Pat Boone "In A Metal Mood - No More Mr. Nice Guy" 1997***

This is the ULTIMATE ROCK AND TROLL RECORD! Yeah, I know that back in '97 trolling was not a part of our vocabulary but what do you call this CD cover? A 65-year old former teen idol-turned-religious singer and conservative media figure, suddenly donning an earring and black leather vest in order to deliver heavy metal covers? And I'm not even mentioning his posing on a Harley Davidson, Easy Rider-style, on the back cover. It must be a joke, just look at the glimmer in his eye. Someone had a lot a fun designing this cover just to troll us, didn't he? Yes, and no. Yes, I'm sure the graphic designer must have been chuckling all the time while he made this, but no - the record is legit. And if you think the cover is funny, wait 'till you hear the music - you will be ROFL. We're talking about the likes of Metallica executed in honest-to-God Big Band/ Las Vegas entertainer style. Now, some of us remember how Pat Boone built a super successful career in the 50's by taking hot black R&B and turning it into pop mush fit for consumption by white middle-class teens. Hell, he was that decade's second biggest selling artist, next to Elvis! So maybe he figured that if that approach worked with the blues, why not try it on heavy metal? They're both the devil's music, I'll grant you, but Pat Boone ain't afraid of the Devil! The Devil should be afraid of Pat Boone, after what he did to his favorite music! And the funniest thing is that it often works! The big band arrangements are done in earnest with top professional musicians and, surprisingly, some songs seem to lend themselves a little too naturally to the swing treatment, with screaming guitars a little too easily replaced by the catchy jazz riffs and solos and the sudden blasts of brass. As for Boone himself, back in the 50's he was already his generation's less talented singer and his voice hasn't improved with time. Sometimes he croons along to the song merrily and sometimes he just goofily recites the words. But what does it matter? It's precious enough just to listen to Mr. Christian Right-Wing spouting lyrics like "You think it's easy doing one-night stands? Try playing in a rock'n'roll band!". AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)", by the way, sounds great in this setting, with its cool Hammond organ and late-night saxes. Ozzy's "Crazy Train" also sounds fine as light jazz - and I dare you not to burst out laughing when the backup singers go "crazy crazy traiin!choo-choo!". On "Paradise City" Boone struggles to keep up while the band plays a fast Tito Puente-like mambo rhythm. In the middle of the song they let up a little to let him catch his breath and off they go again. For the (also Latin-tinged) lead single "Smoke on the Water" they really pull all the stops, even persuading The Man-in-Black himself, Mr. Ritchie Blackmore, to come down from the silver mountain and play some electric guitar. "Holy Diver" likewise has a high profile guest in Ronnie James Dio who adds some (almost inaudible) backing vocals. It is, together with Metallica's "Enter Sandman", the most surreal experience here - that nice easy listening music combined with those dark lyrics. Judas Priest's "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" works well as swing jazz while "No More Mr. Nice Guy" is just hilarious - no other way to describe it. Of the ballads, Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary" gets a passable performance, while "Stairway to Heaven" tries to swing unsuccessfully and "Love Hurts" is sappy even for Pat Boone standards. The faux-soul version of Van Halen's "Panama" is probably the CD's lowest point. The album eventually sold well as it became a popular joke gift for metalheads, but at what cost? Worried for his immortal soul (seriously!) Boone's Christian fans intervened to drag him back to the path of righteousness, and thankfully succeeded! I mean, Hell wouldn't be Hell anymore with the likes of Pat Boone around! P.S. Some guy on youtube had the idea of coupling Pat Boone's version of "Holy Diver" with Dio's official video. I'm posting it here, but I have to warn you it's dangerous. People have died of laughter - it's rare but it's been known to happen! I mean, the sight of the late hobbit-sized Metal God wielding a sword is cause enough for hilarity by itself, but when he opens he mouth and you hear Pat Boone's voice you'll be trying to keep control of your bladder...

**** for Smoke on the Water (Deep Purple), It's a Long Way to the Top (AC/DC), Enter Sandman (Metallica), Holy Diver (Dio), Crazy Train  (Ozzy Osbourne) 

*** for You've Got Another Thing Comin' (Judas Priest), No More Mr. Nice Guy (Alice Cooper), Paradise City (Guns N' Roses), The Wind Cries Mary (Jimi Hendrix Experience)

** for Panama (Van Halen), Love Hurts (Nazareth), Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin)

Jack Peñate "Everything Is New" 2009***

Despite his Spanish name, Peñate is pure Londoner. Even more, his family is integrated in British culture for generations as his grandfather, Mervyn Peake, was the author of the illustrious Gormenghast trilogy. His music is overtly commercial (maybe too radio/club-friendly for my taste), almost a mix of mega-sellers Coldplay and Daft Punk. But it doesn't sound like a shrewd attempt to take over the charts so much - more like the work of a pop-minded songwriting talent with a disregard for musical genre boundaries. "Pull My Heart Away" is that Coldplay moment, but more effervescent, with handclaps and tropicalia guitars. "Be The One" is an infectious dance number with a disco beat, synths and backing vocals but an indie vocal/lyrical sensibility. "Everything Is New" reminds me of Vampire Weekend's afro-pop experiments and "Tonight's Today" is another dance number with a funky bass and electronic beat a la Daft Punk and backing vocals that could come straight from the Rio Carnaval. "So Near" and "Give Yourself Away" have a nice danceable rhythm but are otherwise unremarkable. On "Every Glance" he employs his best Morrissey croon over what sounds like a discarded Gorillaz experiment, while on "Let's All Die" he borrows from Franz Ferdinand's armory of disco-punk to make the happiest-sounding song about death: "When our life is over, let's not cry/Over and over again/Death becomes our only friend/Let's all die!". Like they say if you can't lick 'em...something. "Body Down" could have come straight from Moby's seminal "Play" album: same mixture of melancholic beats, gospel vocals and New Wave guitars. In retrospect, the most amazing aspect of Peñate's album is that it didn't achieve the same stratospheric success and omnipresence. Like with what happened with "Play", I'd expect to hear theses songs in every pub, boutique and hair salon in the city around that time. Then again, I don't believe I even had one haircut during 2009-2010...

