Sir Robin & the Longbowmen - S/T

Reviewed by Joseph Murphy

The self-titled debut from Dresden, Germany’s Sir Robin & the Longbowmen begins with a dense and atmospheric drone that sets the tone for the entire record. This is one of those records that oozes with experimentation and follows its own internal logic while looking outside of itself – and this case often far, far outside of itself.

As “Sissi’s Harp” continues, led by a sitar’s melody, its loose rhythm and organ-heavy sprawl builds into a trance-like tumult that saunters at a quick pace rather than runs. But it’s not until second track, “Sick Bang,” that the band really reveals itself – like pulling away a bejeweled curtain; they sound like a garage band whose practice room is in a drifting space capsule.

Sir Robin & Longbowmen seem to operate at high speed and operate in complete unity and sync. There’s a lot of action in each song, so whether you focus upon Konrad Reichel’s voice, Stefan Hühn’s mesmerizing sitar, or the dual rhythm force of David Humphrey and Robin Heller – along with some guests – who push everything forward there’s complexity and fervor that inevitably intuits you to whole work, a kind of clockwork that bends in on itself; one element might be followed a bit before another comes to the forefront, different every time and signaling a truly interesting recording.

“I Would Like” is a standout among the many fine tracks offered. At the forefront here is the staccato organ work and dynamic rhythm. Fluctuating between two tones for its intro’s base, the band provides layers upon layers in varied time signatures recalling the hey-day of that sound with a nod, while pressing forward with nuanced production and arrangement. Over the course of its five minutes, “I Would Like” takes you to some unexpected places. For this listener, this particular track acted as a key to understanding and better appreciating all that Sir Rob & the Longbowmen are up to on their debut.

While the band is certainly influenced by bands of decades past, their pastiche of those trends lends them a more worldly quality than many of their peers. Especially in moodier and slow burning acoustic ballad “Familiar Misery,” the natural, raw abilities shine through, revealing a capable and promising band that joins the ranks of the best psych revivalists.

Get this excellent album digitally or on 12” or cassette from the band’s Bandcamp page linked below.

Moonsicles - Bay of Seething

Reviewed by Nathan Ford

We were rather enamoured with this Austin based trio's debut, 2014's "Creeper" as you may recall, so the arrival of a followup is very welcome indeed. While "Creeper" was a lovely hand-hewn gem, self-released on CD-R, its successor "Bay of Seething" is a step up in terms of scale, with a vinyl release on Feeding Tube Records providing the perfect medium to absorb their splendid cinematic vibes (although this review is based on a digital promo, it certainly sounds made for vinyl).

As with "Creeper" this is an unhurried record which evokes vast empty vistas of varying types, with a distinctive sci-fi atmosphere. If Quentin Tarantino was to ever make a Western located on the Moon, this would be his ideal soundtrack right here - no need for any Morricone appropriation.

"Pacifica" is a huge, monolithic opener which seems to run at about 3 bpm. Aaron Russell's guitars build an intensely heavy riff one layer at a time without resorting to cliches or in any way suggesting a 'stoner' or 'metal' approach. There's a great sense of dynamics, Sheila Scoville's synths making their presence felt at exactly the right moments to heighten the sense of something alien. This slow rolling groove is eventually replaced with the echo-laden drones of "Glitter Matrix", an appropriately hallucinatory experience given its title, before the ominous "Hell Box" ramps up the tension. There's some masterful mood-setting going on in these pieces.

Side two opens with the album's shortest and most lovely track. "The Frozen Pond" positively crackles with a sense of wonder and mystery. The astronauts have just taken their first step onto an uncharted world - this is the soundtrack to that experience. Ray Bradbury couldn't paint a better picture with words. And that in a nutshell is what this quartet excels at - building a three dimensional world and stimulating all of the senses - an admirable talent when you consider that they only have direct access to one of the listener's senses. This is transportative music, requiring little from the listener except a willingness to yield control. Once Moonsicles are behind the wheel you'll be taken to the most amazing places.

Available here from Feeding Tube Records.

