Wolf People ~ England

Tidings (2011) 

---3/30/11

Tidings is a compilation of singles, with nicely done artsy interludes, and is more geared to late 60's psych similar to Gary Ramon's Sun Dial project (especially Other Way Out). Wolf People have truly captured the essence of another era, and aren't just a retro copy band. Definitely start with Steeple though.

---11/11/24

This was my second encounter with Wolf People after Steeple, and both were relatively new at the time. As noted below, two albums later came Ruins which I think is one of the greatest albums from the last decade. And sadly they haven't released anything since though it appears they are still around. But one can hear their trademark sound here on Tidings. This is an odd release as it compiles two of their singles from 2007 that appear to have been also issued on cd-r in 2006. Discogs calls them a psychedelic folk rock band, but I would never associate folk rock with Wolf People. However one can hear that strain on Tidings, so it's not inaccurate. This album had fallen to the bottom of the rankings, but I was certain not to let it go given my affinity for their three fully realized works. The album provides historical context for this great band.

Ownership: 2010 Jagjaguwar (LP). Acquired in 2011.

3/30/11 (notes); 11/11/24 (review)

Ruins (2016)

It must be the thing to do. What's that you ask? Oh, well if you're a band that had enjoyed recreating the UK styled 1971 proto-prog experience, then you have now moved on to the psychedelic era. Blood Ceremony, Purson, and Syd Arthur all had previously done something similar earlier in the year. The former two went back in time, whereas the latter went forward, but all within the confines of what we constitute as "psychedelia". And for my tastes at least, all three of them took a step back in the quality department too.

Not so for Wolf People. Quite simply this is the best post 1968 UK psychedelic album I've heard, even besting Sun Dial's Other Way Out. Of course, no real album from 1968 would sound like this. Ruins represents the ideal of the 1968 Carnaby Street landscape. When listening to this album, you want to see girls in paisley mini dresses, white go-go boots, and stylish hats. And a lot of mascara.

Ruins opens with two blistering tracks in 'Ninth Night' and 'Rhine Sagas'. Only to lead into the album's pièce de résistance 'Night Witch'. I've never heard a song like this before. From a composition perspective, it sounds like one of the more classy NWOBHM bands (think Legend)... as played by Outskirts of Infinity. The song is melodic and memorable, and that which includes two of the most incendiary fuzz guitar breaks I've heard since Many Bright Things covered the Butterfield Blues Band's 'East West'. 'Kingfisher' is the closest Wolf People gets to their prog rock roots, though strangely it may be the album's weakest cut. Starting with 'Thistles' you realize the album will continue its staggering psychedelic quality. All the songs are well-written, not just exercises in guitar fuzz overload and effects. Along with 'Night Witch', the other bonafide monster track here is 'Not Me Sir' which has a slight Middle Eastern tonality. Overall, there's not a weak moment to be found throughout.

If the radio was a still a thing, then Ruins would be what I want to hear on it. Of course we know we wouldn't, but as mentioned prior, Ruins represents the ideal.

Ownership: 2016 Jagjaguwar (CD). Tri-fold digipak. Acquired in 2017.

4/1/17 (review)

Fain (2013)

For those who keep hoping that Transatlantic didn't release all of their tapes in 1971, then Wolf People gives one hope that such reel-to-reels may have been found. Except Fain was recorded in 2013. Don't tell the band though. It may depress them beyond recovery. So, in the end, Wolf People appear to be a cross between fictional band mates Stray, CMU, and even Gryphon. Perhaps Wolf People may want to go completely madcap and next try to emulate Jan Dukes de Grey and Marsupilami. Not sure even I could handle that - may need a heart surgeon nearby for an experience like that. I'll take what I can get. And encourage Wolf People to continue their odyssey through the deranged 1971 mindset. I can listen to stuff like this all day.

Ownership: 2013 Jagjaguwar (CD). Tri-fold digipak with lyrics. Acquired in 2013.

5/18/13 (review); 6/25/26

 

Steeple (2010)

Unlike Canadian label mates Black Mountain, there aren't any traces of modern indie or stoner sounds to be found on Wolf People. For me, they are one of the best retro psychedelic influenced progressive rock bands I've heard. The late 60's acid guitar tone is to die for. You can file Wolf People next to that other most excellent UK retro band - Diagonal.

Steeple peaks on the ultra freak-out 'Cromlech', which recalls UFO era Guru Guru of all albums, and is a complete monster in this setting. The flute on 'Tiny Circle' is a really nice touch, and I'd love to hear the instrument utilized further into their sound.

Ownership: 2010 Jagjaguwar (CD). Acquired in 2011.

