Night Flights Vol 1 (Agitated Records 034)

This is basically a solo record by Rich Millman from Carlton Melton. Andy Duvall provides guitar on one of the five tracks (Alpha Jerk) but the rest is Rich…. I first listened to this record with my friend Magnus at the end of a long night of hearing music. It was around 3am when we put the needle down on the record and the journey began. Night Flight starts things off and this is a slow flowing synth drone that really floats and evolves slowly and really makes yu feel like you floating in space.. If you did not completely drift off into space, the next track Orgins might take you there. There is a really long delay on the short organ like sequences that make this one really spacey. Side B starts off with a repeated synthesized beat as the synths fade up and sort of buzz and then another spacey sound, perhaps from guitar starts to pass through the soundscape. This track has a bit of edge to it.. Like the space ship is going to crash? Later on Rich or Andy plays a nice guitar solo to compliment the in your face synth drone. Cool stuff. Lure also makes us of long delays making the simple changes sort of get amplified to make it really spaced out. Corspe Strut closes this album of Night Flights again with some primitive percussion and a sort of unsettling feeling compared to the opening tranquillity of the record. I guess there will be a vol 2?? Thanks Rich.. I would describe this album as music to float into space with. Enjoy…

http://www.agitatedrecords.com

Black Rainbows- Hawkdope (Heavy Psych Sound HPS022)

The Italian three piece, Black Rainbows, are back with another blast of Fu Manchu inspired spaced out stoner rock. I was a huge fan of the last record they made. It really blew me away so I was really excited to hear this one. The promo material says monster Magnet meets Hawkwind and as those are two of my favourite bands, this set the bar pretty high. The Prophet starts things off with a straight up fuzzed out stoner riff and a vocal a lot like FuManchu and some spaced out sounds in the mid- section of the guitar solo make it more spaced out. I really love how Gabrielle is not afraid to take long guitar solos and not just make them 20 seconds and back to the chorus and riff like most bands in this genre. Wolf Eyes is another shorter rocker in the same vein but a slower more spacey end with a spoken word sample going under the solo that fades the track out. Next up is the great Hawkdope track which is really spaced out and has a great repetitive riff and probably the most Hawkwind like except the vocal. No Fuel No Fun is a mid-paced tracked with some nice psychedelic effects on the vocal. Hypnotize my soul with rock and Roll is straight up grooving rocker with some massive fuzz and soul…. Jesus Judge is straight up stoned spaced out riff rock! Killer Killer Fuzz is even more fuzzed out in sound. The Cosmic Picker ends the record and along with the title track is my other favourite from the record. While I was totally blown away with Black Moon and it is still my favourite record by this band, this is another great one… Cool band..

http://heavypsychsounds.com

NATE HALL- FEAR OF FALLING TAPE (Breathe Plastic Records)

Nate Hall is the guitar player from the band, US Christmas but he is probably more well known for his solo work with Scott Kelly and others. I really dug his solo LP from a few years ago and in the last year or so he has released two cassette tapes. One of them was really far out called Electric Vacuum Roar. Fear of Falling has also been released on CD on the Heart and Crossbone Label. Anyway, this tape features 5 songs and is very much in the vein of the music he makes with US Christmas. Unlike his other tape, this is recorded with a full four piece band (guitar, bass, drums and percussion). Heat and Sway displays that melodic spacey semi-tortured guitar that is so present in US Christmas in this first track. Really Cool psychedelic stuff with two different lead guitars in the left and right channels at some point. There is some singing but that is not the focus on this track.  77 is another emotional track with a slow stoned groove and vocal with the occasional guitar solo punched in the gaps. The Traveling Sun is stripped down to just Nate’s voice and guitar and is quite an emotional story.,  Flip the tape over for the track, Fall. This one the guitar riff reminds me of a really stoned CCR song. There is a very intense guitar solo on this track.  Fear of Falling is the last track continues the slow stoney, emotional psych rock with a focus on the heavy distorted guitar and powerful vocals.  If you like Nate’s other work and US Christmas, you will dig these new tracks for sure. Powerful…..

http://natehall.bandcamp.com

Carlton Melton/Kandodo3 Split LP (Creepy Crawl 001)