Check it out here:

The British Space Group - The Phantasmagoria (The Collected Phantasm EPs)

Reviewed by Grey Malkin (The Hare & The Moon)

Previously reviewed here at The Active Listener, The British Space Group's début album 'Eyes Turned Skyward' remains a particular favourite of this writer, its evocative and descriptive vintage electronica evoking a very human sense of melancholy, icy beauty and dystopian unease. Essentially the work of one man, musician and writer Ian Holloway (whose solo releases encompassing post-industrial found sounds, field recordings, drone work are equally as essential and recommended), here The British Space Group make a welcome return with 'The Phantasmagoria', a collected set of the Group's 'Phantasm' EPs. A comprehensive combination of those release's 42 electronic 'radiophonic miniatures', each individual segment lasts around one to two minutes thus creating a veritable and pleasing labyrinth of moods and soundscapes, each piece taking the listener on another deliciously disorientating twist or turn in direction. Yet these short symphonies also coalesce into a coherent and substantive whole; The British Space Group's signature sound is more than strong enough, plus their easy way with creating a melody that will not leave your head for days ensures that this is an album that can very comfortably be enjoyed in one sitting.

Not unlike some of the BBC Radiophonic releases which conjure imagery and tales in one's mind by way of brief, atmospheric snippets of sound, effect and harmony, 'The Phantasmagoria' is a musical haunted house filled with emotive and otherworldly analogue electronics. From the introductory bleeps, hum and deceptively simple melody of 'Open' to the shimmering electric ghosts of 'Lights From Below', the Radioactivity-era Kraftwerk 'tomorrow's world' of 'Lost' and the unnerving, hunted and dread-filled bass notes of the serpentine 'A Strange New Friend', this is an album of numerous treasures. Holloway can effectively build a scene, story or mood in the listener's mind with comparative ease, though this perhaps belies just how carefully wrought and constructed these pieces are. Layered and perfectly paced, just as one segment fills the speakers with the promise of a shiny, automated and silvery world the next piece builds a disturbing, John Carpenter-esque scene of being stalked or followed through some futuristic city of glass and concrete ('Who' and 'Close' are especially tense and effective in this respect). Fans of the Ghost Box label, Concretism, the Ballardian epics of John Foxx and the work of such BBC luminaries as Delia Derbyshire, Daphne Oram, Ken Freeman ('The Tripods') and John W Hyde (Chocky') will find much to adore here.

The vintage electronic sounds utilised by Holloway are crystal clear, expansive and at times majestically symphonic in parts. One can envision this recording soundtracking an (on the surface) gleaming, seemingly utopian 'High Rise' vision of the future, whilst the music's darker minor key undercurrent suggests something much more dystopian and bleaker. An example is 'There's A Clue Here Somewhere' which propels along on a motorik, strident beat while all the while a sinister sprinkling of discordant notes informs us there is something more disturbing and dangerous at play. 'Waiting In The Blue Room's wraith-like drone and sudden heartbeats keep the listener in rapt attention (this is not background music in any sense) while 'The Message' is not unlike a deranged, nursery rhyme styled radio signal sent from an apocalyptic future. Moving on, 'One Last Unexpected Guest's electric chatter is utterly bewitching, floating as it does above cascades of electronic strings. 'On Unsolid Ground', with its echoing, shuddering advances and uneasy synthesized waltz is music to listen to on headphones, with the lights off to ensure you pick up every careful detail, nuance and sense of dread. Finally, the penultimate 'A Bittersweet Parting', its tolling bell like notes and orchestrated masses of strings rolling in like dark waves, should be first on the list for the soundtrack to the proposed new Quatermass adaptation whilst closer 'Home Again, Home Again' is a warm, melancholic jewel that seems to reverberate long after the album has finished.

With 'The Phantasmagoria' The British Space Group have created something that feels inexplicably familiar yet also unique and compellingly unusual. The fact that these pieces come from different EPs is lost as the album continues, they expertly morph and merge into an effective and engaging whole that is wholly transportive; such is the quiet power of this music that these pieces take the listener somewhere else entirely, to another world or time zone. Perhaps this is all in the mind; they are, after all, phantasms...but I strongly recommend you come along for the journey. You will not regret it.

Will Z "Screen Lady" Video Premiere

Belgium's Will Z. (formerly of Cosmic Trip Machine) has had a prolific solo career of late, and his newest album "A New Mirrored You" is his best yet we reckon. A lovely, mellow psychedelic album with the perfect balance of the vintage and the now.

We're very pleased to premiere the album's second video, "Screen Lady", today.

The album is available digitally now through Will's own label Open Your Eyes Productions (check their bandcamp for a full download or stream here). Garden of Dreams have vinyl and CD available for pre-order now too - due in December, but you can (and should) book your copy here now.

The album is also available on Spotify, iTunes, and other platforms thanks to Freaksville Records.

