EARLY MAMMAL - TAKE A LOVER (Riot Season LP, D/L, CDR)

Recorded live in the studio in a couple of days in a stream of single takes, Take A Lover, the third album from London Psych/Stoner Rock trio Early Mammal, shows the band growing into a new reinvigorated sound following a line-up change. Although the synths have been dropped, like on their previous albums, the influence of Captain Beefheart, White Hills, Hawkwind and Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats can still be heard, however the narcotic muscularity of the debut album, Horror at Pleasure, and the more experimental Psych Rock of My Fire has been refined with Take A Lover showing a much greater depth as Early Mammal continue to develop and expand their sound as an early 70s heavy Psych/Blues/Rock inspired band.

The first side of Take A Lover opens with the heavy riffing grind of ‘The Great German’ which is followed in the same vain by the fuzzed out, early Sabbath sounding ‘Inside’……….within the first two tracks Early Mammal have shown exactly where they are coming from with a brew of stoned sonic sludge where bluesy psychedelia crashes into woozy, tripped out heavy rock. There is also a great deal of subtlety on this record………. ‘Morning’ is an excellent desert Blues track that unhurriedly merges into the very psychedelic ‘Sigh On’, these two tunes are both on heavy rotation down in our psychedelic basement and they are hopefully an indication of the future direction the band are taking. Flip the platter and the fuzzed up, hazy ‘Glad Is Night’ kicks off side two, a Quaaludes and whisky fuelled crawl through a stoned soundscape of the Southern swamps………….by now the drugs have really kicked in and the rest of the side is taken up with a snippet of a bottleneck slide blues jam and a found dialogue sample before the album closes with The Good / GG Return & Out’.  ‘The Good / GG Return & Out’ is a throbbing beast of a Psych Rock track driven by a Møtrik pulse combined with a tangle of lead playing that pushes the tune to a glorious burn out before collapsing in on itself and reprising the riff from ‘The Great German’. Devotees of early 70s “head music” and the more current stoner bands are really going to dig this record with the stand out tracks being ‘Morning’ (check the video out here…… https://youtu.be/MtXqaY7W5Qo) and ‘Sigh On’ being worth the price of admission alone.

Out now, Take A Lover is another quality release from Riot Season Records and is available on gold vinyl or as a digital download (plus there are also a few promo CDRs still available to buy) from either the Riot Season webshop at http://riotseason.bigcartel.com/ or Bandcamp site https://riotseasonrecords.bandcamp.com/album/take-a-lover. Check it out you headz out there.

THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN

JUKE - CHIMERAS' TALE (CD, D/L)

Although early 70s British Progressive Rock was a child of Psychedelia, it has never been embraced the same way as the enlightened 60s bands that originally paved the way for triple vinyl concept albums, double necked guitars and modular synthesizer rigs as big as a shed. We admit that a great deal of 70s Prog was truly awful (ELP, Gentle Giant, Camel and the later OTT Yes albums come readily to mind) but a lot of really good bands were deemed guilty by association and as an “art-form” it has been unfairly much maligned since its pre-punk heyday. Prog Rock never really went away and like it’s cousin Heavy Rock (another child of Psychedelia) it has happily existed away from the spotlight but with an ever expanding, loyal fanbase………and now it’s got a bit sexy (not sexy enough to lock up your daughters, some things never change) with new bands like Syd Arthur, GOASTT and Temples proudly showing off their Prog influences. Juke are a new French Psychédélique/Progressif band that are also heavily inspired by 70s Prog/Psych and influenced by bands like Tame Impala, Radiohead (Prog Rock in Indie clothing) but mainly post Syd Barrett Pink Floyd. Singing in English, Juke put their own spin on Psychedelia and Progressive Rock giving more of a European perspective to what is essentially a UK/USA genre in origin. Following their debut EP Atom Experiment, which included the Floydian 28 minute epic ‘Black Magic’, Juke have recently released their first full length record………. Chimeras' Tale is a loosely conceptual album which continues the exploration of an infinite universe first travelled on the EP, subtly mixing panoramic soundscapes, tight and urgent hypnotic rhythms and soaring, melodic guitar playing that together invoke the best of classic early 70s Prog/Psych.