**** for Pull My Heart Away, Be The One, Tonight's Today, Let's All Die

*** for Everything Is New, Every Glance, Body Down

** for So Near, Give Yourself Away

Vetiver "The Errant Charm" 2011***

Andy Cabic, haven't I seen you before? Were you perchance a member of Devendra's aptly named Hairy Fairy Band when they played the Underworld Club in Athens about 10 years ago? That's a good credential, so I'll admit I should have delved into your discography earlier. I only did so upon learning you'll be visiting my new town. On their 11/10 Brussels concert, Vetiver got relegated to the small hall of Ancienne Belgique and played to a polite but unenthusiastic crowd of just 60 or 70 people. The band's performance was equally understated, which is not to say that the music was uninteresting or audience indifferent. Rather that their soft rock style does not invite much participation on the audience's part. The setup was pretty basic (just bass-guitar-drums) and Cabic was on fine vocal form, although he rarely raised his voice above a whisper, even when the band fell into a funk groove or broke into a slow chugging boogie. His voice reminded me of someone but I couldn't quite place it. J.J.Cale or Gene Clark or Paul Simon, or all of them at different occasions.
"Errant Charm" is supposedly the point where Vetiver completely abandoned his early freak folk sound for the kind of lush soft rock Californian bands excelled in during the 70's. It's sunny and melodic and makes for great background music, but only rarely grabs your attention. "Ride Ride Ride" is one of the more upbeat and memorable songs, a rocking Velvet Underground-inspired boogie. "Worse For Wear" is another highlight, a sweetly melancholic mid-tempo number with the telling lyric "Happiness is sad". The CD's opening track "It's Beyond Me" is a long song presaging all that's about to follow: ambient synths, atmospheric strings and ethereal vocals. "Can't You Tell" has a more 80's vibe with programmed keys and drums and "Hard To Break" is jangly folk a la Byrds/Big Star. "Fog Emotion" is another 80's - like production that belies its title: with its soft bossa rhythm it speaks more about lazy summer days than cloudy afternoons. "Right Away" is a relatively upbeat song that somehow sounds English to me - it reminds me of a number of indie bands, especially the chiming guitars and feedback during the last seconds. "Wonder Why"on the other hand couldn't be more American, with its Tom Petty guitars, Beach Boys harmonies and clinking pianos. An upbeat number that stands out from the semi-lethargic pace the album sometimes falls into. "Faint Praise" is case in point, an atmospheric but sleepy ballad, of the kind that Mark Knopfler sometimes sang with Dire Straits to show that, in addition to nimble fingers, he's also got a sensitive soul. "Soft Grass" features some ambient synths, folk guitars and whispered vocals. The last two tracks are probably meant to lull you back to sleep after the relative excitement of "Wonder Why" and "Ride Ride Ride". Just like Cabic himself, this album is instantly likeable but, regrettably, mostly forgettable. Nevertheless I  find myself playing it rather often, as it puts me in a good mood every time. Which means I've succumbed to its errant charm, after all.

Vetiver at AB Club, Brussels 11/10/2015

**** for Worse For Wear, Wonder Why, Ride Ride Ride

*** for It's Beyond Me, Can't You Tell, Hard To Break, Fog Emotion, Right Away, Faint Praise

** for Soft Grass

Paul Roland "House Of Dark Shadows" 1985 (LP comp) 1991 (expanded CD reissue)*****

Ask any musician for his influences and you'll get answers like The Beatles, David Bowie or John Lee Hooker. Paul Roland, I suspect, would come up with names like Edgar Allan Poe, HP Lovecraft, Jules Verne or Robert Louis Stevenson. His songs are steeped in mystery and gothic horror tales and populated by Victorian villains and adventurers. Often pegged as folk or neo-psychedelia, his music is sui generis: Sure, there's a strong 60's aura and echoes of Donovan, Roy Harper and Syd Barrett but also elements of Gothic, Progressive, New Wave, New Age and even Garage or Hard Rock. On stage they're mostly performed in a stripped-down acoustic manner without losing any of their ambience but studio versions may feature woodwind and string arrangements or electric guitars and loud drums. In the end it probably depends on the musicians accompanying him or the available budget but, regardless the packaging, it's the vocals and lyrics that manage to transport you to Roland's fantasy world. Each song is a visual mini-story ready to be painted on a canvas or expanded into a novel or a B-movie. Not surprising, since Roland is also renowned as a writer, having written a staggering 40 books on the subject of mysticism, crime and the occult - something I only found out when I checked his wikipedia page earlier today. Funnily enough my girlfriend, who wrote her PhD thesis on criminal profiling, only knew him from his true crime books but was unaware of his musical career.

"House Of Dark Shadows" collects early EP tracks and portions of his rare Werewolf of London (1980) and Burnt Orchids (1985) albums. As overview of Roland's work it's since been surpassed by other, more extensive, compilations but it remains a great collection of songs and makes for a good introduction to his style which hasn't changed much in the last 25 years. "Blades Of Battenburg" opens the album with some ominous organ, before setting in a classic rock sound, with a harpsichord solo for period effect. The lyrics are a typical example of Roland's style of verse: "Through the iron gates a carriage rolls/To the house, a mansion old/We are the blades of Battenburg/Downstairs our whispers are faintly heard...The halls are white, their shroud is cold/The vaults are sealed, their tales untold/Beneath a portrait of a brave young man/An old woman still in her bridal gown". "Burnt Orchids" is a dreamy acid folk ballad with orchestral backing while "Werewolves Of London" (no relation to the same-named Warren Zevon song) is a horror rocker with dramatic strings and saxophone set in  Victorian London. "Lon Chaney" is his tribute to the mysterious star of the silent movies who became known as the man with a thousand faces. He'd probably make the ideal interpreter for Roland's gallery of rogues presented in the next songs: "Dr. Strange", "The Puppet Master" and "Captain Blood". "Death Or Glory" is an anti-war new wave rocker and "Cairo" is an acoustic folk song with a suitably snaky Arabic melody which paints a romanticized picture of a decadent Oriental metropolis in the 1920's. "Green Glass Violins" is an orchestral ballad while "Flying Ace" is closer to country. "Ghost Ships" is an atmospheric song with...ghostly keyboards which reads like a poem by Edgar Allan Poe: "Looming through the fog glides the Ghost ship/ Rotting from crows nest to keel/ Not a soul was seen to steer her/Save a corpse lashed to the wheel". "Madelaine" is another of his eccentric characters ("as each year grows older, she grows more quietly insane"), brought to life with the help of a string quartet and kindred spirit Robyn Hitchcock. My CD version of the album is a 1991 reissue on the French New Rose label, containing extra tracks "Berlin" (an acoustic ballad praising the liberal and cosmopolitan air of that city in the 20's), live radio versions of the country-ish "Graveyard Train" and "Public Enemy", covers of Marc Bolan's "Hot George" and Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue Got Married" and the bluesy "Jack Daniels". Like I said earlier, Paul Roland is one of a kind and his songs open a door into his fairytale world. Step right in...