Ocean Music II: Songs From The City

Reviewed by Nathan Ford

Who remembers me raving about the first Ocean Music LP last year?

That debut was a big, sprawling opus, painted from an expansive sonic palette that gave it a sense of cinematic grandeur. If you haven't checked it out, you should go here immediately and do so.

In the time since its release Ocean Music has evolved from Richard Aufrichtig's solo project to a full band. Given this information, you'd perhaps expect "Songs From The City" to have even more of an epic sweep than its predecessor, but that's certainly not the direction that Aufrichtig has steered this in. This is a much more stark, spare record, although the rich, spacious reverb that cloaked his vocals on the first album is still very much present here. What has changed is the accompaniment, which has been stripped back to a minimalist backbone of skeletal acoustic guitars which makes this a much more intimate, intense experience. Often these sorts of records will leave the listener out in the cold, but Aufrichtig never gives the impression that you're intruding, with even his most personal and heart-felt lyrics having a welcoming, inclusive warmth which communicates their cathartic qualities in a way that ensures it's as therapeutic for the listener as it undoubtedly was for Aufrichtig to record in the first place. This makes it a member of a very small club, spearheaded by Bon Iver's "For Emma, Forever Ago" and the Fleet Foxes self titled debut, and fans of those records will find much to admire here in terms of both directness and sonic architecture.

Aufrichtig's decision to cut "Songs from the City" down to four tracks may initially disappoint those who've been waiting patiently for this to be released, but the more I listen, the more convinced I am that the right decision has been made here; these are songs that shouldn't be hurried, and their quiet intensity would be hard to sustain for any greater length of time, not to mention exhausting for the listener.

If a short, sharp burst of heart-on-sleeve songwriting from a terrific wordsmith is what you're after then you've found your perfect match here. Ocean Music is a treasure, and this is the sort of album I started this website to champion. I'll let the music do the talking from here. Check out the full album stream below.

Vinyl and digital available here:

Black Mountain - IV

Reviewed by Elizabeth Klisiewicz

This Vancouver psych group have been kicking around for nearly two decades in some form. Starting off life as Jerk with a Bomb in the late 90s by founder Stephen McBean, the group transformed into Black Mountain by the mid 2000s. Combining elements of heavy psych, prog, acid rock, and even folk, the band’s wholly original sound evokes the masters without ripping them off. Some of the song titles evoke classic Pink Floyd (“Mother of the Sun”, “Florian Saucer Attack”) but offer up a modern take on Floyd’s sometimes organ heavy work. “Mother of the Sun” is an eight minute opus that opens this record, and it actually reminds me of Radiohead at the beginning! It’s all about the feeling it evokes, and I really dig the organ unfolding beneath Amber Webber’s lovely voice. She is joined by McBean a bit later, and the song progresses into heavier tones with guitar solos and classic prog rock motifs. Then it recedes in the middle with a gentler cadence before heavy rock crashes down on your head again. Finally, it ebbs out the way it came floating in, with light as air synths creating a pretty space rock symphony. “Florian Saucer Attack” is much shorter and spiked with punky energy, overseen by Amber’s wailing vocals. Cool stuff!

This band is not afraid to experiment, as evidenced by the electronic beats on “You Can Dream”, which hovers somewhere between vintage synth pop and psych. “Constellations” returns the listener to a heavier vibe, and Amber channels her inner Grace Slick on this 5 minute tune.

Delicate acoustic folk occasionally flits in on gossamer wings (“Crucify Me”). “Line Them All Up” is gorgeous folk with Moody Blues synth washes, and I could seriously groove on an entire record of music this great! “Cemetery Breeding” is 80s synth pop revisited, and it is a serious spiraling trip down memory lane. “Over and Over (The Chain)” is another lengthy piece, and vocals don’t drop in until halfway through. It runs a bit too long, but has some nice progressive rock percolating through it. “Crucify Me” is another firm favorite of mine, a dappled walk through the woods on a late summer day, golden rays of sun highlighting the experience. It’s a lovely acoustic piece with pretty harmonies and tripped out guitar. “Space to Bakersfield” is the 9 minute album closer, and it is rather like some of Floyd’s work on "Wish You Were Here". It makes heavy use of organ and Amber’s airy vocals float peacefully through its sonic tapestry.

A fitting end to a really good album, definitely one of the best psychedelic albums you will hear this year.

CD and vinyl available here (US), or here (UK, EU).

