Aural Innovations Issue #2 — Album Reviews

Ozric Tentacles — Curious Corn

(Snapper Music 1997, SMACD 502)

Keith Henderson

The liner notes invite us to 'seven stepping stones to higher planes,' referring to the seven tracks on Curious Corn, the newest studio effort from this merry English band of squid-lovers. In what seems like only a short time, the Ozrics have produced more than a dozen albums, all in the vein of upbeat, instrumental spacerock. Without vocals and verses, they are necessarily heavy on multiple layers of synths and electronics and frequent lead guitar passages. Ed Wynne, along with Porcupine Tree's Steve Wilson, is the first real guitar hero in spacerock since the days of Steve Hillage in the 70's.

'Spyroid' starts of the album full of electronics and atmospherics over a techno-like synthesized bass setting the mood for the more formalized tracks to follow. Wynne's extended guitar solo next opens up 'Oolite Groove,' which also includes a pleasant flute solo from John Egan. The heavily-syncopated tribal rhythm of 'Afroclonk' again displays a techno/trance flavor, and features 'pipe organ' synth stylings from relative newcomer Seaweed, who capably replaces long-timer Joie Hinton.

The extended jam of the title track has a Middle Eastern sound, whereas 'Oddentity' builds upon a reggae beat, a frequent vehicle for their brand of 'ethnic' space rock. 'Papyrus' could easily be called 'White Rhino Tea' Part 2; nothing we haven't heard from the Ozrics before, but still perhaps the coolest track on the album. The album signs off with the ambient grace of 'Meander,' and some fine glissando guitar work to boot.

With the techno flavor of Corn, a trend they started with Become the Other, the Ozrics are narrowing the gap between themselves and their spin-off group, Eat Static. And they're trying to give us a reason to keep picking up their albums. Even with the slightly new direction, undeniably this music still has the same feel as the albums of the late 80's, and as such, it's debatable how many more albums we need from these guys. That said, I believe all Ozrics' previous albums are enjoyable listening, and this one is no exception.

For more info, check out the official Ozric Tentacles website.

Porcupine Tree — Coma Divine...Live in Rome

(Delerium Records 1997, DelecCD 067)

Keith Henderson

With five studio albums already under their belt, the Tree have now gotten 'round to putting their live show onto disc, and what a fine one it is. This 75-minute set is focused mostly on songs from their last two studio albums, Signify and The Sky Moves Sideways. However, two old standards 'Radioactive Toy' and 'Not Beautiful Anymore' (first recorded when Steve Wilson was himself all there was to Porcupine Tree) are both given full-band treatment here, and make this CD worthwhile for the rabid fan as well as the newcomer. All-in-all, this is like a Greatest Hits collection, and with the great sound quality and high energy, it is even better than the simple sum of its parts.

Following the obligatory ambient intro, Wilson's crunching guitar kicks into 'Signify,' his metallized take on Neu!'s 'Hallo Gallo.' The beautiful and dreamy 'Waiting' starts in next, featuring Colin Edwin's bass on both parts, countered by (dare I say it?) a Gilmour-esque guitar solo. Who needs to 'wait for the drugs to make it real?' Part I from 'The Sky Moves Sideways' is nearly a straight transfer from studio to the live setting, but nonetheless demonstrates their impeccable use of dynamics. A bit more gusto is offered in the later portion, particularly by drummer Chris Maitland, who is far more energetic in front of a crowd. Phase-shifted bass gurgling opens up 'Dislocated Day,' which eventually builds in tension with Richard Barbieri's minor-key synthesizer bits. The first seven minutes of 'Radioactive Toy' comprise the original track, but an additional eight minutes plus are tacked on, including a bass and guitar answering session and some experimental minimalist noodling. An accelerated trance-style bass line drives 'Not Beautiful Anymore' to the show's conclusion, the band demonstrating tight, proficient playing.

The real difference is the live energy of Maitland's drumming, producing even greater contrasts between ambient and rock segments than on the studio recordings. Taken at face value, this is perhaps their greatest work to date, so if you're new to Porcupine Tree, this is a great place to start. I don't believe, though, there are any plans to release this domestically (US), which is unfortunate.

Gong — Shapeshifter

(Pangea Music 1997, 54200-2)

Jerry Kranitz

Recorded in 1993, but not released in the U.S. until 1997, this lineup of Gong includes Daevid Allen, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steffi Sharpstrings, Mike Howlett, Keith Bailey, Graham Clark, Shyamal Maitra, and Twink.