If you are going to be deeply influenced by anybody then Pink Floyd is not a bad choice………we can’t think of any band from the late 60s that sounded anything like the Floyd. From the English whimsy and proto Space Rock of the Syd Barrett era to the gorgeous soundscapes of Wish You Were Here they were peerless (although they seemed to lose the plot somewhat when Rodger Waters appeared to wrestle control away from the rest of the band). With the combined talents of Kévin Toussaint (vocals and guitar), Lancelot Carré (drums & percussion), Quentin Rousseau (keyboards & fx), and Théo Ladouce (bass), Juke have taken inspiration from the period post Barratt where Pink Floyd were jamming live to TV pictures of the first moon landing, providing film soundtracks for cult European directors Michelangelo Antonioni and Barbet Schroeder, making innovative post-Psychedelic albums up to the zenith of Dark Side Of The Moon/Wish You Are Here and although hardcore Floyd fans will easily spot the musical reference points scattered around Chimeras' Tale this is a band clearly showing their influences but putting their own brand on the songs by adding their own unique twist to the music they love. Opening with ‘Schizarium Odyssey (part I)’ Juke show that they are not shy about creating epic, lengthy tracks that ebb and flow through both beautifully constructed, melodic Rock songs and improvised cosmic jams. Stopping the clock at just over 20 minutes ‘Neptuna’ is a fantastic track that begins with lush keyboard swirls and fluid guitar playing over a rock solid rhythm section before breaking down into an extended section of ambient Space Rock which builds into a mind-melting guitar wig-out……it’s an excellent slice of Psychedelic Rock akin to great cosmic jam bands like Electric Moon and is certainly one for the stoners. There is a change of pace for ‘On the Edge’ and with some excellent piano and organ work mixed with female backing vocals and some searing guitar it really sounds as if Juke have gone over to the dark side (of the moon). ‘Mister Mend’ is another lengthy track built around a hypnotic bass line and some otherworldly sounding bamboo flute……….Building to a climax that is part shamanistic ritual this is the most Psychedelic track here and no doubt the most atmospheric as the sound swirls between the speakers (certainly one to listen to on quality headphones with a well packed “jazz woodbine”). Following the bubbling soundscape of ‘?’ is ‘Sunset Smile’ a mainly acoustic track of such simplicity that has the vibe of a blissed out summer afternoon and shows Jukes ability to not only melt faces with scorching Psych/Prog but to also write tunes of sublime beauty. Chimeras' Tale closes with ‘Schizarium Odyssey (part II)’ where you can spot many of the bands influences with keyboard and guitar parts reminiscent of ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ and a big finale from Dark Side Of The Moon linked together with a very 70s Jazz Fusion middle section……..it’s nothing stunningly original but it is beautifully executed. There is a lot to love on Chimeras' Tale not only for fans of Pink Floyd (although it helps if you are) and early 70s Prog Rock in general but also there is lots happening here that is very modern and aficionados of newer bands that have classic Psych roots will really dig this……….It’s a fantastic record and we think it is well worth checking out for both lovers of Classic Prog and current bands on today’s freakscene.

Chimeras' Tale is out now and is available to buy on CD or as a download (you get the extended version of ‘?’ with the download). Available from the Juke Bandcamp page here http://jukeband.bandcamp.com/album/chimeras-tale.

THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN 

THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN & BIGJAF.NET present FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE PSYCHEDELIC BASEMENT – 07/11/15

Thee Psychedelicatessen DJs team up again with BigJaf.Net’s resident Psych-Head Geoff Leppard for FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE PSYCHEDELIC BASEMENT, 3 hours of Psychedelic madness broadcast at 8pm GMT on www.mixlr.com/wwwbigjafnet this Saturday (7th November 2015).

We consider Psychedelia to be a broad church (with shards of coloured light illuminating the congregation, shining through a massive stained glass window depicting the young, beautiful Jim Morrison in a Christ like crucifix pose) and have put together a show that we feel reflects this. We have mixed together 3hrs of Swedish Shamanistic groove, German Space Rock, Californian cosmic jams, neo-Krautrock, early 70s Psychedelia, Acid Rock freak-outs, Psychedelic World Music, Prog/Psych from the festival freakscene, twisted Folk and other great Psych Rock out-thereness for your delight and delectation.