Dungen and Tame Impala- June 14-16 Show Diary

Text and photos by Chris Sherman (Sky Picnic)

Over the course of three nights, I was lucky enough to see arguably two of psychedelic rock’s biggest (and best) acts. For the Brooklyn shows at Prospect Park, just a few short blocks from my home, I still remember questioning the bill when it was first announced; how was it plausible that they were playing together, and would the universe somehow explode? Needless to say, those six months of waiting seemed to take forever. When Dungen added further headlining dates in the area, I knew I had to jump on them. As I had written previously about Dungen in my October 2015 show review, it had been five years at that point since I had seen them, and now, here I was looking at three shows over a 72 hour period and feeling absolutely spoiled, yet grateful, for the abundance of northeast U.S. shows. What follows is a synopsis of those shows.

Prospect Park, Brooklyn, June 14 and 15- On two perfect summer evenings, as the sun was making its decent down, peeking through the tops of the trees, and a cool breeze filled the air, Dungen took the stage at precisely 7:30. As openers for Tame Impala, they played the part of relative unknowns but definitely brought their best to win everyone over. The younger crowd was definitely appreciative but I fear only a select few were getting into it. Both sets began with the energetic and driving “Fredag”, before giving way to a string of material from 2015’s "Allas Sak". Of note on the second evening was a transcendent performance of “En dag på sjön” the jam-esque conclusion to “Åkt dit”, which has evolved considerably not only from the LP version, but from the last time I heard it live in October 2015. The rhythm section of Mattias and Johan bring the song to a crescendo (then to a pulse and back again) while Gustav and Reine weave melodic patterns over this, creating an epic monster.

The band joked that “the park smelled good tonight”, leading to “Franks Kaktus”, a crowd pleaser, with the flute creating an exotic other-worldly vibe. On night one, rare Ta det lugnt era b-side “Jämna plågor” made an appearance much to my delight (never thought I would hear that one live!). Even though they played a condensed set, a four song medley appeared, the bulk of which was material from the lesser appreciated "Tio Bitar" album. While last tour it seemed rushed and out of place, this time it was perfected and felt like a mini-prog rock epic in four movements. “Panda” was of course a highlight; on the first night, it concluded the set, while on the second, it gave way to an improvisational piece where Gustav pranced around the stage with tambourine while Reine absolutely slayed on a heavily distorted solo riff. Dungen played a tight 40 minute set both nights, thanking Tame Impala and their fans for listening before leaving the stage. (The feeling of course was mutual, as Kevin Parker mentioned on at least three occasions later how he was overjoyed to be playing with Dungen and that without them, Tame Impala might not be where they are today.)

Prior to this, I had last seen Tame Impala in 2012 right at the start of the "Lonerism" tour. The live sound had already begun to advance drastically since the halcyon days of their "Innerspeaker" dates; less organic, bigger, and with more sonic manipulation to align the songs more with their studio counterparts. While to some, live and studio are sometimes seen as separate domains, Tame Impala helps put that notion to rest. Their set was tight and shows a band continuing its musical development and ascension upward in the music scene. Having seen them in less than sold out 200 capacity venues in 2010 to adoring sold-out ones now, where Parker has the crowd singing along to every word was astonishing. It seems at this point psychedelic music isn’t just something you listen to in a dark room at night with headphones and intoxicant of choice while pondering the meaning of life. It isn’t some underground scene that you have to know someone who knows someone to turn you on to. It is something more mainstream, something culture can embrace and something that hypnotizes the senses while your body grooves along. (You can even argue this to be the case if you go all the way back to Pink Floyd’s “Money”, “Time” or “Dogs”, all of which are the “parents” to what is currently happening. The trends have a way of being cyclical).

As “Nangs” came over the speakers, a roar erupted from the sold-out crowd, the standing room area fully filled like sardines. The brief piece dovetailed into “Let It Happen” which immediately got the crowd moving, while the series of visuals behind the band had others entranced. Aided by samplers and loopers (and presumably the sound guy and various effects), they were able to replicate much of, if not all of, the sonics and layers involved with the "Currents" material, of which “The Moment” particularly stood out. Old favorites “Mind Mischief” and “Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind” were welcome songs early in the set, both featuring slight changes in arrangement. (Note: the same set was played both nights, hence this song synopsis applies to both). As the material is definitely synth based now, one could close their eyes and think it might be the mid-1980’s. This affords Kevin the opportunity to not have to (or need to) play guitar in every song and he can grab the mic and saunter around the stage while singing. I found this to be an interesting dichotomy, as one can tell he is not totally comfortable doing it (this is again, the guy who embraced being alone and isolating himself), but is the likely byproduct of him partly embracing the role of being the front man.