***** for Blades Of Battenburg, Burnt Orchids, Werewolves Of London, Cairo, Madelaine, Berlin

**** for Lon Chaney, The Puppet Master, Captain Blood, Death Or Glory, Green Glass Violins, Flying Ace Ghost Ships, Graveyard Train

*** for Dr. Strange, Public Enemy, Hot George, Peggy Sue Got Married

** for Jack Daniels

Van Morrison "Too Late to Stop Now" 1974*****

I've had this LP for years now and it's even survived the great vinyl purge and accompanied me to the Netherlands. But, finding a cheap CD copy, I bought it for the second time so that I can still listen to it even though I'm parted from my record player. So I guess I must like it a lot, mustn't I? Well it's Van the Man fronting a great band, and have you seen the tracklist? Incidentally Van is one of few of my favorite artists whom I haven't yet seen in a full concert. 15 years ago I won in a radio contest a free pass for his concert in the Athens Olympic stadium. And what did he do? He freaking went and cancelled the gig. And I didn't even get a refund! That's why people don't like you Van, they like your songs but not you! Just joking, of course - it was disappointing obviously but at least I have seen Van perform once, even if it was for a few minutes. It was in '89 during a Bob Dylan concert. He just came  unannounced onstage and sang a few tunes and let me tell you it was the highlight of the night. No offence to Bob, he's probably the world's best songwriter but as a singer he's no Van. This double live album was recorded in 1974 and has a fantastic mix of R&B covers and originals, Celtic folk and even a couple of Them tunes. He's backed by the so-called Caledonia Soul Orchestra which included his regular band augmented by carefully arranged horns and strings. The album is recorded 100% live with minimal post production and no studio overdubs, while all performances are energetic, soulful, well-played and innovatively arranged so as to offer different but equally good versions to the familiar studio recordings. The album opens with a cover of Bobby "Blue" Bland's "Ain't Nothin' You Can Do". Van alternates between a soft croon and powerful blues shout, with a backing of jazzy guitar and piano and occasional loud horns. It was released as the album's lead single backed with "Wild Children", originally a track from "Hard Nose the Highway". The live version is really superb, with a mystical celtic jazz flavor thanks to great use of the string quartet. "Warm Love", originally from the same album, is somewhat more upbeat with an engaging soulful performance by Van. Moondance tracks "Into The Mystic" and "These Dreams Of You" also shine, the former beautifully adorned with sweeping strings and the latter displaying a playful swing. That album's uplifting highlight "Caravan" is presented in an extended 10-minute version that gives Morrison the chance to present his band. "I Believe To My Soul" is the first of two Sam Cooke numbers. Great bluesy performance by singer and the band. "Bring It On Home To Me" is just as good at the vocal department but the simple piano backing is underwhelming. Two upbeat numbers from "His Band and the Street Choir" follow, both noticeably faster and funkier from their studio counterparts: "I've Been Working" and "Domino", especially the former impressing with its energetic James Brown-style performance. Even more impressive is the use of strings on Muddy Waters' "I Just Want To Make Love To You". It shouldn't work, but it does. Great slide guitar in this one, too! Ditto for Sonny Boy Williamson's "Help Me", which gets the soul treatment, including a Green Onions-style organ groove. Another Sonny Boy oldie "Take Your Hands Out Of My Pocket" is light and jazzy when the lyric asks for a tougher delivery. "Saint Dominic's Preview" is represented by the title track and "Listen To The Lion" in resplendent new arrangements. Two songs from his Them days follow, the pop soul classic "Here Comes The Night" invigorated by the strings and that old garageband favorite "Gloria" in hi-energy soul mode. The album closes with an astonishing 10-minute version" of Astral Weeks' "Cyprus Avenue". About the only drawback from this album is that it doesn't contain more songs from "Astral Weeks". I'd like to hear that band tackle more songs from one of my all-time favorite records but that's a minor quibble for an album that justifiably regularly finds itself in the lists of all-time greatest live albums.

***** for Into The Mystic, These Dreams Of You, I Believe To My Soul, Wild Children, I Just Want To Make Love To You, Cyprus Avenue

**** for Ain't Nothin' You Can Do, Warm Love, I've Been Working, Help Me, Listen To The Lion, Here Comes The Night, Gloria, Caravan 

*** for Domino, Bring It On Home To Me, Saint Dominic's Preview,  Take Your Hands Out Of My Pocket

Ω Omega "Idõrabló/Time Robber" 1976***

As I've written before, Omega were Hungary's greatest rock band and a significant musical export, mainly in Central Europe. Like most bands from the former "Soviet Bloc" they sang in their own language, probably to please the commissars. But who else in the whole world would willingly listen to rock sung in Hungarian? So they made a point of dual releases, one for the home crowd and one in English for export. This CD sensibly gathers both versions of their classic "Time Robber" album. The cover is certainly not the original of the international edition, which was a typical space rock affair. These Boney M-join-the-Cossack-cavalry outfits must have been the height of kitsch even in the 70's. What am I saying - they'd even be booed off the stage in an 80's Eurovision contest (even as I wrote it I realized that's not true - of course nothing can be too kitsch for Eurovision). Anyway, even if this was the original Hungarian LP cover, one would expect them to hide their hideous fashion crimes from the CD generation, but I guess there's a threshold beyond which kitsch becomes a form of expression. You never know, maybe Lady Gaga will wear one of these outfits on next year's Grammys. But enough about the cover, let's review the music. First of all, the English and Hungarian versions are identical except from the vocals. Opener "Napot Hoztam, Csillagot/House Of Cards" is an atmospheric song with gentle acoustic guitar and spacey moog keyboard. Singer Janos Kobor's English is accented but not bad, it certainly goes down easier than his native Hungarian. What bothers me most with the vocals are the echo effects. I think they heard this effect on a Pink Floyd album and decided to use it everywhere. Bad idea (although nowhere near as bad as the costumes on the cover). The first three tracks are actually connected to form a song suit, so "House Of Cards" blends into hard rocker "Idõrabló/Time Robber" (great bluesy solo here), while the 3rd part "Ablakok/ House Of Cards (Part Two)" reprises the moog-heavy atmospheres of the first. "A Névtelen Utazó/ Invitation" is a nice hard rocker with top-notch guitar and drums but almost ruined by a few seconds of intrusive spacey electronic effects in the beginning, middle and end. It's an otherwise radio-friendly song and was indeed a moderate hit in Germany. "Nélküled/Don't Keep Me On Waiting" is a psychedelic ballad with a heavy Pink Floyd influence, with excellent Gilmour-esque guitar and spacey keyboards. "A Könyvelõ Álma/An Accountant's Dream" is fast glam rock track with vocals reminiscent of Alex Harvey, Steve Harley or even Ziggy-era Bowie. "Éjféli Koncert/Late Night Show" has a similar vocal but a more complex composition. The first half is more of a glam power ballad while the instrumental second half is rich and atmospheric with great harpsichord and choral female vocals. Once more Omega prove themselves the equals of English/West European prog rockers. This CD (or just its English counterpart "Time Robber") should satisfy fans of Eloy, Pink Floyd, Uriah Heep etc. Plus there's certainly some added comedy value in the cover. 

