Reviewed by Nathan Ford
Now this is a fabulous piece of jangly retro psychedelia if I've ever heard one. I'm not the only one who thinks so either it seems, with this Baltimore based group catching the ear of the Marshmallow Overcoat's Timothy Gassen, whose expert hand ensures period-perfect production on this wee gem of a 7".
"Never Ever" is a lovely slice of jangling twelve string - unmistakably an homage to Roger McGuinn's influence, but the whirling Farfisa, and Flying Nun style vocals elevate it beyond the level of other sound-alikes. Its melancholy, memorable melody line doesn't do it any harm either.
The B-Side, "Beware The Noble Krell", is a different kettle of fish altogether. While still exhibiting enough of the same sonic characteristics to retain fans of the A-Side's attention, it's a noticeably more progressive offering, and a much darker one to boot. Fuelled by a giant mellotron / organ riff which is more King Crimson than the Byrds, "Beware The Noble Krell" creates a sense of Lovecraftian unease, which explodes into full-blown disorientation courtesy of shards of expertly manipulated backwards guitar.
An excellent balance is struck between these two sides, and one that makes it very difficult to guess which direction (or directions) a follow up full length could take. Quite the exciting launching pad.
7" and download available here:
How is it some of America's finest new psychedelic music finds its way to the Land of the Long White Cloud and its finest purveyor of mind-blowing music, Nathan Ford, before we even hear it here in the USA? Whatever the case, this is a fantastic find. I look forward to the day I'm in the Baltimore/DC area and can catch a double billing by The Noble Krell and The Beginner's Mynd.
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