There was a slight mid-set lull during some of the newer ballads, (or was it simply that the crowd lost its collective energy at that point?) but songs like “Elephant” and “Alter Ego” brought everyone back to life. The main set closed with an extended “Apocalypse Dreams”, leading to the crowd begging for more. The band returned for sing-along “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” and dark horse candidate for highlight on Currents, “New Person, Same Old Mistakes.” The crowd was still not ready to leave, but alas, the show had ended. Eager to leave the sweaty, stale-aired floor area, ears ringing, I made my way to the exit realizing that, absent some of the weirdness, Tame Impala might be following in the footsteps of psych rock legends The Flaming Lips. Would this be looked back on as their Yoshimi stage, or have they not even begun to hit their stride?

June 16-I made my way to Boston the following morning for Dungen’s headlining show at the Sinclair in Cambridge. Holding around 500 people at capacity, this was in stark contrast to the outdoor shows. The intimate setting helped foster an atmosphere for creativity and a crowd full of engaged fans allowed the band to feed off that energy. Kicking off with “Fredag” as had been the case, the tone was set when the song veered into the jammier coda. “Åkt dit” is quickly becoming a fan favorite, with some attempting to song along, despite the vast differences in native tongue. This of course led to “En dag på sjön”, and while I thought I had already seen what could be considered an ultimate version, this was elevated to a level beyond that; the tacit communication between the band, knowing each other’s moves instinctively, and playing to the dynamics of the piece were absolutely stunning. If Tame Impala is a well-oiled psychedelic machine, then Dungen is an organism growing and evolving with each performance, exploring as it goes, veering into unknown territories.

So how does a band top that? How about with the following trio of songs: the ode to Gustav’s neighbor (“Franks kaktus”), personal favorite “Blandband” (this version replacing the flute with an organ solo, all the while Johan moves around the kit in a Keith Moon-esque fury) and “Det tar tid” (a song rife with Reine riffs that make me just want to pick up a guitar and play for days). The Mellotron heavy medley followed and in the looser setting tonight, sounded even better. “Panda” led into the same heavy improvisational piece as the previous night (based on Jesse Harper’s song “Jug A Jug”), with Gustav again dancing around the stage with tambourine, this time jamming so hard, he accidentally knocked down a mic stand.

Standing in the front row, I was privy to seeing the set list, and following along as we went, could not wait for new song "Häxan", which will be on their upcoming LP based on the film The Adventures of Prince Achmed. Trust me, this is awesome stuff that has the feel of an extended jam but is nuanced and speaks like an eerie musical discussion as it ebbs and flows. It was pretty intense stuff, and to lighten the mood a tad, the band, who was in a particularly talkative and cheery mood, sought out thirst quenching beers from the crowd while telling an amusing tale about meeting Wayne Coyne the previous night in Brooklyn. The main set closed at this point with the classic “Ta det lugnt” and a chorus of fans chanting along.

They returned a few minutes later for an encore and thanked the crowd again for an amazing evening before diving into the dark closing song from "Allas sak", “Sova”. As the song wore down, I braced myself for the energetic closer “Gor de nu” per the set list in front of me. Instead, we were treated to a 10 minute organ-driven psychedelic freakout, not too dissimilar to “Interstellar Overdrive” or other early Floyd. I can only hope this is part of the aforementioned upcoming LP as well so it can be heard again. As it died down, a dark moody piece to cap it all off actually did seem like the perfect way for a set full of experimentation to end. I left the venue and walked into the cool evening air wondering if I had just witnessed one of the best shows I had seen. While I am still unsure of that answer, I do know that the next tour cannot come soon enough and I can only hope to again experience some evenings as magical as these.

