Mark McDowell / Octopus Syng: The Regal Crabomophone Annual for 2014

Fruits de Mer Records (Winkle 13)

 

Every year Fruits de Mer / Regal Crabomophone have some superb songs left that they have received from psychedelic musician but that have not fit on any of their releases that year so they release the stuff on “annuals”. This time the Regal Crabomophone (that mostly releases originals while FdM just covers) one includes two tracks by two different acts. Mark McDonnell is new to the Fruits de Mer family, and I have not heard about him before. “Girls of Belvoir” is a very nice, rather slow and melodic folky number that has acoustic guitar, violin and flute but also drums, bass and psychedelic fuzz guitar as well as wonderful vocals. A very nice, well produced slice of psychedelic folk/pop/rock. Octopus Syng from Finland was first featured on Fruits de Mer’s amazing compilation album Keep of the Grass with their great rendition of “Midsummer Night’s Scene” (Johns Children) but this time we’ve got a long, strange and hypnotic original called “Listen to the Moths”. It starts off in a rather minimal, weird and eerie way, but bursts into full-bloom after a few minutes and starts to rock in a very mesmerizing way. The track ends in hazy, echoed, psychedelic ambient soundscapes that leave you totally in awe. This track is not a very typical piece for the band but definitely one of the best Octopus Syng songs I have heard and I have heard a few in my lifetime… This song has a very unique vibe and it makes you feel like someone has just spiked your juice with acid or something. Excellent job! The coloured vinyl single comes with a poster and is limited as always so get it fast.

 

www.fruitsdemerrecords.com

 

Spids Nøgenhat: Kommer med Fred

Bad Afro Records (AFROCD/LP046)

 

Spids Nøgenhat is a psychedelic rock band from Copenhagen, Denmark. The name of the band is a Danish translation of the highly hallucinogenic magic mushroom known as Liberty Cap (Psilocybe semilanceata). I really couldn’t think of any other name better suitable for this band that includes members and ex-members of bands like On Trial, Baby Woodrose, Dragontears, Ghost Rocket, Aron etc. and plays mind-expanding music influenced by old Danish psych rock and acid folk bands like Furekåben, Alrune Rod, Røde Mor etc. The band was originally formed in 1998 and in 2001 they released one studio album called En Mærkelig Kop Te that I fell in love with immediately. It’s magical, psychoactive, mostly melancholic and mysterious vibe has won lots of fans over the years and the album has been reissued several times. Also a very limited and collectable 7” Alrune Rod/En Drøm was put out the same year. The band reformed in 2009 and played some live shows during the following years and a wonderful live album De Sidste Her På Jorden - Live Fra Roskilde Festivalen 2011 was released in 2012. But let’s now focus on the new album that is just amazing!

“Mere Lys” is one of the most up-beat numbers on the album, and in addition to the early 70’s Danish underground vibes also has some 13th Floor Elevators and The Byrds I think. What a marvelous opener, anyway! “Lolland Falster” is a bit slower, very beautiful and melancholic track that was also made into a very nice video. This song makes the cold shivers go through my spine; it’s just that affective emotionally. There’s also a few brilliant fuzz guitar solos in there. Wow! Too bad that I can’t really understand that much Danish… The third track “Lever Vi Nu?” is just as good, and also has some organ and garage vibe like many Baby Woodrise songs. Then it’s time for the album’s brlilliant cover track and we get to hear an over eight-minute version of “Den Gennemsigtige Mand” originally by Hyldemor in 1978. This is a very touching, atmospheric psych ballad that pours deep into your soul. “Spids Nøgenhat i Græsset” is another slow, pretty and melancholic track with excellent guitar work and wonderful vocals. The mood gest even ,more laid-back and relaxed on the following, peaceful and semi-acoustic track “Jorden Kalder” thaty is one of the most beautiful songs on the album. Then it’s time to rock out a bit more during the “Vand, Brød og Te” that reminds me of their song “Det Psykedeliske Tapet” on the debut album. Some excellent melodies in this one. The album finishes off with a track called “Fred” that means peace. This is perhaps the most psychedelic song on the album and also has some experimental touches. Perfect for those strange tea sessions… Very deep, tribal and hypnotic stuff! Apart from the last track this album might appeal to the bigger audience as well due to the superb melodies and atmosphere but at least the psych freaks will love it. One of the best albums this year without a doubt!