2/14/11 (review); 9/10/18

2/14/11 (new entry)

Saqqara Dogs ~ USA ~ New York

Thirst (1987)

Thirst is one of those albums you would discover through Option magazine where they couldn't figure what the hell it was and they'd compare it to a band it had nothing in common with. But this listen pointed me to the possible source: David Torn. Cloud About Mercury was one of those revelations for anyone that scanned every single record in the 1980s mall record store hoping for just one new album that looked interesting. Saqqara Dogs takes Torn's loud guitar ethic and throws a little Middle Eastern mysticism into the mix. And you're not too far from Black Sun Ensemble either - another Option treasure find. In the end, Saqqara Dogs belongs to neo psych, though maybe not obvious at first. This has aged beautifully.

Ownership: 1987 Pathfinder (CD)

1988 (first acquired); 2/10/07 (review); 7/11/24 (new entry / update)

Dungen - En är för Mycket och Tusen Aldrig Nog. 2022 Sweden

For their 2016 album Haxan I wrote: "Dungen's CV for over a decade will read as a modern take on the 1971 Silence Records stable mixed with Mikael Ramel's Till Dej. The fact that the band defiantly sings in their native Swedish, and still manages to have a large cult following even here in America is something quite extraordinary."

For the 2015 album Allas Sak I stated: "Dungen continue with their brand of Swedish psychedelic progressive... pop. The latter perhaps a bit more pronounced this time."

In hearing their latest album, the above captures this album as well. At first, though, I thought Dungen might be headed in a folk rock direction, but ultimately they reel themselves back to their Swedish psychedelic pop core. I wasn't really in the market for another Dungen album, but a local record store had it, so why not give it a shot. While this isn't their best work - not even close really - it's still excellent. Which just demonstrates how high up the mountain Dungen can get at times. Hard to know when to stop with this group. They continue to age tremendously well.

Ownership: LP: 2022 Mexican Summer. Single sleeve with colorful inner bag. Acquired from Tiger Records here in town.

12/22/23 (new entry)

Sky Cries Mary ~ USA ~ Seattle, Washington

Wandering in the Vastness (2021) 

I started to plow through this CD upon receipt from the good folks at Trail, but I just couldn't make heads or tales out of it and put it aside for a future evaluation. Two plus years later and that day has finally happened. For the predecessor I wrote: "Sky Cries Mary. Now there's a blast from the past. I haven't thought of this group since the mid 1990s, when they first burst onto the scene. Their 1994 album This Timeless Tuning was all the rage with my running set in those days. I was a bit dismissive at the time, recalling that they were just as immersed into 90s alt rock/indie as they were into neo psychedelia. And I've long struggled to find peace and harmony with the former genre."

Secrets of a Red Planet won me over, but Wandering in the Vastness has not, for some of the reasons I mention in my opening prologue. Its very random in its approach, and there's not much in the way of songwriting. It sounds like a product of the 90s, and not the element I enjoy about the decade. There's a lot of music to absorb here and some of it has a nice psychedelic underground and space rock feel. But unfortunately there's not enough here for me to keep. My instincts on the first listen were correct. I just delayed it since Trail was so nice to send it over. I hate leaving anything but positive reviews on welcome submittals, but I just couldn't get into this title.

Former ownership: 2021 Trail (CD). Tri-fold digipak with recording details and photos. Acquired in 2023. Downsized in 2026.

11/12/23 (review)

Secrets of a Red Planet (2020)

Sky Cries Mary. Now there's a blast from the past. I haven't thought of this group since the mid 1990s, when they first burst onto the scene. Their 1994 album This Timeless Tuning was all the rage with my running set in those days. I was a bit dismissive at the time, recalling that they were just as immersed into 90s alt rock / indie as they were into neo psychedelia. And I've long struggled to find peace and harmony with the former genre. But that was 25 years ago, and my life has changed dramatically since then. So I cannot say how I would receive the album today. To be honest I was a bit apprehensive to hear this album after obtaining a copy in the mail about a month ago. I thought Sky Cries Mary were an odd choice for Trail Records - who primarily specialize in Eastern European and Asian space rock - to pick up an old flannel-shirted Seattle based band. But some quick research shows it is I that is completely out of touch (no surprise there...), as Sky Cries Mary not only aren't some reclamation project, but rather a continuing operation. And for the last 11 years they have been part of the Trail Records stable (?!). Nice to see how well I've kept up.

Once the music started, my worst fears faded, and I found the music welcoming on impact. There are most certainly many references to the 90s - a decade, I should add, that I treasure - so that is not a pejorative in my world. The music is, without a doubt, space rock, and it's most certainly psychedelic, in the same way as groups from the 90s were - hence the genre neo psych. There are still some female (and male) vocals, but mostly this is instrumental music with a great emphasis on studio effects, like the great Krautrock masters would do. Guitars and a mass of keyboards lead the way. This is not a stroll through 1970s Vintage Park, but rather modern technology is put to great use. An excellent example of this is 'Trapeze Dancer', which brings in the (gasp) beats, and I found the intermingling of sounds to be quite (pleasantly) jarring in this setting. Part of that reason is the judicious use of them - as that's pretty much the only place that kind of rhythm is used. Otherwise it's good old fashioned drum work propelling the music forward.

