Krakatoa ~ USA ~ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Togetherness (2001)

Strange this one. I'm really fond of We Are the Rowboats, a wonderful mix of avant prog, post rock, and neo psychedelia. But this title was more of the former and not so much to my liking

Former ownership: 2001 etherdrag (CD)

11/22/22 (review)

We Are the Rowboats (2003)

Krakatoa were an interesting band from Philadelphia (later Brooklyn) who combined avant progressive, post rock, and psychedelic music to great effect. They took the best elements of each: The quirky complexity of avant prog, while foregoing the dorky pursuit of the cutesy. From post rock they inherit the modern day melodicism, but avoid the staid 4/4 rhythms for a much more complex approach. And the true secret ingredient is the addition of a late 60s psychedelic edge, adding something to the music that many newer bands in the progressive rock field forget to do: Rock.

Even with the above, on paper anyway, the band sounds marginally interesting if the contents aren't mixed properly. And that's where Krakatoa creates their separation from the competition. Wonderful stuff.

Ownership: 2003 Cuneiform (CD). Booklet features recording details, a concert photo, and art.

2003 (first listen); 2/1/10 (review); 1/24/25 (update)

2/1/10 (new entry)