www.facebook.com/spidsnogenhat

 

Dj Astro's Hotlist

Nik Turner: Space Gypsy
Monster Magnet: Last Patrol
White Manna: Dune Worship
Beautify Junkyards: S/T
Psicomagia: S/T
Hookwarms: Pearl Mystic
Earthless: From the Ages
Seremonia: Ihminen
The Oscillation: From Tomorrow
Vibravoid: Distortions Deluxe Re-mastered 2CD Set

Vespero: Careful with the Axe, Eugene

Fruits de Mer Records (Crustacean 42)

 

I’ve been a fan of this Russian band since I first heard their first studio album Rito in 2007. Their studio and live albums include everything from progressive rock to psychedelic rock, atmospheric post rock, hypnotic kraut rock and space rock and I love it all. On their first 7” single (if you don’t count the Fruits de Mer Annual 2013 split with Temple Music) the band performs two cover versions by one of their biggest influences: Pink Floyd! Okay, Floyd has of course been covered time and time again for decades, but I really dig these versions of two excellent instrumental by one of my favourite groups. Vespero covers both tracks just perfectly honoring the vibe of the originals but still making them definitely their own. First, we’ve got “Careful with the Axe, Eugene” that was originally released as a B side to “Point Me at the Sky” single. This is a legendary track that many people also remember from the live disc of Ummagumma and the Live at Pompeji video. This almost eight-minute version is very hypnotic and mesmerizing and has great organ work and a nice guitar solo when it grows towards the end. On the flip side there is a rendition of a Meddle track “One of These Days”. Especially this one has been somewhat transformed and it sounds a little more modern than the original but also even more psychedelic! Excellent job. This is a very good 7” and a must have for all Vespero fans as well as Pink Floyd fanatics and Fruits de Mer collectors.

vespero.bandcamp.com

Various Artists: Shrunken Head Music

Fruits de Mer Records (Crustasean 43)

 

In 2012, Keith from Fruits de Mer put together a wonderful 2LP compilation called Head Music. It was focused on covers of the classic kraut rock / kosmiche music era (NEU!, Amon Düül II, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Can…) and has since became a total collector’s item. Since not all the tracks made it on time or fit on the 2LP format, we now have the Shrunken Head double 7” in a gatefold sleeve. So this can be seen as a younger brother/sister to Head Music, and a very interesting one as such. The double EP starts off with Frobisher Neck’s lovely version of “To Another Universe” played only with Mellotrons. Okay, Brainticket isn’t actually kraut rock since Joel Vandroogenbroeck is in fact Belgian, but the band was still very much influenced by their German contemporaries and often labeled as a kraut rock act. What a lovely, floating version! Black Tempest does a very hypnotic, condensed version of Tangerine Dream’s “Rubycon Part 1” and I’m in kosmische heaven! Vespero has been one of my favourite Russian bands for years now, so it’s no wonder they do amazing work on Faust’s “J’ai Mal aux Dents”. This is true kraut rock at its best! Finally, US multi-instrumentalist and all-around progressive space head Jay Tausig covers the Gong/Steve Hillage classic “The Glorious Om Riff” and I got to say this is the best track on the EP. I’ve always loved this song and enjoyed all different versions (Acid Mothers Temple cover it very well too!). This is psychedelic, hypnotic to the max and highly spaced-out, although not exactly kraut rock, if you ask me. Jay has been very active during the recent years for example with his massive Zodiac project and also playing live with the new version of legendary acid punk band Chrome with Helios Creed. I just love his version: it has everything I ever dreamed of! This 2 x7” will be a die-hard rarity very soon so get it as soon as possible.