While listening to Secrets of a Red Planet, other images from the 90s began to flash by. Including the group Beyond-O-Matic, another Trail Records pickup that we wrote about some 7 years ago. How many of you remember the Kranky label - bands like Jessamine, Magnog, Windy & Carl, and Doldrums? Or the Los Angeles based Farflung? There's traces of those sounds here, but this new effort is far more likable to my ears. Like Beyond-O-Matic, Sky Cries Mary didn't stay content with the past, and has improved considerably upon it. Or at least as my memory would have it. If any of this review resonates in a positive manner, then you represent the target audience. Overall, Secrets of a Red Planet is an excellent addition to the USA canon of space rock albums.

Ownership: 2020 Trail (CD). Tri-fold glossy digipak. Acquired in 2020.

5/19/20 (review)

5/19/20 (new entry)

Baron - Torpor. 2015 England

Torpor starts off in a very intriguing way with trippy Hammond organ. Cool - retro prog, one of my fave subgenres. And Baron is made up of guys who also play in Diagonal, another band held in high esteem here at casa UMR. But wait. What is that vocal style that just entered in? Sounds like the more serious groups of the early 80s English post punk movement like The Cure and Theatre of Hate. Now we really have something odd going on here. And that incendiary fuzz guitar break at the end of this revelatory opener reminded me of Wolf People, probably my favorite group of the 2010s. What the heck is this?

And so it goes for eight wonderful songs. 'Stry' has an incredible buildup that delivers some wonderful power chords and wailing solos. This is one of those albums I'm not sure I would have been attracted to upon release. But now that I've gathered some context of the x-wave movement from my own era, I have a deeper appreciation of an album such as this. In general, the ratings on Torpor are mediocre to low. I don't think the album has found the correct audience yet. A different viewpoint is needed if coming at this from a progressive rock mindset.

Ownership: CD: 2015 Svart (Finland). Recent online acquisition (2023). Digipak with booklet.

6/29/23 (new entry)

various artists - Cicadas: An Electric Guide to the Greek Underground. 1987 Greece

Such an odd album to find in an American record store's dollar bin (right here in the Springs). This is a compilation of 6 bands, providing one track on each side for a total of 12. The opener is from Blue Light, and they're the outlier of the bunch. The compilation is geared towards neo psych and garage, but Blue Light are more pure 80s sounding. So a strange choice as an opener and a bit off-putting. No Man's Land gets the comp on the rails and provides one of the best neo psych tracks here with 'Blue Train' (a popular color apparently). Human Grape is the most underground sounding band here, not shy about cranking up the fuzz. Other bands of great interest are The Mushrooms and Villa 21. Side 1 contains stronger material, but overall a fine set of tunes. The music is mostly straightforward with little subtlety and sophistication. Perfect for a compilation of a burgeoning scene. Album contains a biography of each band - but it's all Greek to me as the expression goes. Some of these bands have only a couple of very obscure releases while others appear to be more well known back in Greece. This one is a keeper.

Ownership: LP: 1987 Pegasus. Single sleeve. Acquired as noted above (2023).

3/9/23 (LP 4.12); 4/12/23 (new entry)

CD Weedout - the rest

What this section tells you are the styles that I've been either loading up on or don't have that much to begin with. Especially on CD. A lot of these LPs I've been talking about lately will likely exit at some point in the near future. I've just been having too much fun crate digging and enjoying the sounds. Many will be lifetime keepers, others will eventually fall by the wayside. Jazz funk (or any kind of funk) is the fastest grower in my collection, and I haven't let go of anything in that space. Vintage hard rock / AOR is hot. Psychedelic music - both new and old continues to delight. Proggy/tech thrash is another area I still have excitement for. Fusion is hanging in there nicely as well. 80s music like new wave has been revelatory given that I shunned it initially. But that collection is almost entirely on LP. And of course, old school analog prog will always be my favorite I think. Whether it's vintage or recent.

OK this catches me up on this project from 2022. I've been able to keep up real time this year. I hope I can keep doing so. Also this exercise did have me pull back about 10 CDs that hadn't sold yet. I didn't mention them, so we'll either get them in a future roundup or maybe they will get their own feature after all!

Flairck - Variaties Op Een Dame. Polydor (1978). Is it progressive, classical, jazz, or folk? The answer is yes. I'm not sure how many of the Flairck albums I'll keep, but the debut can go. A little too highbrow for me (and I've got plenty of real classical these days). This was the only one I had on CD - the rest are on LP.

Aktuala. 1993 Artis (1973). I never got into this band that much, though I owned the first 2 albums for a while. Pretty much an Italian Third Ear Band. I struggle enough with the original English group by that name.

St Germain - Boulevard. 2002 PIAS America Classics (1995). Believe it or not, I'm quite fond of Tourist, one of those "unique" albums in my collection. Unique for me that is. This one, though, is too clubby for my tastes.

Som Nosso de Cada Dia. 2001 Columbia (1977). I was certain this would be a hidden gem in my collection. Considering I've been all in for Brazilian music, jazz, and funk. Not to mention their progressive rock heritage. Should be a slam dunk. Not at all. Unfortunately it's very commercially oriented soul for the most part. One of the most disappointing revisits of the last year.

