The Luck of Eden Hall: Victoria Moon / The Happine$​$ Vending Machine

Self-released

Okay, this excellent US psychedelic rock/pop band released their latest album as a limited CD edition a year ago already, but since Victoria Moon is just now also out on 2LP on Headspin Records in Europe this review is pretty current anyway. I don't have the actual CD (but have ordered the limited 2LP of course!) but the digital download sounds just as good I'm sure. The band already delivered me some different mixes you could possibly have by pre-ordering the CD and there are some true gems in those as well... But let's concentrate on the actual album.

The Luck of Eden Hall always have lots of great, catchy, Beatlesque melodies and on this album they seem to have exceeded themselves. In addition to the golden era of psych rock & pop they also take some influences from the 80s Paisley Underground scene and there's even some modern (or 90s anyway) indie rock in there I think and other stuff as well. The album starts off with the inventive "Sassasfras Overcoat", and the next, groovy track "Queen of the Stars" also has some sequencers to make it more powerful when needed. Great track with pretty cosmic lyrics! "Victoria Moon", the title track begins in a very psychedelic, experimental way and is a soft, lovely but strange piece. "The Collapse of Suzy Star" is a melancholic, semi-acoustic sort-of-ballad that somehow reminds me of Beck. "Zap" is a short and energetic psych rocker, and "Sitting Bull" rocks fast too and has a lush, slower chorus with Mellotron sounds. "Drunk Like Shakespeare on Love" brings to mind The Green Pajamas in the 90s and "Dandy Horse" has rather heavy guitar sounds and a superb ending with "Hey Joe" chords. One of my favourites (although there really are no weak songs here!) is "Super Phantasmal Heroine" that really makes the cold shivers go though my spine, it's just so marvelous! "Cracked Alice" has a peaceful beginning, but starts to rock out after one minute. The drums remind me of "Tomorrow Never Knows" by The Beatles and I'm sure it's not a coinsidence... A nice little track! On "Blood On My Feet" the band gets in their melancholic mood again and I like it, especially with the Mellotrons. After the short but sweet "She's Your Anodyne" it's time for the album-closer "The Horrible Pill Book" that starts of with some amusement park sounds and then we're in for some very nice psych rocking. What can I say, I just love everything about this band: the vocals, melodies, rhythm section, keyboards and synths and the superb guitar tones, solos and effects, just amazing!

If you want the CD you'd better hurry up since there are only around 20 copies left from the band's Bandcamp site and I'm sure the limited vinyl editions will also sell pretty fast. This album is warmly recommended for everyone into melodic, inventive psych rock and pop!

If that wasn't enough, the band also have a brand new digital single you can also get through their Bandcamp site. The title track "The Happine$​$ Vending Machine" is a strong song about money that has some The Beatles vibes but there's more. The second new song "Anthropoda Lepodoptra" is a dreamy, beautiful ballad with a twist and I love it too. I hope these will see the light of day on a 7" as well!

theluckofedenhall.com