The full track-list is…………

       

Goat - Talk To God

E GONE - Reach The Summit, Egg

Electric Moon - Hypnotika

White Manna - Beta Travellers

Farflung - Endless Drifting Wreck

Zone Six - Love Monster

Birthcontrol - Gamma Ray

Julian Cope - Poet Is Priest

INTERLUDE/INTRO

Khun Narin - Show Wong Khun Narin #3

Al Lover - Brian Jonestown Masochist

Pink Floyd - Obscured by Clouds

Hidria Spacefolk - Jahwarp

Quantum Fantay - Agapanthusterra

OzricTentacles - Sploosh

Devendra Banhart - Long Haired Child

High Tide - Death Warmed Up

Korai öröm - 2

First Band From Outer Space - Mean Spacemachine

Hawkwind - Master of the Universe

Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound- The Slumbering ones

35007 - Crystaline

Füxa – Cheree

We hope you can join us and will dig the sounds we have put together for this broadcast. If you miss the show Grip Of Delusion Radio will be broadcasting the whole thing the next day………More details to follow regarding times and on other sites where you can find this show to listen to at a later date

TURN ON, TUNE IN……………………………………….TRIP OUT.

YOUR BAND HERE?????? – We have been introduced to many of the great bands included in this broadcast by the artists or labels sending us CDs of their albums. If we like tracks and can find a way of fitting it into a Psychedelic Basement broadcast there is a very good chance of music we have been sent being included in future broadcasts. Please contact us at theepsychedelicatessen@gmail.com for our postal address. 

UMMAGMA – FREQUENCY EP (Raphalite Records CD, D/L).

Frequency is the first release from Canadian/Ukrainian Shoegaze/Indie duo Ummagma for quite a while and we are thrilled and confused in equal measure. We are not sure if it is meant to showcase Raphalite Records (the new, innovative boutique label they are involved with that puts out excellent Shoegaze/gothic Electronica albums), an introduction to the band for new listeners who may have missed out on their early records or a pointer towards the “new direction” Ummagma are heading………maybe it’s a combination of all three. We first came across Ummagma when their first two albums were released simultaneously back in 2012……………..they were both full of an inventive and imaginative mix of late 80s/early 90s inspired Shoegaze/gentle Electronica but also with a nod towards current bands like Melody’s Echo Chamber and School Of Seven Bells, with the excellent tracks ‘Orion’ and ‘Lama’ really catching the ear. Their burgeoning reputation on the Shoegaze scene was cemented with a series of creative remix work with other artists in addition to recording their own material. The new EP appears to be the sound of a band in transition as it includes the aforementioned tracks ‘Orion’ and ‘Lama’ (plus a curate's egg of 3 x ‘Lama’ remixes) in addition to three new tracks which mark a change from the sound of the first two albums………nothing overly dramatic but a change nevertheless.

‘Orion’ and ‘Lama’ are peerless songs and a perfect introduction to Ummagma for anybody new to the band……….The dreamy ’Orion’ is a beautiful song underpinned by gentle electronica and jazzy bass lines that gives it quite a late 80s feel while ‘Lama’ is an excellent Shoegaze tune where blissed out guitars dip and soar, it’s part the ambient soundscapes of the Cocteau Twins, part the Indie smarts of The Sundays ………however it is in a way unfortunate that these tracks have been included as they tend to overshadow the new material. ‘Lama’ gets the remix treatment from the Cocteau’s Robin Guthrie who adds his patent ethereal swirl to the song and Wales based ambient Shoegazers Lights That Change take the track and pile on the gothic. At Strange Things we always try to be very positive about the music we write about but the remix of ‘Lama’ by ex-OMD drummer Malcolm Holmes is horrible…….he has taken Ummagma’s singer Shauna McLarnon’s stunning voice and auto-tuned it to death while ripping apart the soaring beauty of the original tune and turning it into a Euro-Disco monstrosity……..it’s a real buzzkill and sounds so out of place with the rest of the gorgeous soundscapes on the EP. Two of the new songs (‘Winter Tale’ and ‘Galicticon’) see a move away from Shoegaze to a more ambient electronica vibe while the final new track, ‘Ocean Girl’, is closer to Psych-Folk than anything else. If anything, the Frequency EP has the feel of a “stop-gap” release while Ummagma spend studio time working on new songs; however it is a good chance to introduce new listeners to this wonderful band.