This is the first new material from Carlton Melton in quite some time and the first release on this new label, Creepy Crawl. Kandodo 3 is a sort of Heads off shot band, which I have never heard before. The CM side has three tracks and the Kandodo side one long space out. CM starts off with a track called Footprints (which you will also be able to hear on the CM meets Dr Space release due out in May on Space Rock Productions, along with the following track, Flags). A steady spacey track with Andy on drums and John mcBain on guitar and E-bow. It is all about the layers as the riff is pretty simple and repetitive. One thing you will notice is a much cleaner, less low fi production that you hear on most CM releases. Flags is next features Brian on drums and Rich and Andy on guitars. The title for this one is perfect, the mood of the guitar and vibe is great as it is some sort of anthem but a slow stoned one. Chinoteague finishes the side and features just Rich and Andy. A melodic uptempo rocker. Nice guitar playing. Flip the record over and enter into an entirely different world with Kandodo3 and a track called High on Planes, Drifter. Wayne- drums, keys, Simon- guitar, and Hugo-bass. This track starts off as a spacey guitar drone with minimal drums and bass until around the 9min point. Amazing spacey guitar and the build up really has tension that lasts for a long time as you wait for the explosion… Will it explode, maybe? You have to find out for yourself.. Cool record.

http://www.carltonmeltonmusic.com  https://www.facebook.com/creepyxcrawl 

Enos/Mangoo split 7” (h42 records, H42-012)

This will be released on March 26^th but go on sale on March 1^st. Only 300 copies on clear (50), black (50), clear blue (100) and clear orange (100). It is a new split 7” with Enos from xx and Mangoo from Finland. Son of a Gun by Enos starts things off in a quite heavy way with a real rocking groove with a heavy guitar riff from this band with two drummer, two guitars, bass and vocals (six guys total). Awesome song.

Mangoo, has previously released a record on Small Stone, so you know what genre you are getting… The Grey Belly is a more mainstream stoner rock with the way the vocals are sung but the music is pretty adventurous with a lot of cool elements like congas, some spaced out keyboards, unexpected jams in strange directions… then back to the normal… A very nice 7” with two long songs..

http://www.h42records.com http://enosthechimp,com http://www.mangooloid.com

The Pretty Things- BOUQUETS FROM A CLOUDY SKY (Madfish 2015)

This is a very cool single CD sampler to promote the 13 CD, 2 DVD, 10”, book, box set of the complete Pretty Things due out at the end of Feb. It is only made in 2000 copies and cost £125 plus £20 for shipping in the UK from Burning Shed. I can write more once I get mine. Anyway, tons of rare material on this box and some very cool tracks on the promo cd to wet your appetite. This compilation features many bonus and rare tracks including the first band single from 1964, Don’t bring me Down. A few from their most famous record, SF Sorrow are also featured. The version of Helter Skelter by the Beatles is really unique and I really liked it a lot.

          The material for the Midnight to Six DVD is really well put together. The 2hr documentary has a lot of great black and white photage and they often show the entire track, not cut it up, which is great. The SF Sorrow live from Abbey Road, where it was actually recorded, is pretty recent and the first time they ever played all the songs in order from the record and including the narration by Arthur Brown and a guest spot by David Gilmour! Wow..The promotional video (13mins) from 1966 is really far out (see below)..

          The book is filled with loads of cool pictures, concert ads, newspaper articles about riots, arrests, etc.. and a lot to read as well. It is about 100 pages long. Great work from the people at Madfish.. Can’t wait to get mine around the first of March…

http://www.burningshed.co.uk http://www.madfish.com

http://www.theprettythings.net

Shiva’s Nat- Gimme Your 7” (H42 Records H42-009)

Shiva’s Nat, the local Copenhagen rock band is back with a new 7”, on the heels of their highly successful debut on Bilocation Records, home to many cool Danish acts. There is very little information on the 7” sleeve but if you go to the web site you can find that Maria, the drummer from Cherry Overdrive (they broke up in 2013) is playing the drums on these tracks. Side A starts off with Gimme Your and is break from the blues rock of the first record and a pretty hard hitting 60s (due to the organ sounds and more low fi production) garage rocker. Powerful, raw vocal also. Flip the record over for Lovebug, a melodic sex driven simple 60s inspired track as well with a very cliché organ line, used in 100s of songs but it rocks! It is a different direction from the band’s debut album but solid tracks.  Rock and Roll…

http://www.h42records.com    http://shivasnat.bandcamp.com

Slow Order- Hidden Voices (ITALY 2015)