Dungen- June 14 Fredag - Marken låg stilla - Åkt dit - En dag på sjön - En gång om året - Franks kaktus - Jämna plågor - Det tar tid - Bandhagen [part of a medley] - C visar vägen [part of a medley] - Så blev det bestämt [part of a medley] - Svart är himlen [part of a medley] - Panda

Dungen- June 15 Fredag - Åkt dit - En dag på sjön - En gång om året - Franks kaktus - Det tar tid - Bandhagen [part of a medley] - C visar vägen [part of a medley] - Så blev det bestämt [part of a medley] - Svart är himlen [part of a medley] - Panda - Improvisation - Sova

Tame Impala- June 14 & 15 Nangs - Let It Happen - Mind Mischief - Why Won't You Make Up Your Mind? - Why Won't They Talk to Me? - The Moment - Elephant - The Less I Know the Better - Daffodils [Mark Ronson/ Kevin Parker song] - Eventually - Yes I'm Changing - Alter Ego - Oscilly - It Is Not Meant to Be - Apocalypse Dreams - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards - New Person, Same Old Mistakes

Dungen- June 16 Fredag - Marken låg stilla - Åkt dit - En dag på sjön - En gång om året - Franks kaktus - Blandband - Det tar tid - Bandhagen [part of a medley] - C visar vägen [part of a medley] - Så blev det bestämt [part of a medley] - Svart är himlen [part of a medley] - Panda - Instrumental jam on "Jug A Jug Song" by Jesse Harper - Häxan - Ta det lugnt - Sova - Improvisation

Alasdair Roberts and James Green – Plaint of Lapwing

Reviewed by Shaun C. Rogan

The East London micro-label Clay Pipe music has, for several years now, been quietly releasing exquisitely recorded music that straddles the folk/hauntology/neo-classical divides. These releases have benefitted hugely from the care given in their presentation by label owner and fabulously gifted illustrator Frances Castle who ensures every foray is sumptuously packaged making every release a multi-media event.

‘Plaint of Lapwing’ is the latest release from the label and a worthy addition to an impressively singular and delightfully off-kilter canon. Composed in a ping-pong match of file sharing and song building between Alasdair Roberts and co-conspirator James Green which has created a wonderfully fuzzy felt folk incident that recalls the best of the Incredible String Band and C.O.B. in its celtic-infused, heather tinged plainsong. For those of you who wonder what a ‘plaint’ is, one would think of it as a lament and given the declining numbers of the Lapwing bird in the British Isles it is an apt title for the music herein, which whilst bright and warm on the surface hides hidden depths of longing and reflection.

The ten tracks that make the whole ebb and flow gently and are hugely evocative. This is completely down to the rather wonderful marriage of the classical folk intonation in the voice of Alasdair Roberts and the warm and sympathetic yet inventive musical accompaniment, often on the rarely utilised harmoniflute by co-conspirator James Green. Jigs, reels and waltzes all sail past after one another to create a magical tapestry of sound that transports you deep into the wilds of Scotland and back to the dirty old ports where a hundred lonely dreams are dreamt each day and the chance of escape to who knows where is never far away. As I said it’s a very evocative piece of work and each listener will find a different place in their heart and consciousness for it. The main thing is you let it work its magic on you and give yourself over to it for a half hour.

Picking out highlights here is a fairly nutty concept given that I feel it works best when listened together as a whole, but as you asked… opener “Ananke” is a lovely breezy welcome counterpointed by the beautiful and reflective “If There Is Any Light”. “Boy of Blazing Brow” with its pulsing double bass taps out a warning in a classic cautionary tale and the title track itself is a beautiful, slow trawl across the moorland of your mind. By the concluding “Hallowe’en”, a stark and simple piano-led ballad we have been fully immersed in the world created by these two estimable and fine musicians to such effect that I am thinking about moving out to some fishing village on the west coast of Scotland and am searching my kitchen for the bottle of single malt I got last Christmas. I now know why I didn’t finish it – I needed it to compliment my time spent in the plaint of lapwing. I suggest you do the same.

The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter continues to sire her young this summer…seek this out and be prepared to bare your soul to a record that won’t be denied.

Available on limited vinyl direct from Clay Pipe Music or from a select number of very discerning independent retailers (such as Norman Records). This'll sell out before you know it.

The Move - The Move / Shazam Deluxe Editions

Reviewed by Nathan Ford

The Move occupy a funny place in rock history. With a string of inventive and relentlessly tuneful singles to their credit (not to mention consistently entertaining albums) they're the sort of band that should be mentioned in the same breath as the Kinks and the Who, but ask your average punter under forty to name one of their songs and you're unlikely to get anywhere (you, dear readers, being a more discerning bunch I'm sure). Add to that the Jeff Lynne connection, and you've got an instant recipe for footnote status.