Dungen - Stadsvandringar. 2005 Astralwerks (2002). Dungen is a band that has aged incredibly well for me. Each revisit is a revelation. Stunning mix of neo psychedelia, murky Swedish folk, and late 60s Brill Building pop. Some of their albums have scaled the Gnosis 13 self actualization level. But this second album has always left me flat. Almost inexplicable.

Time. 1993 Croatia (1972). Like the Som Nosso, I was certain this would be a hidden gem. Early 70s vintage hard rock with organ from Croatia? Sign me up! But nah - it's fairly garden variety for this kind of music. More like those identity-less North American hard rock bands operating during this same time frame. The "gray area" reissue didn't help matters.

Tarkus. 2007 Get Back (1972). Like the above really - right down to the barely legal reissue. This is a highly revered bonehead hard rocker. Given that it's from Peru helps, but not enough.

Pescado Rabioso - Desatormentandonos. 2008 Microfon (1972). Let's throw one more on the disappointing hard rock pile. This one was just too bluesy for me to get my arms around. It's a trademark sound of Argentina, but some were better at this style than others.

Side Steps - Points of View. 2001 Musea. Solid modern fusion effort from Japan. Unfortunately I have a lot of solid modern fusion efforts from XYZ. I had a few by this band at one point. I'm down to Verge of Reality (2005) so we'll see how that goes eventually.

Purson - Desire's Magic Theatre.

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)

Also own and need to review Plan Ahead.

2/1/10 (new entry)

Dungen - 4. 2008 Sweden

I went into hearing this album with some trepidation. I've been fond of Dungen almost from their beginning and held them as one of the best of the neo psych groups of the last 20+ years. A couple of months ago, their second album Stadsvandringar showed up as a random pick. And even though I had it as their lowest rated album, most assuredly a revisit would bring it up a notch. That didn't happen. In fact the opposite and I sold it. My fear at that point is that I had inflated the group in my mind. That they really weren't that special. Just another garden variety psych band that perhaps I was elevating due to a lack of similar bands during an era when more were needed.

Now Dungen 4 comes up. Here we go... And right away all my fears subsided. This is a completely different sound. One that I'm going to struggle to define. I listened to it 5 times in a row (!) and it resulted in a +1 rating. Keep in mind it was already rated very high. It reached the top echelon of 5 stars / Gnosis 13+. The music is highly melodic, the instrumentals are very psychedelic, the sound is analog perfect. Gustav Ejstes and Reine Fiske have multiple peak moments throughout. The songwriting is almost that of the mid to late 60s orchestrated pop era - a little bit tying in with the Japanese Shibuya-kei movement. The music texture is heavily influenced by the Swedish masters of the past like Parson Sound and Algarnas Tradgard, except it sounds nothing at all like them. This isn't avant garde in the least. There are not many albums that I need 5 listens to work out in my head and continue to enjoy each one better than the last. But Dungen 4 is one of them. Now I cannot wait to hear the other Dungen albums in my collection (most of them), as it's possible they too may enjoy a +1. Even those I've already written thoroughly about.

Ownership: CD: 2008 Kemado (USA). Digi-pak with recording details and a sales strip (like an obi). Purchased new upon release. You can get this practically for free these days. No reason not too. 

LP: 2016 Mexican Summer (USA). Single sleeve with picture inner bag. Of late, a bit of madness entered my brain, and I've been looking at potentially replacing CDs with LPs if the latter was offered to me cheap. And that happened here late last year (2021). But there's no way I'm parting with the CD (which made up the review above), and it remains my primary copy. Also, the LP doesn't offer anything extra. But I am glad to have picked this up. I'm usually good with both formats for records that rate this high. It remains unplayed however.

Hardly any photos of this album on Discogs. I should fix that, but I probably won't...

9/29/22 (new entry)

Kumm - Moonsweat March. 2000 Romania

Certainly one of the more interesting albums I've heard in some time, Kumm combines neo psych, indie, and progressive rock seamlessly. Their sound is distinctly of an earlier era, and that's where the allure lies here. It's an impeccably recorded album, and there's plenty of vintage gear to savor. I'm not an indie rock fan, and I have to admit that's where they get a couple of demerits here. The style mostly shows up in the vocal sections (all sung in English BTW) which aren't overly prominent. When learning of their heritage, the story become clear - one of their earlier incarnations was Talitha Qumi, which was one of my favorite new discoveries of the last decade. Had Kumm stayed out of the era from which they came, this too would have been a near masterpiece. As it stands, still very much worthy of ownership, given its unique style.

Ownership: CD: 2010 Soft Records. The CD is housed in a fine mini-LP package. This is the second press and includes one short bonus track.