***** for Nélküled/Don't Keep Me On Waiting

**** for Napot Hoztam Csillagot/House Of Cards, Éjféli Koncert/Late Night Show

*** for Idõrabló/Time Robber, Ablakok/House Of Cards (Part Two), A Névtelen Utazó/Invitation, A Könyvelõ Álma/An Accountant's Dream

Opeth "Pale Communion" 2014****

Yesterday I sat through 3 hours of an Opeth concert and got this nice souvenir on the way out. I actually hovered by the T-shirt stand for a few minutes trying to answer the eternal question: T-shirt or CD? They had some pretty nice T's, sorta gothic and dark designs with the elaborate Opeth logo, but in the end the music usually wins out. Not to mention I didn't take any Opeth albums with me when I moved to Brussels and I was itching to write about them. All CD's on sale were either autographed by the band members or vandalized by a kid with a permanent marker. I'd like to think the former is true. I chose their latest "Pale Communion" as it has the reputation of their proggiest, most melodic outing - to the disappointment of their metalhead fans. IMO this description is better suited to their Steven Wilson-curated "Damnation" album. "Pale Communion" is more like Dream Theater i.e. heavy metal with progressive rock influences. But it's (thankfully, for me) free of Åkerfeldt's death metal growls that plagued their earlier albums. There were enough of them in the concert to satisfy old fans, as it was of retrospective nature: The first 80something minutes consisted of the onstage recreation of their "Ghost Reveries" album, marking its 10th anniversary. It's a highly rated record that I hadn't heard before. Judging from yesterday's concert it must be a dark, brutally atmospheric affair characterized by Opeth's trademark gentle/aggressive duality: beautiful introspective moments alternating with death metal attack. The musicianship throughout the first part of the concert was excellent and Åkerfeldt's ability to sing in two contrasting styles was most impressive. But it didn't convince me to buy the record; I own "Blackwater Park" and that's enough of that particular Opeth facet for me. The second, equally long, part of the concert was a greatest hits selection to commemorate the band's 25th anniversary. During this part, the band seemed less concentrated and looser, with lots of between-song banter and tantalising snippets of songs abandoned after a few seconds. It featured both melodic and heavy music and at least a couple of songs from "Pale Communion".

Opener "Eternal Rains Will Come" was one of them, hard to miss with its complicated drum patterns and imposing organ. The vocal harmonies here are as different from their previous demonic growls as possible. "Cusp of Eternity" was the album's lead single, a straight-ahead hard rocker with Åkerfeldt's best-ever vocals reminding of Led Zeppelin, an Eastern melody a la "Gates Of Babylon" and an old school metal guitar solo. If I'm not mistaken it's very uncharacteristic for Opeth, but very well executed. 11-minute "Moon Above, Sun Below" is a prog metal epic which goes through many changes including some grandiose heavy riffing and a acoustic section of delicate beauty. Speaking of delicate, "Elysian Woes" is a majestic ballad that will puzzle old fans with its melancholic Olde-English folk sound. "Goblin" is an even more unexpected move, an electronic jazz-fusion instrumental with Joakim Svalberg's Hammond to the fore. "River" is yet another surprise, with its country-tinged first half dominated by acoustic guitars and CSN&Y harmonies. After the 4-minute mark it turns into a hard rock jam with guitar/organ duels reminiscent of the heroic days of Deep Purple. "Voice of Treason" is a complex heavy prog composition underscored by dramatic organ and strings. "Faith in Others" also has strings, but of a mellower variety. Together with piano and guitar they build a very melancholic mood in line with lyrics like "The dream of our youth is up ahead/Life has become a burden/Move in circles of suppressed despair/Waiting for the sun..." Then it veers towards grandiose Muse territory for a while and returns to the swooning strings, closing the album in cinematic splendor. Now, I sympathize with fans of Opeth's previous direction: They were, indeed, unique at that light/shadow-angel/demon combination. But it seems they've outgrown their Death Metal origins and are better for it. I'm looking forward to their next move...

Opeth live at the Ancienne Belgique, Brussels 15/10/2015: More candlesticks than the average Orthodox church

**** for Eternal Rains Will Come, Cusp of Eternity, Elysian Woes, River, Faith in Others 

*** for Moon Above, Sun Below, Goblin, Voice of Treason  

Jane "Between Heaven And Hell" 1977***

For my part, I think of Rock music as an international musical language and I am always interested on how it is interpreted by bands throughout the world. Which is why I've tried to present music from all over the world in this blog. Up to now, in less than 200 reviews, I've reviewed CD's from 25 or so countries. By and large, though, important or successful rock groups are an Anglo-American affair. I can only think of one band from the continent that rivals them in success: Certain hard rockers from Hannover, Germany. I'm not talking of Jane, of course, but of fellow Hannoverites The Scorpions. Not that Jane have reason to complain: How many bands can boast of a career that has lasted 45 years during which they've released something like 20 records? Incidentally, Scorpions guitarist Matthias Jabs is one of many musicians that joined Jane's ranks, albeit for a short period. "Between Heaven And Hell" is their 6th LP and one of the relatively higher rated by the progheads at progarchives.com - no doubt thanks to the same-named track that takes up all of Side 1. Progheads are notoriously fond of long meandering song-suits. Though I also enjoy complex compositions and arrangements, I find it a hit-and-miss strategy. Sometimes, like in Pink Floyd's "Echoes", the various elements within the song flow naturally into each other, while other times, like in Jane's "Heaven And Hell", they seem disjointed. The said track opens up with washes of synthesizer effects and soundwaves reminiscent of Tangerine Dream. After the 4-minute mark the rest of the band introduce themselves with loud drumming and Gilmour-like guitar solos, Around the 6th minute appear the vocals, first disengaged and floating and then assertive, accompanied with hard rock guitar riffing and maniacal female laughter. This excerpt from the song makes for a successful Teutonic take on early Pink Floyd, but it's abruptly cut short by what sounds like monks singing Gregorian hymns before the return to a more electronic (again Floydian, circa "Meddle") section, ending with a short reprise of the monks and a verse of the more melodic vocals. I like all the ingredients used here, but object to the cooking. It doesn't quite end up as a complete failure, but neither does it amount to anything special. Second track "Twilight" is, to my ears, far better. A hard rocker halfway between Uriah Heep and Eloy, it starts sensibly with the harder stuff and spreads out with the spacier sounds later. "Voice in the wind" is a melodic ballad dominated by a lush keyboard sound and romantic singing. It's the album's second best song. The album closes in a completely different mood, with a hard rock boogie called "Your circle" and singer Klaus Hess seemingly emulating...Lou Reed? After 3'50'' the song comes to an abrupt stop. A nice album for fans of 70's progressive rock but not likely to appeal to many others...

