus Syng is supposed to be a one-man band-. This is followed by a folkpsych song, “It’s so nice to feel high in the summertime”. Next couple of songs, starting with “Intuition Waltz” have all a more Syd Barrett flavour, with the addition of some more straight fuzz guitars as well as some other, mostly early psych elements. “Frail elephant” is again more freaky psych, while “Magical moonlight and mystic girl” is in folk/psych style with some blues chords. Of course the last track, the pretty driving “Varanasi Rock and roll all night long” repeats the sitar freakbeat style he started before. Wish it had more of this. A release I think that might appeal to fans of freakbeat, folk/psych and early Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett.

Info : http://www.octopus-syng.tk/ & http://personal.inet.fi/musiikki/timo.paakko/octopussyngeng.html

at http://www.soundhawkrecords.com  & http://www.psychedelic-music.net/...

Reviews : http://www.unimeri.com/PsychotropicZone/reviews_2004.en.php#KARMADELIC

Review of older release : http://www.unimeri.com/PsychotropicZone/reviews_2003.en.php#OCTOPUS 

A more recent release (2007) is reviewed on http://progressive.homestead.com/prog7.html#anchor_84

Camera Obscura Rec.Verdure : The Telescope Dreampatterns (US,rec.2002,iss.2004)***

Immediately this sounded to me as an acid folk version of the 2 earliest albums of Green In Red (mini-LP included), at a time when that last group had a their beautiful melancholic wave-psych-rock sound with beautiful organ. -Green On Red’s early work still happens to be amongst my favourite 80’s albums!- This is without the organ, but the complaint like lead vocals melodic approach is pretty much similar. And of course there’s organ more often too, with handpercussion, flute, acoustic guitar, fazed electric guitar, harmonium?, etc.. A very enjoyable release! All lead by Donovan Quinn, who before this album also participated with the project “Skygreen Leopards”.

Soundfiles : “Greentrees” ,"Graveyard Porchlight", "Moonlanding” 

Info : http://www.verduremusic.com/ & http://www.cameraobscura.com.au/cam066.htm

Interview : http://www.foxydigitalis.com/foxyd/verdure1.html

1.Perhaps TransparentYour Team Ring : Homelife (US,2002)**'

On “Homelife” Your Team Ring is some kind of (science fiction story related) fantasy group making neo-60’s psychedelica with lots of acoustic and some exotic elements. Here we hear a kind of dreamy never-ending-story, with Beatlesque vocals and colouring instrumentation, only descriptive to make fuller, or better denser arrangements, -still very dreamy-, with a cheesy, chewing gum psychpop sound.

Soundfiles from "Homelife" : “The Problem with the Fourth Dimension“, “Homelife”

Review : http://www.tonevendor.com/item/5663 & http://www.splendidezine.com/review.html?reviewid=3226326299722951

and http://www.perhapstransparent.cd=20.. and http://www.perhapstransparent.cd=20..

2.Perhaps TransparentYour Team Ring : In Service of the villain (US,2004)**'

Also “On Service..” has these Beatlesque vocals, and such psychedelic exotic arrangements on dreamy neo-60’s psychpop melodies. Perhaps the thickness in arrangements here and there is less, which I find an improvement. The denseness on its own makes the music work in a very stoned way, and also the multilayered sound increases this effect. Never the less this density -which is used in pop music more  often-, I find a little bit more demanding in listening as it has to be, because there’s not much time to breathe and relax to let the sound calmly be absorbed by developing ideas of sounds themself,-something which musicians usually let happen in the more intuitive and folky sides of psychedelica-. From the different arrangements I very much like the ritualistic layers on “Thoughts of Norea”. It is on tracks like “Who is from Silence” where some acoustic instrumental has more relaxed improvisation added. Funny, the rhythm is made with a pair of scissors on "Read like a Frozen Foundling".

Other soundfile from "In Service of the villain": "In Service of the villain", "Damaged Goods"

info : http://www.yourteamring.com/ with soundfiles at http://www.yourteamring.com/sounds/

& http://www.perhapstransparent.com/artists/artist.php3?authorid=20

http://www.psychedelic-music.net/pmdb/db3/db_band.php4?id=598

Glitterhouse Rec.Edison Woods : Seven principles of leave no trace (US,rec.2003)****

What a sweet and gentle release ! Spreading its expressions like water on a shoarline with a mini-string-ensemble that create ambient-like chambermusic in an art-like atmosphere, .. This is in balance with a second wave blend, of the generally more richer sounds of what keyboards generally produce in sounds, of fender rhodes, mellotron,etc.., all leads and arrangements, by keyboardist,(singer), and composer Julia Frodahl. This body of keyboards with acoustics reminds me of all the 'Pianomagic' sound alikes. The instrumental part reflects itself like a workfloor, or is like an intimate plate for songs and inspiration to be born in perfect atmosphere. One or two tracks are more song orientated (like “Secrets" ) than others. There's an instrumental (introduction) which sounds more like contemporary chamber music ("Rio Abajo Rio" ). But all except the last two tracks have the same amount of variation, that work like a warm carpet or blanket of instrumental cover, that leaves a deep space view, for the song. Julia sings sometimes more whispery, or more forward (like on "Shirts For Pennies"). Just the last tracks are more minimal and sparsely arranged (like the titletrack, "Seven Principles Of Leave No Trace"), with "Brooklyn Flowers" becoming melancholic in this way. An elegant and recommended album.

