Album Reviews
Album Review: Ezra Furman – Perpetual Motion People
He’s mixed up, Ezra Furman. His third album, and first for Bella Union, Perpetual Motion People mixes up genres as it sweeps through indie, rock and roll, blues, folk, musical theatre (well, almost) and a host of other things, and he shoots from the heart about his battles with mental illness, love and the lack …
Album Review: Ecstatic Vision – Sonic Praise
Ecstatic Vision are a band that linger in a class of chunky, driving metal that only a few can do right without coming across as ludicrous. It’s THC-fueled space rock that falls somewhere between fuzzed-out caveman Krautrock, and a less doom-and-gloom Black Sabbath. These Philly guys are steeped in 70s progressive rock and 90s doom, …
Album Review: Act – Love and Hate – A compact introduction to Act
One of the blink and you’ll miss it bands from the time of synth-pop revolution, Act flashed and burnt out, pretty much before anyone noticed. The duo, Thomas Leer and ex-propaganda singer Claudia Brücken, convened after Propaganda fell apart over their contract with label ZTT, the band and Brücken (then Mrs Paul Morley, ZTT co-founder) …
Album Review: Albert Hammond Jr – Momentary Masters
Albert Hammond Jr’s artistic work flows through his new material called Momentary Masters to be released in July 2015. The LA lead guitarist attended a Swiss boarding school during his younger days where he met the future Strokes singer Julian Casablancas (an absolute gem) and later attended New York University’s film school during the 90’s. …
Album Review: Gwenno – Y Dydd Olaf
It’s always tricky to review an album where the lyrics are primarily in an unknown language, especially in Gwenno’s Welsh mother tongue. Yet with ex-Pipette’s solo debut, Y Dydd Olaf, the music really speaks for itself. Branded as a concept album focusing on politics and science fiction, the album seems to shy away from its …
Say Psych: Album Review – Smoke Beach by Kill West
Kill West have already established themselves as firm favourites here at Psych Insight thanks to their debut EP (Kill West), still available on Drone Rock Records. Their mix of upbeat surf rock, droning psychedelia and downbeat blues seemed to provide the perfect balance. This is something that the band have transitioned to this release of …
Say Psych: Album Review – Heaven by Sundays and Cybele
I first came across Sundays and Cybele earlier this year when I heard the 2012 album release ‘Gypsy House’, which had just come out on vinyl on the brilliant Tokyo label GuruGuru Brain. If you are in any doubt about this check out the label’s Japanese Psych Compilation ‘GuruGuru Brainwash‘ which is a fantastically eclectic …
Not Forgotten: The Zombies – Odessey and Oracle
Odessey and Oracle is one of those albums whose reputation seems to continue to expand with each passing year. The Zombies had enjoyed a number of chart hits through the mid 60s, but their first album hadn’t shifted many units. By 1967 they had switched record labels and headed into the studio to record an …
Album Review: Labasheeda – Changing Lights
Dutch three piece Labasheeda, aka Saskia van der Giessen (vocals, guitar, violin) Arne Wolfswinkel (guitar) and Aletta Verwoerd (drums) make this sort of experimental, unsettling music, that is often mind boggling with its constant changes of direction, often mid song. Over the years they’ve released a handful of increasingly well received records. Their latest, Changing …
Not Forgotten – Aerosmith – Rocks
The general consensus seems to be that Aerosmith were at something of a creative peak in the mid 70s and would never again to reach the such lofty heights again, regardless of their later commercial success. Now this is a bit simplistic for me, as in their post-Run-D.M.C. days, they’ve released some of the finest …