I've always had a special place in my musical heart for Gong. Their unique mix of space, psych, rock, folk, and jazz is sometimes intense, but always whimsically fun. However, until Shapeshifter I really hadn't heard any of Gong's or Daevid's post-70's recorded works.

Shapeshifter is a collection of tunes in the classic Gong style that also explores different, and sometimes surprising types of music. The 21 tracks range from 7 seconds to 13 minutes and are an aural collage of styles, sounds and tomfoolery. And the band on this disc is a tight ensemble of seasoned musicians. Some highlights include:

"Hymnalayas" and "Elephant La Cuisse" are both examples of >Gong's cosmic combination of rock and fusion. Hymnalayas is a bouncy, spacey number with some gorgeous violin and horn work. Elephant also has some great violin and struck me as a candidate for the theme from a police show. Sort of a cross between Mission Impossible and Miami Vice. (Now you all know how my brain works.)

"Loli" and "White Doves" are classic Daevid acoustic tunes. In fact, Loli would have been right at home on Now Is The Happiest Time Of Your Life. And White Doves has a theatrical show tune quality to it. Can you just see Daevid on Broadway?

On the wilder side are "Dog-O-Matic" and "Heaven's Gate". Dog-O-Matic is Gong's version of steroid-level techno dance music. Unlike typical techno, though, they manage to fit in horns and a short wailing guitar solo. Very interesting. Heaven's Gate is a lively, funky number with rapping by bassist Keith Bailey and a coffeehouse jazz feel. The song covers numerous moods, styles, and dynamic shifts. One of my favorite tracks.

The great instrumental pieces on the disc are "Can You: You Can" and "Goddess Invocation Om Riff", both recorded live. Can You is nearly 10 minutes of intense, rockin' space fusion and features some cool low-end zheul bass. A great finale, Goddess is classic psych-jazz. Great sax playing and wailing guitar solos.

Shapeshifter was a perfect title for this disc as from track to track the band, chameleon-like, assumes countless musical identities. It is an outstanding effort demonstrating that this band with a nearly 30-year history is alive, fresh, and going strong.

For more information you can visit the Planet Gong website.

Farflung — 25,000 Feet Per Second

(Flipside 1995, FLIP 68)

Jerry Kranitz

From Los Angeles, Farflung plays a high energy, often punkish brand of spacerock that is more like a stealth bomber than an acid trip. On this 1995 release the band consists of Michael Esther on guitar, Paul Fox on guitar, keyboards and synths, Tommy Grenas on keyboards, synths and vocals, Brendon LaBelle on drums, Buck McGibbony on bass, and a number of guests on keyboards, percussion, mandolin, flute, and cello.

There are actually a number of influences here. I detect punk, early 70's Krautrock, and Pink Floyd sound explorations, sometimes all in the same song. For example, "Solar Electric" opens with two minutes of eerie, call to prayer chanting. Then it launches into another two minutes of space punk. Finally, after a quiet moment it alternates between a very Guru Guru Krautrock sound and more high energy rock 'n punk. Wild!

The punk spirit expresses itself in other tunes like the title track, "25000 Feet Per Second", and "Hot Fluffy Mind", which also features some Primus sounding bass and rhythms. "Don't Forget To Breath" illustrates more of what to my ears is a Krautrock influence. There's also a repeating note line in it that brings to mind the 2001 Space Odyssey theme.

The nearly 15 minute "Landing In Cydonia" is the disc's epic. For the first eight minutes it's a very Pink Floyd-influenced cosmic sound exploration. It then develops into a Tangerine Dream tinged journey with a heavy dose of electronics. As a finale it launches into a heavy, droning Krautrock sound.

In summary, Farflung will appeal to the heavy cosmic purists who like an overdose of steroids with their spacerock. If this sounds like you then Farflung gets my highest recommendation.

Visit the Farflung Bandcamp site.

The Great Imperial Yo Yo — Chicken Island

(Bongheads 1995, BHCD96001)

Jerry Kranitz

From the UK, Great Imperial Yo Yo are a six-piece consisting of guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, horns, winds, and vocals. The catalog I got this CD from described their music as the Ozrics meet the Bonzo Dog Band. While the Bonzo comparison is probably seen in this band's tremendous sense of humor, to my ears the clearest comparison is Gong. Yet the Yo Yo's are no throw back to the 70's. Their sound, though very much in the psych realm, is very fresh for the 90's, with outstanding musicianship and well structured compositions.