PS. This release was mixed by Mark Van Hoen (Mohave 3, Seefeel), engineered by Alan Weatherhead (Sparklehorse, Mary Timony) and has a guest guitar appearance by Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins).

Info : http://www.edisonwoods.net/ & http://www.habitofcreation.org/edison_woods.html

With reviews of this album : http://www.edisonwoods.net/pressclips_7principles.htm & http://www.adequacy.net/review.php?reviewid=1195 & http://onetimesone.com/sound/reviews/e/edisonwoods-7.php

& http://www.erasingclouds.com/1022musicreviews.html & http://www.brainwashed.com/brain/brainv07i24.html

German review : http://musique-deluxe.com/EDISON_WOODS_Seven_Principles.html & http://www.earlash.com/edison_woods_ar.php

Other small review : http://www.scaruffi.com/vol7/edisonwo.html

Label entry : http://www.glitterhouse.com/...

More soundfiles : http://netmusic.com/web/album.aspx?a_id=CBNM_11986

& http://www.la-chunga.com/player/laChungaPlayer_edison_woods.html

Pictures : http://www.habitofcreation.org/ew_imgs.html

Mobilé Rec.   Slowblow (ICE,2004)**°'

Here we hear mostly a delicate, warm and sweet atmosphere with a perfect combination of piano with acoustic instruments, some environmental sounds, two voices that combine very well (male & female), with on one hand Múm's vocalist Kristín Anna Valtysdóttir and her oversweet voice, (see review of Múm on next page ) and Dagur Kári from the group Slowblow. Even when a few songs are art-pop-orientated, there has been care taken to make the group sound interesting, not only in just sounds but also in use of rhythms and use of instrumentation in general. Everything hangs well together, but there are a few tracks which have some slow variations leaning towards indierock, with one track most different, without really disturbing, with a distorted voice, titled “Happiness in your face”. But also “Dark Horse”, a softer track is build in a similar way. In a filmic spoken word way, “Hamburger cemetery” continues with the feeling, but here it gets more the feeling of just a one man led band. Last song, “Phantom of my organ” concludes with Kristín accompanying like before. A fine album.

Soundfile : "Very Slow Bossanova", "I Know You Can Smile" , "Aim For A Smile"

More soundfiles : http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?merchID=13963

Info : http://www.mobile-rec.de/ E-mail : slowblow@internet.is

Review : http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/s/slowblow/slowblow.shtml & http://www.themilkfactory.co.uk/reviews/slowblow_epon.htm & http://www.absorb.org/reviews/a_slowblow.html & http://neumu.net/fortyfour/2004/2004-00121/2004-00121_fortyfour.shtml

French reviews : http://www.m-la-music.net/article.php3?id_article=1590

& http://www.popnews.com/popnews/slowblow/

and article : http://www.m-la-music.net/article.php3?id_article=984

German review : http://www.spex.de/web/rezensionen.php?id=1879&type=1

Concert review : http://www.popmatters.com/music/concerts/m/mum-040726.shtml

More soundfiles : http://www.boomkat.com/artist.cfm?artist=SLOWBLOW

GO TO NEXT REVIEW PAGE -->

or back to psych-folk index / general index

Warp Rec.Gravenhurst : Black holes in the sand (US,2004)****

Tony Dekker from Great Lake Swimmers told me in an interview he used his own ‘band’ name not just because there are other people occasionally involved, but because the music counts and not the songwriter himself. I think that’s a great attitude, and a welcome change within the singer-songwriter area. Gravenhurst basically also is such a one man project by Nick Talbot, who plays also all the instruments except on the first track where he got help from Dave Collingwood on drums and Jeffrey & Miriam from Black Forest / Black Sea. He goes somewhat beyond limited genre descriptions. Not only does Nick play terrific guitar, he has a beautiful voice as well, and his arrangements are truly wonderful. I checked the first album out quickly also. I have the impression that Nick’s expressions have matured and improved here with added refinement.

