Tuesday 4 April 2017

TPA CD Reviews: November 2016

The Sea Nymphs - On The Dry Land

You can read the full TPA Review here

...This is psychedelia as it should be, charming and often dreamy with a well aimed sax giving it a boot now and then. The tone is ethereal with a surreal quality. The most heartening part of all this is that Tim Smith himself was able to play a part in completing On the Dry Land, supervising additional recording and the assembly of the finished album. One can only hope that his rehabilitation may continue and allow him to produce many more aural delights such as this in the future.

Mike Keneally - Scambot 2

You can read the full TPA Review here

...The scale of it all – the playing, the writing, the concept – just bends the brain. There is not one moment of Scambot 2 that appears as expected but it all makes sense when it clicks the gears in your mind to the right setting. If you struggle with this might I suggest some WD-40 and a little leverage as it is more than worth the effort. We are fortunate to have artists as singularly talented and with the vision of Mike Keneally – we are truly not worthy.

Holon - The Time Is Always Now

You can read the full TPA Review here

...This is a simply beautiful release, delicate and acoustic with a folk edge at times but with the dynamic range to rise to epic and full blown electric proportions for maximum effect. Most of the tracks are lengthy and use their time well with plenty of melody and tension in the compelling arrangements. The instrumentation is rich and the quality of the musicianship of a very high standard. Pedersen lets rip with some lovely guitar solos in varying styles and he is clearly a skilled musician and writer, Marsh adding the sprinkles of magic to allow the album to reach its full potential.

There is a melancholic serenity but this is not a miserable album to listen to by any means, more a joyous expression of what can be achieved when true talent is left to its own devices. Anyone with a liking for Scandinavian sounds is sure to find much to enjoy here in an album that comes very highly recommended indeed.

The Fierce & the Dead - If It Carries On Like This We Are Moving To Morecambe: 2016 Remaster

You can read the full TPA Review here

...Overall the album certainly benefits from the remastering and comes out shinier and more detailed than before, resplendent in new packaging with original paintings and drawings by Mark Buckingham. If you missed it the first time or have boarded the TFATD train at subsequent stops then this is a great opportunity to pick up the debut and see where it all started.

Zhaoze - Intoxicatingly Lost

You can read the full TPA Review here

...Soulful, poetic and exhilarating, Intoxicatingly Lost is a fantastically immersive collection with no weak points. It is ethereal yet grounded, a worthy representation of venerable traditions and how they should be allowed to evolve with time. I urge you to give Zhaoze a listen.

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