The Gong influence is most apparent in songs like "The Mighty Frog", "Sticklebrick", "Mollusc Murder", and "Time Soup". Lots of jazzy psych and excellent use of horns and winds. Even the band member names - like Paul DO-hat Lung Tongue Newman, and Rich Saxaheadphones Walker - hail to Gong (or perhaps Beefheart?).

Humor prevails in songs like "Irving's Moustache", a freaky, and quite catchy, acoustic ditty that had me "La La La'ing" along with it. "My Foot" is a one minute almost vaudevillian piece. And "The Fungarian Hoax Song" should have been called The Fungarian Wedding Song as it sounds like a riotous Greek (or Fungarian?) wedding tune. I'm sure these are where the Bonzo comparisons came from.

Among my favorites on the disc: "Undergrowth" is a heavy, trippy, tribal, space funky instrumental journey. At ten minutes it stretches out all over the place and has some great guitar work. "Endless Cones" runs a gamut of comparisons from Gong, to Nektar, and on to the Ozrics (but better). It starts off dark and brooding, but quickly evolves into a cosmic jazz-psych piece. Dynamics shift continually between the subtle and the intense. "The Circus" is a quirky, beautifully crafted composition that actually does sound like a psych-circus. My wife, without even seeing the CD cover, said "it sounds like a whacky circus song". Finally, "Vapour Snakes" is the spaciest tune on the disc and certainly the one that garnered the Ozric comparisons. The song starts off very beatnik-like and slowly shifts into a cosmic space jam. Not fast-paced, but intense all the same.

In summary, this disc was quite a surprise. I was thrilled with the musicianship and creativity. The songs are more composed than jamming or improvisational, but for this band that's a plus. Highly recommended.

Melting Euphoria — Inside the Gardens of the Mind

(Cleopatra/Purple Pyramid CLP 0089, 1997)

Keith Henderson

If you were to dub this band the 'American Ozric Tentacles', you wouldn't be too far off the mark. Hailing from San Francisco, a place not unfamiliar with psychedelic music of course, this quintet produces the same sort of dominantly-electronic instrumental space rock that we're starting to see quite a lot of these days. While I have no objection to this trend necessarily, the question is whether each of these artists have something unique to say. And in this aspect, I find Melting Euphoria a bit lacking, at least lately.

Inside The Gardens is the band's third release with wide distribution and treads on similar ground as before. However, the space whisper vocals of the superior Upon the Solar Winds are noticeably absent, and instead the band creates their mood music with the usual swirling synths and effects-laden guitar but no vocal accompaniment.

The same cast of characters appear on this album, except that newcomer Bobby Clic supplants DeFM on guitar (who oddly performs here also, but as a guest). Highlights from the 50-plus minutes include the three-phase 'Amplified Ohm,' in which synth master Zero produces some very cool flute-like sounds, and the finale 'Celestial Hysteria,' with a fast-paced riff reminiscent of Gong's 'Master Builder.' The track 'Arwr Rhithwelediad' is either based on a Welsh folk song, or their typewriter got stuck. Whatever the case, it's a pleasant enough piece with some acoustic guitar and extra-spacey effects.

The downside is that too many of the tracks seem like great intro's that never make it to the actual song. They've got all the makings of a fine space orchestra, but they could use the input of a songwriter who could put purpose to style. It's too soon to give up on Melting Euphoria, but I'd like to see a bit more time spent on composition for their next one.

Sky Cries Mary — Moonbathing on Sleeping Leaves

(Warner Bros./World Domination Recordings 1997, 46464)

Keith Henderson

Seattle's Sky Cries Mary continues to amaze with their innovative brand of avant garde music on Moonbathing, their third major label release. Like its predecessors, this one is another 70-plus minutes of stylish, and at times spirited, progressive rock. The seven-member group has the versatility and depth to tackle most any musical style, and they often do. All sorts of unusual ethnic and percussion instruments (including the kitchen sink) are employed, which help to generate that bohemian flavor they've gotten us accustomed to. While this album doesn't quite live up to the standard they set with A Return to the Inner Experience and This Timeless Turning, some of the high points easily reach (and perhaps surpass) that level.

The husband-wife team of Roderick and Anisa Romero share the lead vocal duties, most often in a high-low duet style that I think they're beginning to overuse now. Anisa's voice is strong and pleasing, although she occasionally will degenerate into that over-emotionalized mode that plague so many pop icons; those intentional voice-crackings can get to me. But this is the exception rather than the rule. The musicianship is topnotch, adept during both the quiet, sensitive passages and when going full bore. Todd Robbins (aka DJ Fallout) and Gordon Raphael man the sequencers and keyboards that provide the embellishments for the core of Michael Cozzi, Juano Davison, and Ben Ireland on guitar, bass, and drums, respectively.