Slow Order is an instrumental four piece from Bologna, Italy.  The CD features 7 instrumental tracks of heavy metal rock and roll. This is the follow up to the bands previous EP entitled, Pyramid towards Oblivion.  Bokor’s Call opens things up also includes a short slow section with some synth before heading out with some ripping guitar and then back to some different riffs. Someone in the band also makes some occasional evil sounding vocalizations that you can’t quite make out. Crusade of Visigoth continues the heavy slightly more evil doomy groovy. The mid- section is again spaced out with some double tracked guitars and synths before returning to the main refrain. Drunken is a track where I really noticed the intensity of the Ale on the drums. It really comes across like he pounds the shit out of the drum kit. Garage Anthem starts off fast and furious and then becomes a bit like Candlemass and then back to the thrash metal. Wow.. In the Centre of the Sun is another more metallic track with intense guitar chord sequences and a really spacey ending with some chanting that leads directly into Pazuzu. By this point, some of the guitar riffs are starting to sound too much a like. He Dave does throw in a bit vibrato though on this one and some layers of synth sounds as he uses a cool effect on his guitar before going back to the well used riffs. Sabbatai Zevi has the occasional ringing bell to compliment the soundtrack of the end of the world. Wisdom of the Universe ends this record with some acoustic guitar and a sort of sitar like drone sound and later a synth drone and some percussion. A very cool way to come down from this heavy trip.

A mixture of Karma to Burn style stuff with more riffing metal and a bit doom thrown in with some space parts in the middle of a few tracks. That pretty much describes the whole record.

http://www.issuu.com/miskatonikgp http://sloworderband.bandcamp.com

Molior Superum- The Inconclusive Portrait 7” (H42 Records H42-006)

This is a new Swedish band from Gothenburg that I have never heard. This 7” plays on 33rpm. It only has one song that is split into part 1 and 2. The band is really inspired by 70s rock and roll and but thrown in a good dose of the stoner vibe as well. The band describes their music as Bloozy groove n' roll, the fuzzy-faced lovechild of 70's hard rock. They throw in a touch of organ around the chorus part of the song here and there, The 2^nd part starts with another groove and some great bass playing and a lot of riffing. There is a nice guitar solo towards the end of the track but not much soloing in this band. A really solid track. If you check out their bandcamp site they have 4 releases this band.

http://www.h42records.com https://moliorsuperum.bandcamp.com/

Seedy Jeezus- Seedy Jeezus (Lay Bare Recordings 006/Blown Music 010)

Seedy Jeezus is a high energu psychedelic rock band from Australia. This is another record that Tony Reed (Mos Generator) has guested on and engineered. Side A features 5 tracks while they space out more on side 2 with only 2 longer songs. The record starts off with Shakin’ the Fuse, a totally untempo rock and roller with really in your face, semi-pressed-screamed vocals. Wormhole slow things down and features the first of many great guitar solos but this is by Tony and not Lex (who also sings the vocals) as he really rips it up.  Universal Overdrive brings back the high energy rock and roll. Chasing the Dragon’s tail features some wild riffing but a more slow and stoned solo and space out section compared to the rest of the frantic track. Pick UP ends side A with another intense in your face track.

          Flip the record over and start off with How ya Doin’.. So far so good. I love this track the way it has a slow build and a more relaxed and less pressed, stressed vocal and then the amazing interaction between the guys when they space out and jam. Tony plays some Moog Taurus stuff on this track. Later on there is a drum solo and the band really takes off one more time. Awesome track, which you can hear below. Sun in my Car is a really fast song with some wild intense guitar riffing as the band tries to follow. There is a small down section but mostly just ripping guitar and intense playing. This is a very cool release and amazing artwork by Mr. Frumpy.  If you like bands like Lecharous Gaze, Radio Moscow, Nebula, MC5, etc.. you will dig this…

http://www.seedyjeezus.com http://laybarerecordings.com

Lord of Giant- Dust Demon 7” (H42 Records H42-006)