www.fruitsdemerrecords.com

 

 

Vibravoid: Colour Your Mind

Fruits de Mer Records (Crustasean 41)

 

This is the third 7” release on Fruits de Mer by Düsseldorf’s own psychedelic acid heads Vibravoid. Kaut Rock Sensation and What Coulour Is Pink? were both very mind-blowing and successful and sold-out in a nanosecond, so no wonder the relationship continues… This time the band has chosen three great cover versions by three different psych rock bands. If you have the band’s latest studio album Delirio Dei Sensi on CD, you have already heard all these amazing songs played by Vibravoid, but these versions are at least remastered and the vinyl album only featured the first track. “Colour Your Mind” was written by Australian band Tyrnaround who were formed in 1985. Their music was a wonderful mix of late sixties psychedelia and garage rock (Pink Floyd, The Seeds, The Beatles etc.) and this song definitely was one of the best. Vibravoid does an absolutely brilliant version with great harmony vocals, fuzz guitars, groovy beat and marvelous organ work. What a brilliant way to spend 6 minutes and 11 seconds! Oh yes, there is an extended psych out ending added… Then we get some French stuff: “La Poupee Qui Fait Non” originally released by Michael Polnareff in 1966. Nice, melodic song with lots of pop sensibility and added psychedelia. Then it’s time to cover some obscure US psych and Human Expression’s “Optical Sound” sounds just like a lost Vibravoid song. The lyrics are about a bad LSD trip, so it makes some sense I guess… Very good stuff! The colour vinyl comes in a trippy opne gatefold cover designed by Vibravoid’s head freak Christian Koch so you know you will get the full experience with this one. Get it while you can!

www.stonedkarma.com/vibravoid

 

Deviant Amps: Magic Carpet Ride

Damp Recordings (DAMP 16)

 

Deviant Amps is a psychedelic indie rock trio from Essex, UK. They have been playing live with some great bands like Here & Now, The Damned, Vibravoid, Hawklords, The Sweet, Gunslinger etc. since their first started in 2006. Magic Carpet Ride is their second album and they also have one EP and download only cover of “Walking in the Air”. All the tree members are veterans in the UK indie rock scene and guitarist/singer Paul Woodright is one of the organizers of Kozfest. The band’s music has lots of different elements: certain 60’s power pop/The Who influences, some early 70’s Hawkwind but mainly the 80s/90s shoegazer stuff. Sometimes they get spaced out, but the music is really not THAT psychedelic most of the time.

There are 12 relatively short tracks on the CD-R. “A Star and the Moon” starts off things in a rather fast and energetic mode. Nice melodies as well. “Magic Carpet Ride” sounds quite a lot like The Who or Teenage Fanclub, but there are also some spacey synth sounds in there to make it a little more interesting and psychedelic. “If You’ve Got Yours, I’ve Got Mine” reminds me of early Sun Dial with its groovy beat and that’s definitely not a bad thing. The same goes for the next song “Shine On”. “And Then I Glissed her….. Don’t Look into the Sun” is one of the most psychedelic, space rock like tracks and also my favourite. This rocks and blows your mind! The main riff is quite close to “Master of the Universe”. They cool down a bit for “Trick of the Light” that also has some keyboards. It does grow towards the end, though. Very nice. “Rope for the Hangman” is a sort of a ballad in Neil Young vein, and the beautiful “Give It All Away” and “Scars” again bring to mind some 90s UK shoegaze bands. “Keep on Pushing” is like Teenage Funclub mixed in with some paisley/garage vibe. “On Our Way” is a powerful, very nice song with lots of guitar that has a great mood and brings to mind early Telescopes or Sun Dial. The album ends with the two minute “Magic Carpet Ride (Reprise)” that has some excellent psych guitar work, wild rhythm section and spaced out synths. A very nice, jam-oriented ending! I’d love to see these guy go crazy live, but the studio stuff works too.

www.deviantamps.com