Sun Dial ~ England

Acid Yantra (1995)

Sun Dial burst onto the scene in 1990 with Other Way Out, a fantastic extraction of the best of the 60s psychedelic rock albums. After trying their hand at more trendy 90s styled rock, they reemerged back to 1969 with Acid Yantra. Very much like their debut, Sun Dial has recreated the 1960s sound that you imagine in your mind, but truly never was as focused as these albums. While it misses the surprise factor the debut inherently earned, Acid Yantra is no less satisfying. Great tunes, fuzz guitars, mellotron, phasing, the whole psychedelic experience. Easy recommendation for fans of retro psych music. It seemed this would be the end of the line for Sun Dial, who spent the next few years playing around with their Prescription Drug series, and even some fake "70s" Krautrock albums. But they reappeared for a cameo in 2003, and once again were back in 2012.

Ownership: 1995 Beggars Banquet (CD). Booklet contains lyrics and a psychedelic negative image photo. 

1998 (acquired) 3/16/15; 6/16/21 (review)

Mind Control (2012)

Two seconds into this album, I love it, and ready to crown it a masterpiece. Why you may ask? Because it reminds me of the greatest "psych prog" band of them all: Group 1850. As you have seen me write before, "psych prog" is one of those terms thrown out for just about any band from the late 60s and early 70s that were maybe one, or the other - and often neither - in order to obtain top dollar for their LP wares they are selling. Group 1850 is the pure embodiment of the term, and Paradise Now (1969) is simply one of the greatest albums of all time. If Amsterdam Coffee House means something to you, then Group 1850 provides its soundtrack. With the opening notes of 'Mountain of Fire & Miracles', Sun Dial has tapped right into that psyche. It is absolutely a phenomenal piece of music, and even if the rest of the album was gangsta rap, I'd still recommend it. Fortunately no heavy gold chains, diamond earrings, sideways caps, swinging arms, and hand signals for Gary Ramon and company, as the album continues in its neo psych glory. 'Radiation' heads east toward Germany and enters the mysterious land of early 70s Kosmische, with wonderful flute laden mellotron and trance inducing drums. And they go east from there... way east. And then back for some motorik action with sitar on the title track. Oh, you get the idea. Special mention goes to the CD bonus track 'World Within You', yet another "psych prog" monster.

Ownership: 2015 Sulatron (CD). Booklet with sparse lyrics and recording details. Two bonus tracks.

8/4/17 (acquired / review); 11/12/25 

Zen For Sale (2003)

Sun Dial's debut Other Way Out could be considered one of the greatest psych releases from the late 1960s. Except for the small fact it was released in 1990. And then inexplicably the band dismissed the genre entirely for that annoying shoegaze / indie style that was so popular in the early 90s. I'm sure from a commercial / economic standpoint, it was a prudent thing to do. Or it better have been. But bandleader Gary Ramon was always a child of the 60s, and one had to figure eventually he'd return to his favorite style. 1995's Acid Yantra held out hope, but then the group dissipated and it seemed the dream was over. Until 2003 that is. Zen For Sale is finally the album we've all been waiting for from Mr. Ramon and company. It's a fine return to form, and the first three tracks are as good as anything on Other Way Out. From there it goes from merely good to great. Sun Dial, it seems, have perfected the late 1960s UK strain of psychedelic music. They tap into the best parts - the fuzz guitar, the phased and accented vocals, the charming and naive melodies - and the absolute essence of pure psychedelia. 

Ownership: 2003 Acme (CD)

2009 (acquired); 3/19/11; 2/26/15; 2/18/17 (review)

Other albums I own and still need to review: Other Way Out; Made in the Machine

2/19/17 (new entry)

Plasticland. 1984 USA-Wisconsin

I certainly knew of Plasticland but never actually heard their music until now. Wow! I had no idea that America was harboring such an authentic psych band - in the early 1980s! These guys were retro long before it became fashionable. I've heard plenty of 80s bands with some psychedelic influences, but they're still 80s sounding bands, many of them coming from the New Wave camp. Not Plasticland. This is late 60s psych all the way. And the songwriting is fantastic, very much like the best of those 45/SP compilations (and there's 15 tracks - almost as many as on a CD comp!). Great acid fuzztone guitars, and plenty of mellotron too (an extinct instrument in the 80s, not to mention there isn't that much use of it in authentic 60s psych either). Considering the out-of-time space rock band F/i, Milwaukee had it going on in the 80s, that's for sure. This predates Sun Dial's Other Way Out by 6 years, and it's very much on the same plane. Easy recommendation for fans of neo psych.

Ownership: LP: 1984 Pink Dust/Enigma. Single sleeve. Pink vinyl. One of the real anomalies in RT's collection - hope to find more like this! Surprisingly not that expensive of an album, so worth snapping up if you get a chance. Doesn't the guy on the right (I think he's the main songwriter) look like Elton John?