This is a new band for me. These two tracks are both pretty cool high energy stoner rock anthems. Dust Demon start things off with a grooving track with some cool wah guitar and nice delays on the vocals at the right places to make it a bit more psychedelic. You can easily get sucked into this one. Powerful stoner rock.. Woman is next and just classic, heavy slow stoned grooving rock music… not much more to say.. They don’t offer you anything new but if you crank this sucker up you will dig it….. I did…

http://www.h42records.com https://www.facebook.com/LordOfGiant

Karma to Burn/Sons of Alpha Centuri- Split 7” (H42 Records H42-005)

Split single with the US instrumental stoner rock band, Karma to Burn and the other side features Sons of Alpha Centuri, a band I have not heard of.  Karma kick things off with a track called 53. Well, if you like Karma, you will dig this track… nothing really new for these guys but a solid rocking riffing track with a good groove.. That is basically what this band delivers… Alpha Centuri are also instrumental and have a more clean, less low end production but some really cool intense changes in the track with just full on forceful playing. The keyboard textures are interesting and different in the context of the music and one might think don’t fit at all but somehow it works.. There is some spoken words stuff at the end. Remember side B plays 33rpm while side A is 45rpm!

http://www.h42records.com http://k2burn.net http://sonsofalphacenturi.co.uk

Kalamata- Kalamata (Zygmatron Music ZYG3)

Kalamata are a new instrumental three piece band from Germany. This is their debut, just released in Jan 2015 and the band are out on the road a lot this year according to the promotion information.. Anyway, the first thing you must know is that this CD has to be played loud. I heard it a few times in December and never really got into it much until now when I sit down to review it and play it LOUD.. The CD features 7 tracks that make up one sentence when read together and starts off with You. The intro is kind of spacey with just bass and guitar to start before a massive change in sound as everything kicks in loud. A slow hypnotic pace is kept as the track slowly takes shape with small changes, just enough to keep it interesting. The band likes to change dynamics the same way that bands like Colour Haze, Sungrazer, My Sleeping Karma do. Have starts off a bit doomy and repeats itself over and over until the guitar riff changes to a more intense faster riff and then back to the doom. To is the 3^rd track and like the first starts with a clear guitar stream before the drums and bass kick in to take the free floating groove away in a more relaxed fashion as the guitar is more adventurous and not so repetitive until the end, which really rocks hard and then a very cool ending. Cool song. Die starts with a heavy bass line, as a track titled DIE should. This track actually has a pretty happy thread at times and the riffing reminds me of the SWORD, if you remember those guys. Soon has some really good dynamics and lots of changes in this short under 4 min track. Mother speeds things up with frantic drumming and a heavy groove and nice guitar riff in another short track. Fucker ends the record and goes back to the doomy track 2 style and might be a bit like Sardonis from Belgium. Anyway, a powerful instrumental record with a lot of cool tracks despite almost no lead guitar but enough guitar changes and riffs to make it quite cool. Let’s see if they jam any of these tracks out live with some more solos or anything. Check out my friend Jerry’s review for another opinion. Peace.

The promo sheet mentions Kyuss, hawkwind and Motorpsycho and I have to say, those bands never came to my mind while hearing this CD and I have all the records by those bands. Strange…

http://facebook.com/kalamataband

http://www.zygmatron.de

Dean Allen Foyd- Sunshine Song 7” (H42 Records H42-007)

This is the most new release from the Swedish psych band from Stockholm. The two tracks were recorded back in 2011 though. Sunshine Song is a happy track and start things off with a cool 60s vibe and an uptempo and nice changes between the organ and effected guitar. Nice spaced out section in the middle of the track with some cool guitar and effects and then a return to the happy these of this song. Devil’s Path is next and has a really far out beginning and then a string section with violins, viola and cello take over.  The rock and roll does kick in after a minute or so to create another quite cool and original track. What a cool band…

http://www.h42records.com https://www.facebook.com/deanallenfoydmusic

Coogans Bluff- Ein Herz voller Foul 7” (H42 Records 42-010)

Coogans Bluff are a very diverse German band starting off in the Stoner rock genre but now doing whatever they feel is cool music. The opening track is an old Yardbirds track called A Heart full of Soul and they do a great version in German and quite close to the original feel. Flip it over for the bands original track, She gave her life for a Man, sung in English. It starts off with an organ and also features horns!  It has a nice groove and I like the way they have the organ just come in here and there and the horns only in the end section. Nice 7” for sure…  Check the web shop for all the different colours this is available in.

http://www.h42records.com