**** for Twilight

*** for Between Heaven And Hell, Voices in the Wind, Your Circle

The Doors "Other Voices" 1971***

In March 1971, Jim Morrison met with his bandmates Ray, Robbie and John for the last time. He gave them each a book of his poems and told them he was moving to Paris, France. Although the future of the group was not discussed, it was understood that the album they had just finished recording would probably be their last. The rest of the band weren't too happy about it. Financial reasons aside, the bad was obviously still on top form: the songwriting in "L.A. Woman" is inspired, the singing  is passionate and the musicianship superb. By all accounts the sessions for the album were very productive and the usually difficult Morrison was at his best behavior. I suspect it happened exactly because he knew it'd be the band's last, but you can't blame the other guys for wanting more. So after Jim left, they stayed in the studio preparing more songs, thinking ahead and hoping he'd get bored with Paris and return to the California sunshine and his rock group. As we all know, Morrison's French adventure lasted only a few months. In July 3 of the same year, he was (supposedly) found dead in his bathtub, from a heart attack. Some say drugs and more still believe he just faked his own death and performed the ultimate escape. Such a prank would have suited his character, though I daresay he would have surely returned to gloat afterwards. But for the sake of the believers, let's call it a mystery and leave it at that. The news of his death found the rest of the band with a lot of material in their hands. They quickly decided that, despite what everybody thought, they were still The Doors - with or without Morrison. They finished the album and by October it was out on the stores. It had a simple cover with a photo of the trio and I'll be damned if it didn't look like the "L.A. Woman" cover, with Morrison cut out of the picture.

Other Voices, my vinyl cover

L.A.Woman cover, minus Jim 

Maybe they were signifying that nothing has changed, other than the singer. Musically they do stay close to the previous album's earthy blues rock. I remember that my thought on first listen (a worn-out 2nd hand vinyl copy, bought 25 years ago) was "These songs would be great if Jim was singing them". And, true enough, these songs are vintage Doors, so one can easily picture how they'd have sounded with Jim - unlike with their next album, the jazzier "Full Circle". Opener "In The Eye Of The Sun" would be a perfect vehicle for Morrison, it's a strong blues-rocker with funky bass, neat slide guitar and Manzarek's trademark electric piano. Kinda like "The Changeling" meets "L.A.Woman" at Morrison Hotel. Ray's pedestrian blues delivery fails to lift the song from the ground, but even so it's quite good. Robbie takes over for "Variety is the Spice of Life" and "I'm Horny, I'm Stoned", two upbeat humorous blues/country numbers. His voice is OK for this lighter stuff. Personally I like it better than Manzarek's, which is sometimes annoying but a better match to Morrison's. They say that, when Jim was too drunk to sing, Ray would sometimes take over the vocals - one can see why. Ray and John Densmore share vocal duties on "Ships w/ Sails", a long, atmospheric song with a light jazzy feel and beautiful understated piano and guitar - quite similar to last album's "Riders On The Storm". Not only the highlight of the album, but one of the best songs The Doors ever recorded. "Tightrope Ride" is an upbeat rocker that reminds me of "Touch Me". Unfortunately instead of Jim's lion's growl we get Ray's frog's croak, but it's nevertheless still good rock'n'roll with a nice solo by Robbie. "Down On The Farm" combines two styles: half gentle psychedelic ballad and half twangy country complete with mouth organ. Ray and Robbie take turns on the vocals. Both this song and the following "Wandering Musician" reminded me of the Grateful Dead, except that the latter is slower and much more piano-based. "Hang on to Your Life" starts nicely with jazzy guitars and latin percussion Santana-style, then continues with a harmony vocal a la CSN&Y, and keeps changing style until it becomes a complete mess. Oh well, sometimes they were that way, even in the old days ("Soft Parade" anyone?). Had Jim survived and returned to sing these songs, this'd be a slightly less-than-average Doors album. As it stands now, it's an average-to-good blues/rock album with great musicianship and mediocre singing. When I had my record player around, I'd give the old vinyl a spin now and then. I suspect the same will happen with the CD reissue.