Released on Raphalite Records early next month, the Frequency EP is available to pre-order from the Ummagma Bandcamp page at https://ummagma.bandcamp.com/album/frequency, where it will be for sale as either a digital download or as a very limited edition CD (50 copies).

THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN

X SUNS – III (CD, D/L). NEW CARDINALS – NEW CARDINALS EP (D/L). THE CHAOTIC MAPS – CONTACTEE (D/L). ZODIAC PANTHERS – ZODIAC PANTHERS (D/L).

We have been having a quick look around Bandcamp in order to unearth some more “name your price” goodies that we feel are worth your while checking out. We have found four albums/EPs which we would like to bring to your attention.

First up is Seattle’s X Suns (pronounced as “Ten Suns”) who have recently released their third EP of melodic Post-Rock instrumentals. It’s difficult to pin X Suns down to a specific genre as on this EP they shift from the very heavy rifftastic ‘You’ve Been Asleep’ which is more metal than anything else, through the more Mogwai/Explosions In The Sky influenced tracks ‘Monosaurus’ and ‘Skull Breach’ to the full on Space Rock meltdown of ‘Death Perception’. This is certainly well worth a listen if bands like Radar Men From The Moon are your thing.

This EP is available from the X Suns Bandcamp page https://xsuns.bandcamp.com/album/iii as either a “name your price” download or on CD.

Also coming outta Seattle are the very cool Psych-Poppers the New Cardinals who’s debut EP is out now. Bedroom psychonauts guitarist Peter Tilton and bass/keyboards player Sam Rice have beautifully crafted four inspired modern psychedelic pop songs that take bands like Tame Impala and Pond as their jump on point for their muse but add their own distinctive twist. Opening with the very poppy ‘Window Days’, the New Cardinals have tapped into a rich seam of psychedelia that lovers of classic early 70s Prog/Psych will dig but it won’t freak out the indie kids. ‘Let's Talk’ is a fantastic track full of swirling keyboards and choppy guitar and most definitely the stand out track here with its 70s proggy vibe. Closing with the lush ‘Tomorrow Waiting’ the New Cardinals EP is jam packed with ambitious ideas which are not quite matched by the quality of the recording technology that they currently have available………but they are certainly one to watch, check ‘em out people.

The New Cardinals EP is available as a “name your price” download at http://newcardinals.bandcamp.com/.

  

Hailing from Helsinki, The Chaotic Maps (AKA Finnish Psych-Head Mikko Antero Kapanen and friends) seek inner paths to outer space and if slightly deranged, acid drenched psychedelia is your bag then you really need to look no further than their three track download Contactee. The Chaotic Maps brand of twisted Psych is starting to be noticed……..they have already contributed a track to the excellent Active Listener Nuggets II Revisited compilation……however we are a bit late to the party here as this was released back in April, but better late than never.

The title track, ‘Contactee (A Hundred And Eight Dave Davies Charms)’ is a fantastic Pop Psych tune and a tribute to the great Dave Davies from the Kinks……. It’s a 3 minute blast of razor sharp, Garagey goodness that the man himself is impressed by. There is no doubt an early Zappa/Fugs influence on the strange but beautiful ‘Are You Fucking Serious?!’ and ‘Ego Death Row’ has a wonderful Brian Jonestown Massacre vibe about it. This is a brilliant little EP which deserves your attention……….check it out People.

Contactee is available to download as a “name your price” purchase from the Chaotic Maps Bandcamp page at http://thechaoticmaps.bandcamp.com/ and keep ‘em peeled for any further releases from this great new band.