Chemical ~ England

Chemical (1996)

For the most part Chemical's sole release is a darkwave album (of the non synthesizer variety) hiding in Acme's stable of psychedelic bands. Even the cover looks like an album one would see from the Ventricle label. Beyond this, there are a couple of Eastern influenced psych folk numbers on Side 1 that are quite excellent. Then the first half of Side 2 goes by mostly unnoticed, but there is a huge payoff for those who stick around: A colossal psychedelic jam with organ and electric guitar, followed by a haunting outro. Recommended especially if you like the idea of modern darkwave with a dose of psychedelia.

Ownership: 1996 Acme (LP). Numbered edition. Comes in a oversized flimsy folder cover, that's easily bent at the top. Acquired in 1997.

1997; 2/1/20 (review / new entry)

Nova Express ~ Germany

Space Khmer (1987)

Germany's Nova Express, a common band name derived from William Burroughs' novel title, are a band I first heard about from Freakbeat in the early 1990s. Opening track 'King & Princess' reminds me quite a bit of early Amon Duul II - especially the shorter songs as found on Tanz der Lemming or Carnival in Babylon. This element becomes apparent in the psychedelic guitar work and the heavily accented male vocals. The organ they employ is actually an older vintage than what Amon Duul II used. Throughout the LP, one will also detect some influence from the post punk crowd of the early 80s, which shows in the songwriting. Nova Express goes toe to toe with, and even predates, some of the best UK neo psych bands of the era, such as Sun Dial and The Bevis Frond. Overall, a very good neo psych / neo Krautrock album that time has completely forgot.

This album was quite difficult to find back in the 90s. But surprisingly not so tough these days. It's hardly a common press, and there lacks any kind of reissue (as of 9/29/25). There's just not enough demand I suspect, which I'm willing to bet means it's more unknown than unwanted.

Ownership: 1987 Syndicate (LP). Acquired in 2003.

9/1/03; 1/19/11 (review); 5/4/19 (update)

Nova Express / Nick Riff / Submarine Prophets - Freakbeat No. 8 (1993)

This EP came free with issue number #8 of Freakbeat released in 1993 by Delirium Records, who were at their height back then. I've owned the vinyl pretty much since then, but I don't think I ever played it! Recently I found it hiding in my copy of Nova Express' Space Khmer, an album I was in the process of revisiting.

What we have here, perhaps no surprise given the source, are three excellent neo psych tracks. I would not have recognized Nova Express in this setting. At this point they have female vocals and the music is much more straightforward then their two more Krautrock influenced albums (though make no mistake, both are heavily entrenched in the neo psych trends of the day as well). Nick Riff has a lot of albums, none of which I'd heard prior, but based on the strength of 'The Limitless Light' I'd certainly be up for hearing more from him. Submarine Prophets is a completely new name for me, and it appears they have three EPs out as well. Again 'Green Cathedral' has all the earmarks of the time and place when talking 60's psychedelic revivalism.

Ownership: 1993 Delirium (SP). Acquired in 1993.

1993; 5/4/19 (review)

Once in the Blue Moon (1991)

Following on from Space Khmer, Nova Express' second album is a bit more aggressive and, dare I say, punk-ish if you will. But it's still very psychedelic, especially in the ferocious guitar work and with some atmospheric distant / narrative vocals employed. The album gets considerably freakier and psychedelic as it goes. Without knowing they were from Germany, you could be forgiven to thinking they were influenced by the Bevis Frond neo-psych camp (which I think they were actually). About the only other band I've heard like Nova Express, from Germany at least, is the equally obscure Der Kampf Gegen den Schlaf.

---9/29/25

Hearing this album for the first time in 13 years, and really no arguments with the above. However the vocals are far more prominent than stated. It's as if Lemmy took over Hawkwind real time, after 16 years with Motorhead. Post punk is probably the better tag, though the aggressive side of neo psych is appropriate. The final track 'Little Girl Blues' is the only song here that could be labeled space rock, and is the highlight of the album. The CD features one bonus track: 'I Wanna Know' (7:54) which really cements the Hawkwind comparison, especially considering the riffing guitars. This track is very much worth pursuing, and makes the CD more desirable than the LP that was released at the same time.

Ownership: 1991 Heartache Transplant (CD). Booklet with band photo. One bonus track. Acquired in 2010.

12/28/10; 12/2/12 (review); 9/29/25

12/2/12 (new entry)

The Bevis Frond - Triptych. 1988 England

Triptych is The Bevis Frond's 3rd proper studio album not counting comps and the like. The deal with Nick Saloman is he brings forth 2 distinct types of music to most of his recordings. The first is what I'll call "straight songs". While ostensibly from the neo psych school, I've found the music to be more toward the alternative/indie/college rock sound of the 80s. The singing tends to be flat and monotone, missing out on the wonderful harmonies of the 60s. Not to mention a lack of melodies in general. The music just sort of lays there, strumming chords, and plowing through each song, each duller than the last. The other side of The Bevis Frond is the jam element. And it's here that Saloman and Co really shine. He has a real knack for providing intense solos where needed, or creating the proper Kosmiche atmosphere - with a creaky old organ no less - so as to set the table for these solos. In effect I think he's a masterful psychedelic guitarist, more of the early 70s school... ...and a very generic songwriter. I realize not everyone will agree with me here, so for those of you who have a similar disposition to mine, then the albums you want to seek out are the ones with the most instrumental impact.