A whopping 14 tracks appear on Moonbathing, the standout being 'An Ant, the Stars, an Owl, and its Prey,' a sensuous astral journey that is right on target when Anisa sings 'I see you floating by, staring at the stars.' The title track is based upon an indulgent hook offered up by a so-called swirling fuzzy-flange bass and Anisa's space whispering, and is the basis for a separate (limited edition) mini-album's worth of techno remixes. Another highlight is reached mid-stream with the segued tracks 'Ringing', the instrumental link 'Smoke Break', and 'Want.' The former vocal track builds up slowly, letting loose during the choruses. The album finishes up with the techno-ish 'Nowhere' and the low-key 'Insectoria,' with subdued vocal mumblings eventually leading skyward with a lilting melodic jam that creates closure.

We can be pretty sure that we won't be seeing Sky Cries Mary 'selling out' any time soon. How they managed to arrange a deal with a label like Warner Bros. is beyond me. They're far too creative and musical to be associated with the contrived, mass-marketing juggernaut that is the American music industry. But if their relationship with Warner helps to put thoughtful music in the hands of unsuspecting and impressionable teenagers, I'm all for it.

For more info and music, see the Sky Cries Mary Bandcamp site.

Quarkspace — Spacefolds 4

(Eternity's Jest 1998, Cassette)

Jerry Kranitz

The latest releases from the Quarkspace camp feature the fourth in their quarterly Spacefolds cassette series, and a 70 minute CD featuring the band's performance at the Orion SpaceRock festival in October 1997.

On Spacefolds 4, Quarkspace offers more of both their improv based jams, and their explorations into sound and space. The explorations get better with each subsequent release as the band adds to its storehouse of musical gadgets and toys. "Fall Approaches" and "It Flows To The Ocean" are the jam numbers and shows the piano becoming more of a foreground instrument on their songs. "Chocolate Space Cookies" is the more sound exploratory and avant experimental track, an area that Quarkspace excels at.

The highlight number is "Trinary Space 1 & 2". This 15 minute mind expanding blend of Pink Floyd and Tangerine Dream produces an effect that is uniquely Quarkspace. The guitars seem responsible for nearly as many sounds as the keyboards. In parts the sound is both orchestral and industrial, and the music gets dramaticly orchestral at the end. Great stuff.

For more info, see the Quarkspace website and the Quarkspace Bandcamp site, where this album is combined with Spacefolds 3 .

Quarkspace — Live Orion

(Eternity's Jest 1998, CD)

Jerry Kranitz

The Live Orion CD illustrates how important it is to experience this type of music in a live environment, and how this band in particular shines when performing live. Quarkspace is somewhat unique among the current crop of spacerock bands in that they aren't from the hard edged Hawkwind camp, nor can they be firmly categorized in the dreamier ambient space camp. What stands out on this CD is a band whose roots are very much in the classic jam rock camp, but add enough elements of space in their sound, and ambience in the atmosphere to make them a space band. When they really start to cook they have been compared to the Allman Brothers, and there are tracks here that feature this sound. Like the Allmans, each instrument is clearly distinguishable from the others, yet all play cooperatively to produce some kick ass rock music that has the added benefit of blasting the listener into the cosmos. On other tracks I'm reminded of the the glory days of psychedelic stretching out, but with a higher level of instrumental proficiency than was characterisic of many bands in that genre.

Vocal numbers are interspersed with the instrumentals and Chet Santia's voice reminds me of a harder edged Peter Gabriel. This release will mark the first Quarkspace vocal numbers since their 1996 debut CD, and those familiar with that release should note how the music, though in a "song" context, is often just as busy and interesting as on the purely instrumental tracks. For those not familiar with Quarkspace this live performance is an excellent starting point. Highly recommended.

For more information and to hear sound files you can visit Quarkspace at their web site.

For more info, see the Quarkspace website and the Quarkspace Bandcamp site.

National Steam — Steamdream 1 / 2

(Eternity's Jest 1997, Cassette)

Jerry Kranitz

An offshoot of Quarkspace, National Steam consists of that band's Chet Santia on guitar, bass, and synth guitar, Dave Wexler on guitars, and Paul Williams on keyboards, samples, and loops. The most glaring difference between the two bands is that Williams is the percussionist in Quarkspace. Musically the bands are similar, but National Steam downplays the space jams in favor of ambient space and sound explorations.