And finally……..the Zodiac Panthers……..If you like your Rock n Roll dirty and ferocious then this Garage/Punk duo from North Carolina are the band you have been waiting for. Comprising of duo Johnny Yeagher and Angela Yeagher in a (now) classic stripped down guitar & drums combination, the Zodiac Panthers are a brutal, intense primal force akin to the Ramones (the ultimate Garage band) and the 60s Nuggets bands coming round your house and kicking the windows in. There are seven tracks on the Zodiac Panthers debut (including a cover of the Third Bardo’s ‘I'm Five Years Ahead Of My Time’), all clocking in around the 2 minute mark that are full of Garage Rock energy and snarling attitude………it’s great stuff.

Available now as a “name your price” download from the Zodiac Panthers Bandcamp page at https://zodiacpanthers.bandcamp.com/releases.

THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN   

ELECTRIC MOON – THEORY OF MIND (Sulatron Records 2xLP, CD). ZONE SIX – LOVE MONSTER (Sulatron Records CD/Deep Distance LP). SULA BASSANA – LIVE AT ROADBURN FESTIVAL 2014 (Sulatron Records LP, CD). SEVEN THAT SPELLS – SUPERAUTOBAHN (Sulatron Records LP). KRAUTZONE – SPIRITUAL RETREAT (Sulatron Records LP).

Down in the psychedelic basement we have been seriously digging the recent releases from the excellent Sulatron Records from Germany. Formed by psychedelic shaman Sula Bassana, the label has been putting out fantastic Psychedelic/Krautrock records on a regular basis for a decade………we have five releases here for you which we think you will really like if epic Space Rock and slow burning cosmic jams are your thing. All of these records are out now and available from the SulatronRecords online store.

Take a huge dose of Psychedelia, blend it with some acid colours and get as high as you can – this is the state of mind, Electric Moon create with their sound. Having previously released several live recordings on Sulutron, Electric Moon (Komet Lulu on bass, Sula Bassana on guitar/synth and Marcus Schnitzler on drums) are essentially a totally cosmic jam band that are more at home playing live than in the studio. Recorded at the Kosmodrom in Heidelberg, Theory Of Mind is made up of four very long searing Acid Rock space jams all clocking in around the 15 minute mark (taking up a whole side each on the vinyl release)………Playing live is the bands raison d'être and are at their best when feeding off the energy produced by a room full of people, creating a unique experience where there is a symbiotic experience shared between audience and band. This is the psychedelic experience bar none.

The chemistry between the band members is more than obvious as they embark for just over an hour long cosmic adventure, the music ebbs and flows through loosely structured jams with the band instinctively sparking off each other. Gradually building from a ripple of synth and guitar sounds as if receiving a transmission from a distant star, ‘Hypnotika’ eventually hits its groove with bass and drums providing solid ground for waves of guitar to incessantly crash against…….this is epic Space Rock with Electric Moon continually pushing ever further into the unknown guided by the almost telepathic link between the band members. The second track, ‘Theory of Mind’, is another cosmic slow burner, unhurriedly working towards a full on mind melting, wah-wah pedal abusing Acid Rock freakout…….this is psychedelic music for the body and the mind. The trancelike ‘The Picture’ is underpinned by Lulu’s snarling fuzz bass while Sula Bassana blasts out scuzzy, heavy psyche riffs over an epic stoner groove……….definitely one for the smokers as Electric Moon cook up a psychedelic stew that has all the ingredients from classic Sabbathesque early 70s “head” music with a fair bit of Psilocybin thrown in for good measure. Closing with the swirling ‘Aerosoul’ again Electric Moon trip out towards the stars, travelling ever closer towards the sun on a fuzzed out psychedelic space odyssey before burning up in a hail of glorious noise, sending out shards of brilliant colour in one final freakout. Theory Of Mind is a total trip and a must listen for all you space cadets out there. Available from the Sulatron on line store, Theory Of Minds is available as both double disc vinyl and CD.

