Ship of Fools - Out There Somewhere. 1994 England

Out There Somewhere is the second and last album from Ship of Fools. They were one of the last of the UK Festival bands to emerge before the scene began to die down. Their formula was a bit different than the others, and perhaps they were more a reflection of their era - the early 1990s. While not an electronica group per se, Ship of Fools incorporated many of the key elements of the scene. Primarily Ship of Fools were about atmosphere & melody over pyrotechnics. They would typically use synthesizers along with sampled instruments and voices to build the mood. After which a heavy guitar riff may appear, giving off a hint of something more dramatic than is actually happening. This is the mastery of dynamics, a skill many bands of their era, and even more so today, could learn from. There are rarely any tricky meters, or flashy guitar solos, and yet there are many heart pumping moments to be found.  They quit at a good time I think, as they'd said what they needed to, without becoming mind-numbingly repetitive.

Ownership: CD: 1994 Dreamtime

3/23/10 (new entry)