The arrangements on the titletrack, “Black Holes in the sand”, bring this song a certain height, with rhythm, guitar and voice, then it evolves to an almost progressive / psychedelic improvisation (cello, organ, guitar drives, semi-electronic effects, percussion). “Flowers in her hair” has splendid acoustic guitars fingerpicked, as a perfect intelligent and rhythmic pulse of stimulation for the song. Also “Still water” is highly enjoyable. It has a second, more moody part with a wonderful dreamy organ, guitars and percussion. “Winter Moon” is another beautiful song with acoustic guitar. Also “Diane” is a really nice acoustic-guitar song, originally written by Hüsker Dü. It is a dark desiring melancholic song, sung with romantic expression. The pulsing “Flashlight Seasons” with moody organ and guitars is a perfect closer to a perfect album that withstand many repeated listens. It’s well produced, perfectly arranged, and has great songs. 10/10. Highly recommended.

Info & audio : http://www.warprecords.com/?mart=WAP181 or http://www.juno.co.uk/IP/IF161098-01.htm

& http://www.silentagerecords.co.uk/gravenhurst/index.htm

Other reviews : (with audio) http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=15563 & http://www.deo2.com/pop/default.asp?id=3720 & http://www.tonevendor.com/item/15726

& http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/g/gravenhurst/black-holes-in-the-sand.shtml

& http://drownedinsound.com/articles/10523.html

& http://www.theunbrokencircle.co.uk/album_reviews_text_archive5.htm#Bookmark 8

German review : http://www.gaesteliste.de/review/show.html?_nr=4935

Secret Eye / Vogor Rer.    Stafraenn Hákon : ..eignast Jeppa (ICE,2004)**

This is an on 4-track home-recorded release by Stafreann, played mostly on amplified guitar with more spacey guitar textures, some drum programming, and electric bass, with here and there some keyboard and melodica. This is the re-release of a private publication from 2001.

We hear very moody minimal structural evolutions, (in the direction of Slow Six but then much more guitar based), in a very consistent, slow but steady evolution. It’s not ambient music or soundtrack-like; its calmness is from a different order, based upon an evolving musical compositional evolution. The release sounds like one, perfect and calm composition. Nice !

Audio : "Purr hanski", "Hólkur" (or here), "Silfurgeitungur", "Sítrónudurgurinn"

Homepage : http://www.shakon.com/

Info on artist : http://www.secreteye.org/se/artists/stafraennhakon.html

& http://sixeyes.blogspot.com/2004/10/stafrnn-hkon.html

& http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/194

Info on release : http://www.secreteye.org/se/a03.html

Other release : http://www.midheaven.com/artists/h.and.196kon.stafr.and.198nn.html

& http://www.soundvenue.com/mp3.asp?id=4309

(French site) : http://www.autresdirections.net/article.php3?id_article=530

Review on other release : http://www.eleventhvolume.com/reviews/txt/stafraenn_hakon.html

Dutch review of other release : http://www.digg.be/articles.php?id=920

Interview : http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/3023/

Chinese site : http://www.ccuart.org/cbom/archives/001123.html

Stafraenn Hakon will be playing at the Etoile Polaris festival in Gent, Belgium on the 8th of December

Demo     Philip Johnston : Sundaram (demos) (UK, 2004)***'

Alan Davidson (Kitchen Cynics) introduced me to this promising talent. This sample is meant as demo for a future studio recording, but is pretty much worth hearing. Philip is much in demand on the Aberdeen music scene. He was recently asked to make some new recordings which Will Oldham was producing locally for Alasdair Roberts, and he also participated with Kitchen Cynics latest release (which is reviewed on the separate Kitchen Cynics fan page). I also found out he also plays with the Aberdeen based mainstream pop band The Simon Gall Band, and also participated with the London based group ‘Delicate Awo’.

Most tracks have a delicate mood influenced by sitar psychedelia, and by various kinds of Jazzfusion styles. The first track, “The Traveller” is a jazzfusion song with acoustic guitar, bass, tabla, drums and brass. This is followed by the instrumental “Together we stand inseparable in love” with a catchy groovy semi-looped semi-Latin lounge jazz vibe (bass, acoustic guitar, flute), a fine intro for the singer-songwriter based song “Where I want to be” (with  acoustic guitar and  some airy keyboards). It is especially the tracks with Indian titles I like most. “Vrindavam” for instance, is a neo-60’s song, which has a tempered beach-like summer vibe, accompanied by acoustic guitars, lots of flute, and another catchy jazzy rhythm. “Sundaram” is another favourite, as a perfect dreamy psych song accompanied by sitar and flutes. “Part 2” of it has very moody acoustic guitar fingerpicking, and like the first part,  with two harmonic layers of flute. Both these tracks have a very warm sound and echo on the recording. On the last track, “Sri Sri Radha Govinda” the Sanskrit title is repeated in dual vocals. This is accompanied with  acoustic guitar fingerpicking and some flute, with birds in the background. It is a perfect closer for a nice quasi debut album. I await the finished article.

Info : philipjamesjohnston@hotmail.com

Other reviews : http://www.sundaramusic.com/ & http://www.foxydigitalis.com/foxyd/shortshome0216x.html

More info on The Simon Gall Band : http://vocoustic.sarcoptic.net/artists/thesimongallband/biography.php

Private