**** for In The Eye Of The Sun, Ships W/ Sails, Tightrope Ride

*** for Variety Is The Spice Of Life, Down On The Farm, I'm Horny I'm Stoned

** for Wandering Musician , Hang On To Your Life

The Doors "Full Circle" 1972***

I must be the only person who, when faced with this reissue on the record shop, cried out "At long last, they've finally released them!" I'm talking of course of the last two studio albums by The Doors - or, to be more accurate, the last studio albums bearing the Doors' name (but, for some reason, not the familiar logo). Long unavailable and never properly released on CD, these albums don't have the best reputation: They've been vilified and accused of exploiting and disgracing the band's legacy. At their time they didn't do too bad commercially: "Other Voices" reached No.31 and "Full Circle" went to No.68. Of course they were both recorded and released within 1 year of Morrison's death, which means the public eye was on them more than any time since the infamous Miami incident. But soon they disappeared under the outrage for the sacrilege of attempting to go on without their leader. To be fair, Doors members haven't defended their work too vigorously, either. I've acquired the "Other Voices" album on second hand vinyl around 25 years ago and was pretty familiar with its content, so I went straight for "Full Circle". I've downloaded it on MP3, but never quite delved into it since I'm not a big fan of MP3s: Music is not meant to be played on the laptop or mobile, people, snap out of it! Anyway, "Full Circle" is looser and jazzier from its predecessor which seems to have been written with Morrison in mind. The CD opens with “Get Up And Dance”, a funky number with handclaps and female backing vocals. Now, given the right material, Ray Manzarek can be a passable singer but not here. Worse crimes have been committed by white guys trying to sound funky, but only by a narrow margin. Robbie Krieger's "4 Billion Souls" is a jaunty honky-tonk song about ecological destruction, and sounds a bit like the Doors circa Soft Parade, what with the guitar/organ interplay. Jim would have nailed it but, as it becomes painfully clear, neither Ray nor Robbie are singers. "Verdillac" is funky, playful and imaginative jazz-rock and sounds pretty much like Frank Zappa - vocals and nonsensical lyrics included. Other new elements include a great saxophone solo and Latin percussion."Hardwood Floor" is a pretty standard blues/country ditty, with neat harmonica and female backing vocals. Likewise “Good Rockin'” is a pretty standard Rock'n'roll/R&B number, albeit executed with panache and perfect for Ray's voice who's rather good at simple bluesy stuff. “Mosquito” is the weirdest cut on the record: It starts off as a parody of Mexican music with Robbie singing stupid lyrics like "No me moleste mosquito/just let me eat my burrito" in his Speedy Gonzalez voice. Then suddenly he abandons the Latin shtick and delivers his best guitar solo ever while the band falls into a nice jazz-rock groove. I don't know what to make of it, but many people consider it the highpoint of the album and certainly Krieger's (and Densmore's) playing here is phenomenal. "The Piano Bird" is another standout, a gentle song with airy flute. Ray's singing is non-intrusive - which, for him, is as good as it gets. It's about a pianist and a bird playing melodies to each other. Disney stuff - can you imagine Jim Morrison singing something like that? "It Slipped my Mind" reminds me of all the bluesy songs on "Morrison Hotel". Robbie plays some good guitar and his singing isn't embarrassing, so all's good. Ray's "The Peking King And The New York Queen" sounds like a preview from his "Golden Scarab" album. Unfortunately the pretentious lyrics suck, singing's below par and female backing vocals are ill-judged. The reissue appends a rare B-side called "Treetrunk", a sympathetic piano boogie. The remaining Doors eventually toured with this material and gained some good reviews. In the past their concerts were hit or miss depending on Morrison's state. Without him, their onstage chemistry and almost telepathic communication took over. Unfortunately, when it comes to the records, the lack of inspiration is evident: The music is too indulgent, lyrics verge between the uninterested and plain bad, and singing lacks passion and conviction. They must have known that, but they enjoyed playing with each other too much to stop. Spurned by the good reaction to their concerts, they decamped to England and started jamming with various singers, trying to find a solution to their problem. They considered Kevin Coyne and The Audience's Howard Werth, God knows why. I mean they're very intellectual but also very British, and their voices are hardly suitable for The Doors' repertory... Iggy Pop was also proposed, one of a few singers that could match Morrison's explosiveness onstage. Iggy was a big Doors fan but I doubt they'd ever want to mess with him: he was even more uncontrollable than Morrison and with none his poetic streak. They tried to send word out to Paul Rodgers -now that would have been interesting- but couldn't get in contact with him (no mobiles back then). He probably would have said no anyway, like he did with Blackmore's proposal to join Deep Purple around the same time. It would have been an interesting union for sure, after all Rodgers' a world class vocalist, but it still wouldn't be The Doors just like Queen with Paul Rodgers weren't really Queen (still, if he could do a passable job replacing the irreplaceable Freddie Mercury, imagine what he'd do with The Doors' bluesier catalogue). Anyway, Manzarek despaired and went back to the U.S. to be near his pregnant wife. Krieger and Densmore teamed up with Jess Roden, whose voice is quite similar to Rodgers', and made a very good album with him as The Butts Band (Is it too much to ask for a proper CD reissue? Please?). Years later they toured under the name Doors of the 21st Century with The Cult's Ian Astbury as singer. Many snubbed them of course, but it's their loss: In addition to being the natural curators of the Doors legacy, Robbie and Ray are two great musicians with intuitive communication and this album is another testament to that. It's true that they never achieved greatness without Morrison, but it's my belief (though we'll never know for sure) that he would also never reach the same heights if it wasn't for them.

**** for Verdilac, the Piano Bird

*** for Get Up And Dance, Hardwood Floor, Good Rockin', The Mosquito, It Slipped My Mind

** for 4 Billion Souls, The Peking King And The New York Queen, Treetrunk

Poor Moon "Poor Moon" 2012***

Fleet Foxes are, together with Midlake and Mumford & Sons, part of an unexpected success story - of acoustic folk-rock bands conquering the wider pop audience. Surprisingly, despite good sales and reviews, they seem to be inactive at the moment, their last release being 2011's "Helplessness Blues". Drummer Josh Tillman left in 2012 for a solo career under the Father John Misty moniker - he'll be playing Brussels next month, but I'm not sure if I'll be attending. The same year, bassist/ vocalist Christian Wargo founded Poor Moon as a vehicle for all the songs he had written during his sojourn with the Foxes (where singer/ guitarist Robin Peckold seems to hold the songwriting monopoly). He's helped by fellow Fox member Casey Wescott and brothers Ian and Peter Murray - and treads similar ground with that of his other band: warm vocals, intricate harmonies, and thoughtful arrangements featuring acoustic instruments such marimba, harpsichord or zither. Opener "Clouds Below" is among the more understated songs in this collection, with a lonesome acoustic guitar and charmful whistling. The next two songs are more richly arranged with harmonies reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel. "Phantom Light" contains a nice harpsichord solo while "Same Way" features xylophone and some unexpectedly loud drumming near the end.  Lead single "Holiday" is a simple bittersweet melody, seemingly about escape from a mundane office job: "On a holiday/ You won't be taking any calls/ You won't be surrounded by/The same four walls" but the mood is melancholic rather than celebratory, as the next verse goes "This will be the last time anyone hears your footsteps in the hall". Watch the video clip for clues as to the song's real meaning. "Waiting For" and "Heaven's Door" remind me of 80's neo-psychedelia like Robyn Hitchcock, the latter with subtle modernizing electro touches. "Bucky Pony" is a sleepy, vaguely Chinese-sounding, ballad while "Pulling Me Down" is relatively upbeat a la Coral or Mumfords. "Come Home" is folky with beautiful vocal harmonies while "Birds" which closes the album is about the parting words of a dying man to his beloved. Far from being sad or depressing, it's sweet and nostalgic in the best pop tradition (i.e. that of The Beatles). Although probably not as good as their parent band, Poor Moon display many of the same characteristics, including their penchant for pretty melodies and intricate arrangements. Their album flows very nicely but lacks any instantly memorable songs.