The keywords that best describe National Steam are "imagery" and "subtlety". "The Pennsylvania Special" from steamdream 1, and "Tronhop Groov" from steamdream 2 both conjure of images in this listener's mind of a journey. The former song title sounds like the name of a train and indeed I felt like I was riding a train for days on end watching a slowly shifting landscape. Tronhop Groov has the Quarkspace penchant for funk, featuring funky guitars grooving and soloing over a singing mellotron sounding line.

The subtlety in National Steam's music can be elusive as the music is easy to get lost in. Songs like "Deep Space Moo" and "The Highs Of March" from steamdream 1, and "Don't Step In The Bog" from steamdream 2 are sometimes ambient, and sometimes rocking space and sound explorations. I liked the cool orchestral segments at the beginning and end of Highs Of March. And Bog has more of a jamming quality than the other tunes, pitting the guitar and piano against each other to great effect. On the more avant sound collage side is "Intersteller Catnip" in which the guitars and keyboards produce a kaleidoscope of sounds and textures that seem to paint a picture of a disastrous space voyage.

Like the Spacefolds tapes that Quarkspace produces, the steamdream releases are part of a quarterly cassette series that allows fans to peep into the band's musical diary throughout the year. Also note that April will see the release of the first full length National Steam CD.

For more information and to hear sound files you can visit National Steam at the Quarkspace website.

Amon Düül II — Live in Tokyo

(Mystic Records MYS CD 107, 1996)

Keith Henderson

Vocalist Renate Knaup shouts 'Wake Up!' as legendary German 'kosmische' artists Amon Düül II start into the title track from their 1995 reunion CD, Nada Moonshine #. I assume that statement is autobiographical as the band has just woken up' from a twenty-year hiatus, if you ignore the various other permutations of Amon Dhhl (with and without the numerical designation) that persisted through the late 70's and 80's. While those groups featured (at most) one member of the original band, this newest reincarnation consists of core members Chris Karrer (guitar, sax, violin, vocals), Lothar Meid (bass, vocals, keyboards), and Knaup. Drummer Peter Leopold, while part of the band on the new studio recordings, was apparently unable to make the trip to Japan, replaced by the appropriately-named Wolf Wolff. Artist and part-time keyboardist Falk U. Rogner was responsible for the light show and cover art (oddly, an inverted image of the Eiffel Tower).

The 70-minute live set presented here is a fine one, although they left off several classic tracks ('What You Gonna Do?' from Utopia, and Yeti's 'Eye Shaking King') from the performance, presumably because of to time limitations. The recording quality and especially the mix are suspect in places, with the vocals often being too prominent; usually the reverse is true. The band's performance is also very hit-and-miss, with some of the more intricate tracks sounding quite uneven. You might expect that with a group whose music is so innovative, and you have to remember how long it has been since they've performed together. They're a little rusty.

Highlights include the killer riff of the classic 'Deutsch Nepal,' complete with Meid's sinister vocals, and 'Wolf City,' which features a keyboard solo from guest Michael Ruff and some freaky sax 'honking' from Karrer in the spirit of Nik Turner. New track 'Casteneda da Dream' is a real winner, but the rapidly-paced duel vocalization of Knaup and Karrer is hard to pull off live. The hip-hoppish 'Kiss Ma Eee' is also hastily done, but concludes with a nice falsetto-style aria from the fearless Knaup. A seemingly ad-hoc rendition of the traditional 'La Paloma' (complete with German lyrics) leads into Pyragony's 'Flower of the Orient,' which never seems to get going until the final part. The show winds up with encores 'Archangel Thunderbird,' another krautrock anthem, and a bit of free-form jazzy funk entitled 'Jam Hai.'

This recording has a 'rehearsal' quality, which I will forgive them for now. As such, this is something that is interesting mainly to the most loyal fans of AD2 (like myself), and can bide me over until more new recordings appear on the horizon. New fans should go back and find 1972's Wolf City and then Nada Moonshine # to get a 'then and now' perspective.

Ant Bee — Lunar Muzik

(Divine Records 1997, DIVINE 20)

Jerry Kranitz

Did you ever lie awake at night straining to imagine what kind of music would result from a collaboration that included Daevid Allen, Harvey Bainbridge, the original Mothers Of Invention, and the original Alice Cooper Group (minus Vince)? Well Ant Bee's "Lunar Muzik" puts this question to rest once and for all.