Zone Six pre-date Electric Moon by quite a few years but have been slow to release a studio album for a very long time, mainly because of all of the members are involved with other bands plus they are self-confessed “lazy bastards”. After a break of 11 years, Zone Six return with Love Monster, a sprawling mix of Space Rock, Acid Rock and Neo-Krautrock instrumentals that has been well worth the wait. In the Sulatron universe there is a lot of switching between bands and for this album the line-up of Zone Six is made up of two thirds of Electric Moon (Komet Lulu on bass and Sula Bassana switching to drums) plus guitarist Rainer Neeff and Martin Schorn aka Modulfix plays Synths (coincidently all four musicians are also part of deep space jammers Krautzone…..but more about them later). There are many similarities between Electric Moon and Zone Six as they both play mind melting Acid Rock however the very groovy and psychedelic Zone Six are far wilder and far out than Electric Moon and Love Monster is a colossal freakout album.

Opening with the title track, Zone Six get their groove on right from the first moment…….guitars and synths spiral to infinity while the bass and drums lock tight………it’s the exactitude of Neu! mixed with the acid sprawl of Guru Guru. The rest of the album has a much looser feel, more in line with the early 70s German Acid Rock bands such as the aforementioned Guru Guru than the precision engineered groove of Can and Neu!, both ‘The Insight’ and ‘Acidic’ are smoking hot Space Rock numbers that slowly build out amongst the stars before bursting into flame during re-entry, blazing across the sky before crashing back to Earth. The final track ‘Cosmogyrai’ is a massive fuzzed out Space Rock jam that ends in a tangle of guitar and synth noise after spending the previous 10 minutes tearing off the top off your skull and flipping your brain upside down. Love Monster really does need to be played very loud and you really need to be very stoned……you know it makes sense.

Love Monster is available on CD and you can get hold of a copy from the Sulatron online shop. There was a limited vinyl release (500 copies) on the UK label Deep Distance Records which has now sold out, however if you check online sites like Discogs you may be able to find a reasonably priced copy.

Sulatron head honcho and multi-instrumentalist Sula Bassana (known to his mother as Dave Schmidt) very rarely plays live under his moniker…….he is no doubt far too busy running a very groovy record label, recording fantastic solo albums as well as being a member of Electric Moon, Zone Six and Krautzone……..however he played a one off show at the 2014 Roadburn Festival which was recorded and almost the complete performance is now is available on CD and Vinyl. For this gig an excellent band was put together featuring Electric Moon/Zone Six alumni…… in addition to Sula Bassana’s raging Acid Rock guitar and sweeping synthesizer/mellotron washes the band included guitarist Rainer Neeff from Zone Six with the whole thing being powered by the massive bass and drum section of Komet Lulu and Marcus Schnitzler from Electric Moon (we hope you are taking notes here as there will be a quiz later about the various line-ups of bands in the Sulatron family).

Live At Roadburn Festival 2014 is closer to Space Rock than a psychedelic experience with Sula Bassana and his band channelling the interstellar heavyweights Hawkwind and early Floyd, as well as the lysergic heaviosity of classic Stoner Rock. The fuzzed up ‘Rainstorm’ kicks off a wild ride of improvised Acid Rock freakouts, howling guitar-battles full of fuzz, tremolo and wah-wah that push the VU meters well into the red and passages of lush, swirling synthesizer and mellotron……….part a mind melting epic Space Rock adventure, part Prog/Psych inventiveness. The only track to feature on previous Sula Bassana albums is the title track from Dark Days, now stretched double the length of the studio version into a Prog/Psych monster of a track. Switching effortlessly between full on Psychedelic Rock jamming to lavish, symphonic mellotron parts ‘Dark Days’ is truly an epic track and a completely brilliant piece of modern psychedelia……….Sula Bassana really ought to play shows under his own moniker more often. This album is a must listen for anyone who digs the more modern bands that have taken classic Hawkwind as a key influence…….the ones that come to mind readily are White Manna, Gnod and Farflung. Available now, Sula Bassana Live At Roadburn Festival 2014 comes in limited edition (777 copies) marbled vinyl or as a CD.

Hailing from Croatia, Seven That Spells have existed in various forms since 2003 with guitarist Niko Potocnjak being the only constant member during that time. Seven That Spells thing is a barrage of noise that distils the very essence of the repetitive nature of Krautrock into a sonic assault………very loud, very heavy, extended instrumental face melters that beat the shit out of the perceived modern expression of Kraut and then come back for seconds. Originally recorded in 2007 but not released until 2012, Sulatron Records have re-released  Superautobahn as a vinyl only version limited to 500 copies and it’s a must listen for lovers of extreme Psych Rock.