These two new reissues from Esoteric Recordings provide further proof (if any were needed) of just how unjust this situation is. What we have here are packed, deluxe editions of the band's first (and many would say best) two albums. In this reviewer's eyes both are essential. There have been plenty (perhaps too many) reissues of this material already, often haphazardly and carelessly assembled. Likely this is another reason for the Move's legacy being somewhat lesser than it should be, but these two releases are lovingly curated gems that treat the source material and the fans with the respect that they deserve. Each is available in a single disc 'vanilla' edition, containing the original albums with contemporary a & b sides as bonus tracks, or densely packed, nugget-laden deluxe editions which are a true collector's dreams.

The self titled debut and its surrounding singles ("Night of Fear" and "Flowers in the Rain" etc.) are concise psychedelic pop gems that marry Beatlesque melodies and arrangements with often unhinged source material ala Syd Barrett. Just the ticket for those who find the Beatles too straight and wish that Syd was a little more tuneful, although you're speaking to the wrong person if you're looking for an impartial critic of either of those acts here. Recorded over the space of 14 months it's no wonder that it feels almost like a hits collection. Three cover versions (of tunes originally by Eddie Cochran, James F. Hanley and Moby Grape) illustrate the band's diverse influences, but it's Roy Wood's own compositions that really take this to the next level. Hugely catchy, with clever, often baroque arrangements (which demonstrate just how important Wood's contribution to ELO would be in the future), these are classic examples of the two and a half minute pop song, peppered with just the right amount of psychedelia and English whimsy. And that thunderous bass really sets them apart from the pack.

There's also a brace of pre-psychedelic tracks from 1966 when the band were a straight beat act, which are fascinating listens in their own right, while also demonstrating just how much the band's distinctive sound developed over the following year.

"Shazam" is a totally different beast, but still obviously the work of the same band. And it's every bit as good as its predecessor too.

Moving on from the short-form pop songs found on the Move (excepting the lovely "Beautiful Daughter"), this is the Move as a heavy proto-prog band, a shoe that fits surprisingly well. All of the things that made the first album so appealing are still evident here - the distinctive harmonies, the huge bass (now played by Trevor Burton) - but there's less reliance on the studio, and more of a focus on band interplay, which is uniformly impressive. There are some pretty heavy moments here (the surprisingly bluesy "Don't Make My Baby Blue"), but it never gets clumsy or heavy-handed, and there are reprieves peppered throughout in the form of exquisitely harmonised choruses, not to mention the classical middle section of "Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited". Wood only has one new original to offer, but the covers are so well assimilated you'd swear he'd written them too if the source material wasn't so familiar.

The bonus tracks on the single disc edition show that Wood still had some classic single-worthy material in him too, including their sole UK number one, the Beatlesque "Blackberry Way" and the appealingly jaunty "Curly". Also addended to the multi-disc version are a treasure trove of BBC recordings in very fine fidelity, which again demonstrate the Move's mastery of a multitude of styles, as well as their ability to tackle some pretty intimidating source material and not lose their own sense of identity. Great things abound here, but the highlights for this listener are surprising stabs at popular murder ballad "Long Black Veil" and the Nazz's "Open My Eyes", as well as a great take on Dusty Springfield's "Goin' Back", which flexes it's muscles and makes the Byrds version sound like a bit of a pipsqueak (albeit a lovely one).

It's refreshing to see two such accomplished albums expanded so comprehensively, yet still in a fashion that accentuates their excellence, rather than diluting it down with unnecessary mixes and material best left on the cutting room floor. If these aren't the best expanded editions released this year, I'll be very surprised. I can't wait to check out Esoteric's treatment of the rest of the band's catalogue now.

You can find the deluxe version of the debut here (UK/EU) or here (US) and Shazam here (UK/EU) or here (US).

Michael Begg/ Human Greed - Let The Cold Stove Sing

Reviewed by Grey Malkin (The Hare & The Moon)

East Lothian based composer Michael Begg has quietly but steadfastly released (in this listener's humble opinion) some of the finest and most affecting albums of the last decade, such as 2008's dark and yearning 'Black Hill: Midnight At The Blighted Star', 2011's melancholic masterpiece 'Fortress Longing' and 2014's career best 'World Fair'. Along the way many noted and esteemed collaborators have added their voice or presence to proceedings such as Julia Kent (Antony And The Johnsons), David Tibet (Current 93), Chris Connelly (Ministry) and Clodagh Simonds (Mellow Candle, Fovea Hex). Working in the realm of drones, electronica and modern experimental composition to create vast, atmospheric and hugely evocative pieces of sound and melody, Begg has little in the way of contemporaries although aficionados of the windswept work of Richard Skelton, 'On Land'-era Eno, the dark soundscapes of Andrew Lilies and the classic recordings of Reich, Glass and Popol Vuh will find much to fall in love with here. Referencing both, according to Begg, 'gallery, theatre and installation works, as well as my preoccupation with defining space, place and time with sound' this is an essential and crucial work that needs to be heard and experienced.