*** for Clouds Below, Phantom Light, Same Way, Holiday, Waiting For, Heaven's Door, Pulling Me Down, Come Home, Birds 

** for Bucky Pony

The Waterboys "Cloud of Sound" 2002-2012(rec) 2012(comp)***

When asked about my favorite groups, I usually don't mention The Waterboys. Why, I don't know. They slip my mind, I guess: I do love their albums, I've played them to death for almost 30 years. I've seen them live three or four times, and each time they were fantastic. After yesterday's concert at the Ancienne Belgique, I decided to upgrade them to one of my favorites. They've got tremendous songs and two fine frontmen in singer Mike Scott and violinist Steve Wickham, who strode the stage in a hat and coat out of a Dickensian BBC drama. Their latest incarnation is a tight and funky blues rock combo, with half of them coming from the American South: the guitarist comes from Austin (TX), organist from Memphis (TN) and on bass you have Muscle Shoals (AL) veteran David Hood. Then you have an English drummer they call The Professor, Steve Wickham who comes from Dublin, Ireland and, of course, the founder of the group Mike Scott is a Scot from Edinburgh. After the concert, feeling exhilarated, I looked at the T-shirt counter for a souvenir and came away with this CD. It may be a bit plain to look at but that's not the point. It's one of those tour-only CD's and comprises studio outtakes and a few live recordings from the 2002-2012 period. It's limited edition of 5000 copies - all supposed to be autographed by Mike, but I guess he got tired after signing a few hundred, because the ones on the counter weren't. Recording details are available on the official website.

What's with that white CD? I've never seen it in the shops

"Winter Blows" is a great, lyrical, opener. It was written 30 years ago but left out of the "This Is The Sea" album because it supposedly was too similar to "The Pan Within". This version was recorded in 2002 and overdubbed later. "Girl In The Swing" is a live song that reminds me very much of latter-day Nick Cave. The reason, I'm sure, is that Wickham's violin here is very loud and distorted, recalling the sound of The Bad Seeds' violinist Warren Ellis. Scott uses his singer/narrator voice. "Siochain Iona" is fan-ta-stic. I liked it back when it was called "Peace of Iona". Now that it's sung in Gaellic and the violin comes more to the fore, I absolutely love it. "Killing My Heart" is a fiery live version of that Waterboys classic, featuring some ripping Hammond organ. "Barbara Allen" is an olde English folk ballad and "Vigilante" a bluesy piece with an outlaw theme, culminating in a dramatic violin solo. If Tarantino makes another Western, he could use it for the soundtrack. "The Serpent's Head" is a Celtic-style instrumental which leads to "The Seven Woods", the reading of a WB Yeats poem with a backdrop of atmospheric synths. If you've heard The Doors' "An American Prayer", it's kinda in the same vein. "Silent Fellowship" is a serene melodic piece, previously released in different form as part of the "Universal Hall" album. "Straight With the Medicine" is a fast acoustic demo with a strong Bob Dylan-circa-2000 vibe. "The Passing of the Shee" is a poem by John Millington Synge, inspired by Irish lore. The music sounds like a failed reprise of Tom Waits' more experimental moments. "Mr. Wickham Composes" is some live improvised fiddle tunes and "Seek The Light" is the full length version of a "Universal Hall" track. It's characterized by electronic beats, synths and effects, the kind of studio noodling that often ended up on single B-sides, back when they actually released singles. Same with "Vampire’s Head". "Savage Earth Heart" is an improvised, hard-rocking live version of this early Waterboys track which they routinely used as a set closer. All in all, this CD is as good as can expected from an odds-and-ends compilation not destined for wider release. Rather fine as a concert souvenir or for the Waterboys completists, not so great as an introduction to the band.

The Waterboys at the Ancienne Belgique, Brussels 06/10/2015

Before and after:
Because, as everyone knows, French Fries are actually a Belgian invention and the obligatory late-night snack after a Brussels concert. Best enjoyed with Jupiler beer and Sauce Andalouse.


**** for Winter Blows (2012 mix), Siochain Iona
*** for The Girl in the Swing, Killing My Heart (Live), Barbara Allen, Vigilante, The Seven Woods, Silent Fellowship (2012 mix), Straight With the Medicine, Savage Earth Heart (Live)
** for The Serpent’s Head, The Passing of the Shee, Mr. Wickham Composes, Seek the Light (Extended), Vampire’s Head

Wipers "The Power in One" 1999***

Greg Sage at Rodon Club in the spring of '89 was among the first dozen concerts I ever witnessed. I remember it as one of the greatest, too. Sometimes I wonder if those early concerts impressed me so much because I didn't have much by way of comparison - but no, up to that time I had already seen Bruce Springsteen, The Ramones, Nick Cave, Pink Floyd, Eric Burdon - that really was awesome competition. Before the concert I was a bit letdown because I would just get to see Sage and not The Wipers as a band. Little did I know that Greg Sage (plus any bassist and drummer) was the Wipers. I couldn't tell you which songs he played that night and I don't think he was a great showman, I just remember being mesmerized by the amazing sounds he produced by his guitar and thinking one don't need a great voice to be a great singer as long as he sings with genuine feeling. The Wipers were labelled "punk" because they were a loud, underground band appearing in 1977, punk's year zero. But really, they were either a decade too late or a decade too early - channeling the spirit of Jimi Hendrix and presaging the coming of Grunge (Cobain was a huge fan). Their trademark was the galloping riffs and torrential distorted guitar sound. "The Power in One" is their last release and, as far as I know, the last record featuring Greg Sage. A big loss for alternative rock, despite few have noticed his absence. He would have been younger than 50 when he stopped and should still be no more than 62-63 (so one can still hope for a comeback, however unlikely). As a final statement, this album is neither a swan song nor does it betray any withering of his art. If there's any criticism to be thrown its way, it'd be one of complacency.  It's vintage Wipers from start to finish, the only difference being that by this stage the band has shrinked to a duo - Greg Sage in vocals, bass and multitracked guitars and Steve Plouf at the drumkit. So I guess this album is aptly titled - no offence to mr. Plouf, but this really is a one-man-show. It opens with the metallic chug of "The Fall" and continues with the darker "Power in One" (imagine early Cure with Hendrix on guitar). "Shaken" and "Rest Of My Life" are vintage Wipers:as good as what they did in their heyday, but they sound too much alike - this is what I meant by complacency. "Rocket" and "Ship Of Dreams" are also cut from the same cloth. "Misleading" is a fiery garage-rocker and "I'll Be Around" a very short (2'18'') song with a memorable chorus - for a change. If only rock DJ's were listening... "Still Inside Of Me" is another strong performance featuring a crunching riff, snaky lead guitar and passionate vocals. For the rest of the album, the pace lets up a little and gives way to the slow heavy riffs of "Losers' Revenge" and hazy psychedelia of "Stay Around". The last songs could have come out of Sage's semi-acoustic solo album. The mid-tempo "Take It Now" also kinda reminds me of the atmospheric early Cure, while two slow "ballads" close the album: the distortion-inflected "What's Wrong?" and acoustic "Too Many Strangers". I'll present most of the Wipers' discography in this blog but you don't have to wait until then for a full picture - I'll give you a hint: the first four albums are masterpieces and the rest are all worth having, so if you happen upon one, don't hesitate and add it to your collection.