And Triptych is that album. In fact I'd say the very best of his entire catalog which is quite extensive (at least of those I've heard, which is most). Tracks like 'Into the Cryptic Mist', 'Phil Exorcises the Daemons', and 'Tangerine Infringement Beak' are great examples of this. There's even one fine "straight" song this time in 'The Daily Round'.

If you're looking for the right place to start with the Frond, and your background is more of a "head" who enjoys psychedelic in the cosmic Krautrock sense of the word, then I suggest you start right here with Triptych.

Personal collection
CD: 2001 Rubric (USA)

My first copy was the original US LP on Reckless purchased upon release. But at the time I didn't appreciate the contents and moved it out rather quickly. Many years later I picked up the CD. Which is the way to go as it features 6 very good and relevant bonus tracks.

Lumerians - Call of the Void. 2018 USA-California

I concluded the review of the Lumerians last album The High Frontier with "While none of the songs are what one would call deep, the overall portrait remains excellent". And really, Call of the Void isn't that much different, even though 5 years have passed. They maintain their patented early 70s Motorik meets late 60s psychedelic style, while clearly being a product of the 2010s. As with any Lumerians album, it would be easy to state this is nothing more than superficial hipster music, and is more icing than cake. But there's some actual songwriting going on here, and Call of the Void finishes stronger than it starts, especially on the superb 'Ghost Notes', a direction I'd like to see them pursue further. Overall the album is much more than background music, though if they did decide to add more twists and turns, the results would likely be mind blowing.

I had to laugh at the opening track. That's a West Texas phrase right there. As I've mentioned in a few places, I spent my college years in Lubbock. Now Texas Tech was one of those universities Playboy would hang out at looking for beauties, as the region is well known - and deservedly so - for having an abundance of gorgeous ladies. Many from the farms and ranches nearby. So way back in 1984 or so, we were at the dorm cafeteria, enjoying the company of one such beautiful lass. Being the dorks I'm sure we were, we all had to say something (likely very stupid) to try to gain her attention. At some point we crossed the threshold (of course we did - morons). So this tall, beautiful, and classy blonde stands up, and elegantly looks at us and states very politely "Fuck All Y'All'. Boom.

Ownership: CD: 2018 Fuzz Club

11/4/18 (new entry)

Lumerians - The High Frontier. 2013 USA-California

The High Frontier is essentially the Lumerians' second album, and is largely a continuation of Transmalinnia. The band continue to straddle the line between early 70s motorik styled Krautrock combined with a songcraft and vocal style that sounds every bit like the 1968 American psychedelic scene. There's even the odd Zeuhl bass riff, which is probably unintentional. The production is modern, though the sound is decidedly analog. Fat and fuzzy keyboards remain the centerpiece, with inventive but rigid rhythms and wailing guitar providing the perfect trimming. While none of the songs are what one would call deep, the overall portrait remains excellent.

Ownership: CD: 2013 Partisan

10/26/18 (new entry)

Black Sun Ensemble - Sky Pilot. 1999 USA

The 22+ minute title track is the only composition here that is representative of the name Sky Pilot, and that which was recorded in 1999. It's a fine piece, somewhat rambling, but still with that distinct desert neo-psych sound that Black Sun Ensemble are famous for. There's an enormous amount of clarinet on this piece, and that's an instrument I consider entirely unpsychedelic, and somewhat ruins the mood. Gives it a middle eastern restaurant buffet feel - with belly dancers roaming about. Overall it's good, but inessential. Apparently main man Jesus Acedo was on the mend at this point, and this was where his mind was at the time.

The next track, the 4 minute 'Staying Power' is apparently a single released in 1994, though I cannot find physical evidence such a thing exists. The style here hearkens back to their late 80s Lambent Flame days. Sort of an indie psych sound, one that I'm not too fond of.

So at this point, I'm figuring this one is going straight to the sell bin. All that's left is about 46 minutes of "bonus tracks". Well, that's weird from the get, but let's see what we have here.

Oh.... wow. If you ever wanted to hear the mid 80s Black Sun Ensemble "go for it", then here's your album. The deal here is this album was slated for release in 1994 as Psycho Master El, and the band name at this point was Black Sun Legion. Apparently this was one of those "the devil made me do it" albums, and Jesus Acedo - who was completely off his rocker by this point - destroyed all evidence of the recording as he was seeking enlightenment and atonement. Or he thought he did. It was released officially, but according to later notes, it wasn't properly mixed (and the vocals were removed if I understand correctly). So 5 years later, 12 of the 15 songs appear here, but this time they have the appropriate sound. I haven't heard the Black Sun Legion CD, so I cannot say myself.