The album begins with 'Hopetoun Tower Before The Harvest', named after a forbidding and lonely construction that stands defiantly on a hill near Begg's Captain's Quarters recording studio. As befits its namesake, the track rumbles with exposure to some building and growing winds as snakelike electronics creep and wisp into view. A beautiful and tentative string section enters, trembling emotively as bowed strings and bowls resonate. It feels sacred, like a storm has suddenly and dramatically silenced leaving a hushed and perceptible sense of being in the universe. The title track follows, piano and droned strings echoing out into darkness, both tangibly lonely and filled with a gorgeous sadness. There is something deeply existential about this work, one feels small in the face of the space and sounds that evoke the surrounding skies and landscape. 'The Children Will Wet The Academy Floor' adds some truly lovely chamber strings that reverberate and haunt, a spectral symphony of lamentation and grief whilst 'Paris is Closing' is a field recording of chatter and metro sounds that are pleasingly though disturbingly disorientating. Next, 'Pendrachin Wood: Pollen And Frost' is a frozen and glacial layered piece of orchestral electronica, reminiscent of Bowie's Berlin experiments; this literally lifts the hairs of one's arms and neck as it swells and recedes with visions of snow covered pines in the darkening Scottish winter afternoons. Human Greed are no simple drone or electronic act; these are carefully wrought and constructed compositions that evoke and emote in an almost avant classical sense. They are almost unique in working in this field and are creating pieces of heartbreaking genius that this listener implores you to discover and fall in love with; it is criminal that Begg is not more revered outside of the underground as the pioneer and composer that he is.

'Francis Bacon; A Room' is as complex and unsettling as the British artist himself, a corrosive drone and buzz hovering over the mutter of voices whist a sister song 'Louise Bourgeois: A Cell' allows chimes and electronic hums to flutter and slither malevolently throughout. 'Leisure In F' glides majestically into being, epic and choral strings ebbing and flowing until ominous notes and birdsong float into focus; reminiscent of charcoal skies passing by overhead with the threat of snowfall as nature and animal life reacts accordingly this is an incredibly moving and transportive piece. 'Made And Unmade In Europe' rasps and buzzes as a bird's lonesome call cries out against the imperious landscape, an unforgiving wind suddenly giving way to a soprano song and weeping strings in a genuinely breathtaking moment. 'Cunny For Thine Mountain Penne' almost silently emerges on delicate notes and drone sounds, distant percussion and mournful brass reminding this listener of Gorecki's 'Sorrowful Songs'. Stately, graceful and melancholic this regal and funereal piece stays with the listener long after the album has finished playing. Next, 'Intermission For Blisters And Russian Weddings' is driven along on wary and eerie violin bursts, a solar echo resonating and unfurling slowly and perceptibly whilst gentle bass notes hold anchor. This is music to play when the sky is huge, dark and forbidding, to watch the stars blink on and off with cosmic indifference to us watching.

'Studies In Space And Density' is equally massive in scale and suggestion; a cold, sad throb through the universe that becomes increasingly distorted and growling before returning to an icy, repeating refrain of solar wind. A sudden warmth enters with 'Let The Cold Stove Sing Within Reason' as a bass throb and beautiful melody grows and layers over a distant electronic howl and circling strings. Hugely affecting, there is an integral human component at the heart of everything Human Greed or Begg does, this is music about the human condition, about what it is to be in this casually cruel and beautiful universe. 'Whiteadder Water After The Harvest' brings us full circle and close the album with the burble of streams and rivers, metallic and windswept notes sweeping overhead.

I cannot recommend this album highly enough. There is more detail, more arresting and heart-rending moments, more creativity on this album than there is in some other artist's entire oeuvres. One for those lonely, late night listens or for accompaniment of solitary walks and dérives, 'Let The Cold Stove Sing' is a heartbreakingly beautiful and important album, perhaps quite easily already my album of the year. The cold stove is singing, now one must listen.

Available now as a download at Human Greed's Bandcamp site and as a CD.