The core of Ant Bee is North Carolina resident Bill James who seems to function as chief organizer and ideas man. According to the promo material James has been a student at the Berklee College of Music, done transcriptions for Frank Zappa, and written a 900 page book on percussion. All this is interesting to note while listening to the psychedelic, sound manipulating, good time that is "Lunar Muzik".

Many of the songs are very pop-psych and will be instantly loved by 60's fans. The music has that dreamy quality and drugged out harmonies that characterized the songs of that era. There is also lots of the same innocent experimentation like tape manipulations and sound collages that 60's pop-psych explored. There are even covers of the Monkees' "Love Is Only Sleeping" and the Stones' "Child Of The Moon".

Among the Mothers' contributions are "Snorks & Wheezes", "Son Of Snorks & Wheezes", and "Silicone Hump". The liner notes describe "Snorks & Wheezes" as "my grand tribute to the Mothers Of Inventions" and indeed they are that. Snorks opens with classic Mothers do-wop harmonies as sung by the Chipmunks, and then goes into an interesting spacey synth journey. "Silicone Hump" hails back to the early era of quirky, orchestral, Zappa compositions.

What makes this disc of interest to space fans is the presence of Daevid Allen and Harvey Bainbridge. Bainbridge contributes a synth exploration to a larger work called "By-And-By I Touch The Sky", which is described as "my supergalacticpsychomysticfreakyorgasmic concept piece - sort of". Surrounding Harvey's segment with more of Aunt Bee's pop-psych makes the whole thing very surreal. "Diva Gliss" offers several minutes of Daevid Allen's floating glissando guitar accompanied by synth.

Due to the collage-like nature of the music the whole work should be listened to in a single sitting. Otherwise, the psych "songs", the Mothers contributions, and the Allen/Bainbridge pieces would seem out of place with one another. Overall, though I find this to be a really fun and good humored collections of songs.

You can visit the Ant Bee at their web site.

Tribe Of Cro — Hydroculture

(U.F.Cro Records 1998, U.F.Cro 777)

F/i — Helioscopium

(Ceres Records 1997, Ceres 03-2)

Jerry Kranitz

On Helioscopium, Milwaukee-based F/i exhibits a variety of interests from heavy jamming 60's/early 70's spacerock, to intriguing experimental space/electronic collages. The band consists of Brian Wensing on guitar, keyboards, and vocals, Grant Richter on keyboards and electronics, Rick Hake on drums, percussion, and keyboards, Steve Schrank on bass, and various guests on guitars, keyboards, cello, and saxophone.

The liner notes to the CD are filled with a full two pages of thanks-you's giving a glimpse into the band's many and varied influences. I won't list them, but I think its instructive to note that besides the expected Hawkwind, Pink Floyd, etc listings are such names as Hendrix, Zappa, Devo, Dolphy, The Residents, Black Sabbath, The Beatles, John Cage, Jon Lord, Cream, and - my own personal God and mentor - J.R. "Bob" Dobbs. I'm always interested in musician's tastes and influences even though they may not all be apparent in the music.

F/i serves up a diversity of explorations. Their rendition of the "One Step Beyond" TV theme is an eerie, ooh-weeeee'-ooh track. "The 3rd Crown" is a heavy symphonic piece with a marching beat and heavy guitar strumming throughout. And "Your Illusion" sounds like a Beatles tune right off Magical Mystery Tour. We're talking "I Am The Walrus" here.

One of my favorite tracks is "Doktors For Bob", an experimental sound and vocalization piece. Spacey synths, free jazz sax, tribal percussion, and scary vocals that reminded me of the voices on The Residents' Third Reich 'N Roll. This may sound like a crazed mixture, but to my ears it works well.

The remaining tracks explore more space and rock jamming territory. "Helioscopium" starts off with laid back swirling electronics and gliss guitar. Psychedelic, but not too heavy. Just trippy and enjoyably meandering. Then, while the synths continue to swirl, the guitar begins to crunch and the drums launch into a steady rock beat. Maintaining this beat the guitar goes into some pleasant cosmic soloing. "Starspot" is a similar astral type jam, though with a bit of a Middle Eastern feel.

Two of the heaviest tracks are "Full Meddle Eddie" and "The Evan Walker Presidential Inauguration March" that run together as one 20 minute song. Eddie starts as a droning jam with some lusciously acidic guitar licks and the jam continues as the synths bob and weave throughout. The whole thing has a very 60's jam rock á la Cream/Hendrix feel to it, but the synths push the music into the cosmic space realm. F/i clearly have a variety of musical interests and these are reflected across the eight tracks on this CD.

Also read the interview with F/i.