What we have here is 12 seriously molten instrumental psychedelic tracks, that feature Acedo's distinct desert styled electric guitar, but this time with a ferocious violent intensity. With track names like 'Dangerous Pussy', 'Lord of the Fleas', and 'Children Look Like Burnt Paper' (whoa, that's f'ed up right there), you know Acedo is in a special place, deep - deep - in a Mexican cave and way O'd on mescaline.

For those calling this prog, you made a wrong turn in the hallway. This is modern psychedelia of the highest order. Start with track 3 and enjoy the ride...

Personal collection
CD: 1999 Camera Obscura (Australia)

Complete with full liner notes, which helped me piece the story above together.

Murder in the Cathedral - s/t + Afraid Of... 1997/1999 France

Both albums by the French band Murder in the Cathedral are fine examples of the sort of neo psych Nick Saloman has been pushing all these years. But unlike The Bevis Frond, Murder in the Cathedral have little delusion that they are actual songwriters, and get down to psychedelic goodness quickly, with loads of superb fuzz tone melodic guitar. I give the nod to their debut but you can get both albums in full on the Long Hair CD, which comes recommended.

Personal collection

CD: 2007 Long Hair (Germany)

Last listen: November 13, 2017

Grovjobb (& related) ~ Sweden

Simon Jensen Band - All You Can Eat (2005)

Simon Jensen is the flautist for the Swedish ensemble Grovjobb. And Grovjobb are one of the finest recent bands to play in the organic psychedelic space rock field, recalling pioneers from their own country like Algarnas Tradgard, Flasket Brinner, and Kebnekaise. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Simon’s own band, but from the get-go it’s apparent he’s interested in creating a flute jazz fusion album along the lines of early Bjorn J:Son Lindh, Lloyd McNeill, and Jeremy Steig. Jazz standard ‘Take Five’ opens the album in fine fashion, certainly one of the coolest jazz songs ever composed. ‘That Blues’ continues down the retro 70’s jazz road, with some fine muted trumpet work. ‘Summertime’ is another standard, done very well, as Jensen turns in some great flute performances. From here, the proceedings get more interesting as they play their own compositions. ‘Phenomenon’ could be considered post rock, but with a groove that screams the 1970’s. In addition, accordion is displayed as a lead here, in a way that I’ve never heard the instrument used before. Fantastic. ‘Minimum’ has a blues groove, with organ backdrop and plenty of flute soloing. Again, the accordion is utilized in a lead role, following from an almost Soft Machine styled break. And there’s some heavily affected cello adding accents. Certainly one of the highlights of the disc. ‘Something With Cheese’ is self-referential, as many artists today are probably too self-conscious. A fine tenor sax melody carries it through to the end, even if it’s a bit too fun. ‘Windflower’ starts as a moody and introspective piece with organ drones, scattered drums, and flute soloing. Finally a beat settles in, and Jensen takes over with some beautiful melodious playing. ‘Blue Glass (including Brain)’ is the first tune to recall his prior band Grovjobb, and is a psyched out heavy flute rock piece, bordering on a freak-out. This is, as one may guess, my favorite track on the album. ‘Baghdad 2003’ is as exotic as the title, with cello creating a sitar-like sound and electric piano providing the accents. Naturally the song has a Middle Eastern vibe in the flute soloing. It’s also probably the album’s most intense piece in terms of mood. ‘Blueberry Soup’ ends the album on a lighter note with a syncopated organ beat and the usual great melodic soloing by Jensen.

Being a flute jazz fan, this album is very easy for me to enjoy. Plenty of variety for those looking for more than standard jazz fare as well.

Ownership: 2005 Blue Beat (CD)

6/18/06 (review); 6/27/18 (update)

Under Solen Lyser Solen (2001)

After first hearing Vättarnas Fest, I wrote an enthusiastic review for both their albums at the time, and couldn't wait to hear a 3rd from them. So when Under Solen Lyser Solen did get released, I snapped it up immediately, and.... well, I didn't write a review, let's put it that way.

Yes, I was sorely disappointed. The album didn't have the dynamism of its predecessors. After a couple of listens, I filed it. Now 16+ years later, here we are again - and I'd gone as far as tagging it "weedout". This could be the final listen.

It won't be. Now it's also been about 17 years since I heard the first two, so I cannot draw any memorable comparisons. What I will say is that the first word I think of when listening to Under Solen Lyser Solen is organic. This is a very laid back, drawn out, psychedelic work based on Swedish folk themes. There's no rave-ups, or meter shifts, or that much in the way of songcraft honestly. It just sort of drifts along, with quite a bit of repetition, and lovely flute and electric guitar shimmering away. It appears the band knew they were going to sunset, and this was the way they wanted to exit - riding out into the fields slowly as darkness descends. They certainly didn't go out in a ball of flames, that's for sure.

If memory serves, the final track here 'Reflection of Rafi' seems more in line with their other albums, and is the highlight.

Former ownership: CD: 2001 Garageland. Art booklet containing recording details.

2002 (acquired); 10/20/17 (review); 4/26/24

Also own and still need to review: Landet Leverpastej; Vättarnas Fest

10/20/17 (new entry)