**** for Power In One, Shaken, Misleading, I'll Be Around, Still Inside Of Me, Rest Of My Life, Take It Now

*** for The Fall, Rocket, Ship Of Dreams, Too Many Strangers

** for Losers Revenge, Stay Around, What's Wrong?

Midlake "Antiphon" 2013****

When I went to see Midlake at the Tivoli Oudegracht in Utrecht last year (one of the last concerts at that historic club) I knew they had a new album out but hadn't heard it yet. Neither did I know that their leader and principal singer/songwriter Tim Smith had left the band. I was just a big fan of their masterpiece "The Courage Of Others" - and also quite liked their previous album "The Trials of Van Occupanther". By rights I should be disappointed they played few songs from these albums, but I quite liked their live folk-psych sound. Now, because this can be interpreted as thin or sparse, let me say that it wasn't: the band had a full sound, many instruments and voices playing in unison, sometimes veering into hypnotic psychedelic jams - but, you know, politely. And although the change in style was evident, I didn't quite know if this was just how they sound live or a new musical direction. After hearing the album, one can safely say that this is the new Midlake - or, more accurately, that the medieval English folk of "Courage" was the anomaly in their discography and this is a natural progression from "Van Occupanther". Opener "Antiphon" (Greek for opposite voice) is propelled by semi-funky bass and drums, overlaid by psychedelic organ and dreamy vocal harmonies. "Provider" likewise features a steady beat and trippy 60's guitar and organ, while new singer Pulido's vocals are similarly melodic to that of his predecessor but earthier. On "The Old And The Young" they sound like Coldplay singing over an early Pink Floyd backing track (In Utrecht Midlake disclosed their Floyd influences by covering "Fearless" from Meddle). Far from being as messy as it sounds, it is one of the album's highlights. "It’s Going Down" and "This Weight" are soft rock with beautiful melodic lines and "Vale" is a jazzy instrumental culminating in a short freakout. In a vinyl LP, it'd be a nice way to close Side 1, but at the middle of the CD it's only a distraction. "Aurora Gone" is melodic prog a la Moody Blues, with serene keyboards, flutes and vocals. "Ages" has a 60's West Coast vibe (think Jefferson Airplane at their more balladic) and "Corruption" is an atmospheric, but otherwise weak, track. The album closes with a slow, cinematic reprise of "Provider". I personally could have done without the last two, but that would leave us with just 8 songs and 30 minutes - not enough for the CD era. Although I would have loved a Courage Of Others Volume 2, it's obvious that "Antiphon" represents Midlake better. They've proved they're still a great band without Smith, I'd wager they can reach the heights of "Courage" on their own terms...

Midlake at the Tivoli, Utrecht 23/03/14

***** for Provider, The Old and the Young

**** for Antiphon, It's Going Down, Aurora Gone

*** for Ages, This Weight, Provider (Reprise)

** for Vale, Corruption  

Mercury Rev "Yerself Is Steam" 1991***

My first contact with Mercury Rev was the melodic "Deserter's Songs", a 1998 album with allusions to rock's rich past, be it Neil Young, The Beatles or Pink Floyd. At their best, Mercury Rev made Classic Rock - as in Rock that would become classic, not as in Rock emulating former greats. This 1991 debut is quite different, though with hindsight one can see the first stages of an evolutionary course that would take them to "Deserter's Songs". At this stage, MR are an alternative band, which translates as... deliberately difficult. The sublime melodies are buried underneath layers of feedback and noise, taking their cue from bands like Sonic Youth or My Bloody Valentine. On the other hand, their use of flute is quite novel for this short of music - I suspect if we removed the electric guitar we'd end up with a folk psych record of pastoral beauty. "Chasing a Bee" starts off with a bit of freak folk a la Devendra Banhart until the guitars kick in. The flute melody and backing vocals are also very charming, when audible. The overall sound reminds me of Flaming Lips of the same period - not coincidentally, since the two bands evolved simultaneously and in similar ways, and even shared bandmembers for a while. "Syringe Mouth" is a brutal guitar attack of the Sonic Youth school. "Coney Island Cyclone" is a strong composition with a melodic core - if you mentally replace the wall of feedback with an orchestra, it sounds like what they did a decade later. "Blue And Black" is an atmospheric track in slow tempo, featuring piano and sinister vocals. "Sweet Oddysee of a Cancer Cell t' th' Center of Yer Heart" is a psychedelic instrumental with the drums on the fore. It somehow reminded me of Pink Floyd circa "Live in Pompei" - not to mention that the title is worthy of Ummagumma. "Frittering" is a long song that starts off as a ballad with acoustic guitar but is swept away by waves of distortion. After a short intermission with the long name "Continuous Trucks and Thunder Under a Mother's Smile", the album closes with a 12-minute long experimental piece with a repetitive melody. It's called "Very Sleepy Rivers" - with some justification. In one phrase, "Yerself Is Steam" is the work of a talented band smugly sabotaging itself in order to sound elaborate and elitist. And yet the discerning listener will still find a lot to like.

**** for Chasing a Bee

*** for Syringe Mouth, Coney Island Cyclone, Sweet Oddysee of a Cancer Cell t' th' Center of Yer Heart, Frittering, Very Sleepy Rivers

** for Blue and Black, Continuous Trucks and Thunder Under a Mother's Smile