There is nothing subtle about this record; it’s the aural equivalent of being attacked by a dangerous dog that has no intention whatsoever of slackening the grip of its steely jaws. Each “song” is built on one solitary riff which underpins a screaming, improvised guitar wig-out which is part trancelike revelation, part GBH. Sure it’s repetitive, but that’s the point……Seven That Spells aim to create a psychedelic state with cyclic drum patterns and heavy riffing mixed with totally outthere guitar freakouts. It’s definitely an album that will split opinion but its well worth giving it a listen……and remember…….PLAY LOUD!!!

The vinyl version is available from the Sulatron online shop, however you can purchase the digital download from the Seven That Spells Bandcamp page at https://seventhatspells.bandcamp.com/album/superautobahn.

And finally boys and girls………we have a Kosmische space ritual that is Krautzone’s Spiritual Retreat, two 20 minute tracks over two sides of vinyl of totally improvised, atmospheric Krautrock/Kosmische jams. Previously posted on the Krautzone Soundcloud site under the title Psychotic Krautzone and now available as a limited edition vinyl run of 777 copies. Again this is the Sulutron family coming together in yet another configuration (Sula Bassana (Electric Moon, Zone Six) on synths/organ, Komet Lulu (Electric Moon, Zone Six) providing trance inducing Shamanistic drumming,  Modulfix (Zone Six) on Synths, Rainer Neeff (Zone Six) plays guitar and Onkel Kaktus is the bass player). If you like the more experimental side of early Pink Floyd (tracks like ‘A Saucerful Of Secrets’ and ‘Careful With That Axe Eugene’) you will dig this record………….Good People, Krautzone invite you to Turn On, Tune In and Trip Out with them.....it would be rude to decline.

THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN 

DOT DASH – EARTHQUAKES AND TIDAL WAVES (The Beautiful Music CD, D/L).

A band like Dot Dash is always going to occupy the more distant edges of Thee Psychedelicatessen’s universe, being more of an Alt Rock/Post Punk band than an acid fuelled, far-out psychedelic monster……….however we like their mix of punky Power Pop and a cool Big Star vibe (plus any project that early R.E.M. producer Mitch Easter is involved in is cool in our book) and we think this is an album that deserves a mention in Strange Things. Hailing from the Washington DC area, all the members of Dot Dash have a long and impressive pedigree from their previous bands that spans from jangly Power Poppers Julie Ocean, through Shoegazers Swervedriver and Mod band Modest Proposal on to DC Hardcore legends Minor Threat and they mix these ingredients into a retro cocktail that recalls the yearning indie-pop of Sarah Records; the '80s neo-Byrds jangle of R.E.M., Orange Juice and output of Creation Records, and the tight, throbbing basslines and slashing guitars that evoke the Jam and the Clash.

Produced by the legendary Mitch Easter (and we don’t use that term lightly), Earthquakes & Tidal Waves is the bands fourth release on Canadian imprint The BeautifulMusic and compared to their earlier albums has a much more polished sound……….very 80s and very much in the vain of bands like Thin White Rope, The Replacements, The db’s and Eleventh Dream Day but with one foot still in the Punk Rock camp, staying true to their roots. There are some great tunes on this album……The album opener ‘The Winter of Discontent’ is a taught, melodic, sharp, jangly Power Pop tune and like the rest of the songs on this album it’s jam packed with hooks. The closing track ‘Sleep, Sleep’ is possibly the best of the songs here and sounds not unlike a long lost R.E.M. recording. It’s not the most psychedelic thing we have ever heard but it’s a cool album and you will dig it if you like the wave of 60s influenced/inspired American guitar bands that burnt brightly for a while in the mid 80s. You can stream the album from the Dot Dash Bandcamp page at https://dotdashdc.bandcamp.com/album/earthquakes-tidal-waves-2 and give it a listen.

Earthquakes & Tidal Waves is available on CD from The Beautiful Music online store and the digital download is available from the band’s Bandcamp page.

THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN