JACK ELLISTER – The Man With The Biochopper / Citadel (Review by TimeLord Michalis)

JACK ELLISTER – The Man With The Biochopper / Citadel

2012 (7” Fruits de Mer Records / Regal Crabomophone)

www.fruitsdemerrecords.com

Sometimes you hear a track and instantly think, I’ve got to find a way to release it! That was the way I felt when I first heard Jack’s ‘The Man With The Biochopper’, classic psychedelia, but very much of the 21st century. It has everything – wild lyrics (the best use of the phrase “rubber air-pump” I’ve heard in a long time), a girl chorus, a track that builds to a massive, manic crescendo AND a false ending – all in just over 3 ½ minutes – what more can you ask for in a 7” single? How about a great, guitar-driven version of a track from The Stones’ much-maligned ‘Satanic Majesties’ album for the b-side?”… 
Having read Keith’s (Fruits De Mer) quote I was really curious to listen to it. Who wouldn’t be? What is this? British Modern Psych by a Dutch man? Who is this guy? A Bio-Chopper? Well, I was pleasantly surprised by both sides! “The Man With The Biochopper” starts like a false rotated Morricone’s spaghetti western theme with Jack’s whispering vocals and slowly it moves into a psych vein with female vocals, even more stoned male vocals, a killer wondrous guitar solo and an almost explosive ending! Jack’s interpretation on Citadel is almost 1 minute longer,  not moving away from the original and it’s hard to believe that this is a 2012 version! You get a feeling of a Rolling Stones' alternative version (taken straight from ‘Majesties’ outtakes) with different singer! And that’s an achievement! Well done, Jack! TimeLord Michalis

Sorry No Youtube video yet!!! 

Scheduled for release August 13th 2012

Colour Vinyl 7"

Limited to 800 copies

Two colour vinyl versions

(No CDs or Downloads)

Fruits de Mer Records' Regal Crabomophone label

(catalogue no. wingle 6)

Pre order your copy here:

Fruits de Mer Records

or:

Clear Spot

or:

Heyday Mailorder

       

SENDELICA - The Satori in Elegance of the Majestic Stonegazer (Review by TimeLordMichalis)

SENDELICA - The Satori in Elegance of the Majestic Stonegazer

2012 (CD FRG Records)

www.sendelica.bandcamp.com

Sendelica’s new album is A JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE MIND! This Psychedelic-Prog-Space-Stoner-Ambient-Dub-Dark Folk-Experimental band from Cardigan, West Wales, UK just keeps on surprising us, awesomely Good! Along with the Usual Suspects - Pete Bingham (Guitar, Electronics), Glenda Pescado (Bass), Paul Fields (Drums) – there are few guests on the studio to help Sendelica to fulfil their vision. Colin Consterdine (Keyboards, Programming), Lee Relfe (Sax), Virginia Tate (Flute, Guitar), Roger Morgan (Keyboards), Iain Hawk Khan (Monster Electric Fusion Sitar), Oli Davidson Howell (Drums). Their new album is a prog-space jam experiment that is divided into 8 tracks. The opening track “Magical Ninin” is a long instrumental jam, guitar driven and quite heavy with pinches of pure early 70s acid sound, a progressive stoner number! “Aetheraland” it’s an ethereal atmospheric track with peaceful female vocals and a great use of flute, relax your Mind and your Soul will follow. Next follows the “Satori” tetralogy. Through the 4 parts, the band is searching for ‘enlightenment’ in Buddha’s front yard. Part I is a moody relaxing cosmic piece with occasional sax sound and a few ‘mockingbirds’ around the studio. Part II is heavier, it seems that somebody put the plug back in! Loads of feedback through a steady rhythm and an awesome swirling guitar sound. Part III is a 15min ambient-like spacey atmospheric jam, the rhythm is built upon a gentle bass sound, the whole number reminds one of Pink Floyd circa “Animals”. Part IV follows the same motive as Part I, the only difference is that this time hummingbirds are in the studio. Next comes “Preseli Daze”, another long improvisational adventurous space jam. Seems somebody opened the bottle of acid and spread it all over the place. Experimentally flavoured Sax sounds once again. I’ve been Dazed… but NOT Confused! Album closes with “The Majestic Stonegazer” and the title describes it best. An acid, lysergic stoned-gazer! It’s still June, but this is One of the Best Albums of 2012! Come along if you dare! Take a ride to the land inside your mind! TimeLord Michalis

Take a ride:

Get it here:

Enjoy the artwork...
 

 

CRANIUM PIE & THE RESEARCH STATION – A Visit To Newport Hospital (Review by TimeLord Michalis)

CRANIUM PIE & THE RESEARCH STATION – A Visit To Newport Hospital

2012 (7” Fruits de Mer Records)

www.craniumpie.co.uk

Two things. Either they’ve been kidnapped by Aliens who did different kinds of experiments on them, or they must have spent some time in Psychiatric Insane Asylums… There’s no other ‘logical’ explanation. Either the one or the other! When it finally comes to music it works out so tremendously genius and psychedelicious and experimentally amazing! Modern prog at its best! There’s a whole factory of sounds inside their minds… This time, their ‘victims’ are two Underground songs from the Glorious past. On the A side the band modifies “A Visit to Newport Hospital” originally released by Egg in their 1970 album “Polite Force”. They create a spacey & adventurous atmosphere with weird sounds, effected vocals, guitars, keyboards, without moving too far from the original. In the meantime on the B side they execute Hillage and Stewart Arzachel’s “Queen St Gang” taken from their sole album “Arzachel” in 1969 (originally by Keith Mansfield as “Soul Thing”). The band gets more spacey, more weird, driving us to unknown prog-psych paths. A psychedelically ingenious mentally insane progressive experiment!!! Impatiently waiting for the follow-up to “Mechanisms”…  TimeLord Michalis

Taste the Hospital Side here:

Taste the Queen Side here:

and the originals:

YOU SHOULD TRY PIE'S STATION HERE:

THE LUCID DREAM – Hits Me Like I’m Stoned (Review by TimeLord Michalis)

THE LUCID DREAM – Hits Me Like I’m Stoned

2012 (7” Fruits de Mer)

www.soundcloud.com/the_lucid_dream

Formed in 2008 in Carlisle, Cumbria, North West England, they count 2 sold-out EPs and 2 7” singles. Fruits de Mer releases their new single… Lysergic! Acid! Fresh! Mind Blowing! This is how I can describe the music by this bunch of Brit youngsters. The title of the A Side can easily describe their sound. A sound that hits you like… Yes, Stoned! Like any Lucid Dream in which one is aware that one is dreaming, The music here lets you be hallucinated without even being Stoned! Realistic and Vivid! You can control the state of trance you’ve been transported to! “Hits Me Like I’m Stoned” is a 6:39 min epic psych reverberated acidically drenched song in high voltage hallucinated landscapes. So simple... 

This psychedelic amalgam of Hallucinogenic sounds continues on B side, in which they wonderfully interpret Factory’s 1969 “Try A Little Sunshine”. Waiting for their next movement with pretty much anticipation. A must… TimeLord Michalis

A side here:

Excerpt of B side here:

Try One of the Below, if you're feeling lucky...

Fruits de Mer Records

Clear Spot 

Heyday Mailorder 

THE PRETTY THINGS – Honey, I Need/I Can Never Say (Review by TimeLord Michalis)

THE PRETTY THINGS – Honey, I Need/I Can Never Say

2012 (7” Fruits de Mer)

www.fruitsdemerrecords.com 

Well, if I’m not mistaken this is the newest Pretty Things release since 2007’s “All Light Up”. I'll bet that Keith and Andy are really proud about this Fruits de Mer release as they quote things like “… quite possibly the UK's finest ever R&B/psych band with a new release that shows they're still bloody brilliant live 40-odd years on!”. This one is just not another PT single, for the simple reason that it perfectly combines the ‘then’ and ‘now’ Pretty Things. “Honey, I Need” (A side) originally released as a single in Feb 1965 on Fontana. Here, is a new live version taken from their 2010 gig at the 100 club, which approves Keith and Andy’s quote (sic). B side of the original single was “I Can Never Say”. The version included here is an unreleased demo version of a recently found 1965 acetate! Artefact! Now that our appetite is whetted, there is more! Scheduled for release (via FdM Records of course) is a 4 track EP comprising 3 live versions from “S.F. Sorrow” and an unreleased track from the 60s… Get the Picture? TimeLord Michalis

Here's an excerpt:

... and another one:

You CAN'T Get it from here (SOLD OUT) {but you can find ALL the info you can get!} 

Try it here: 

or maybe here: 

THE MAGNETIC MIND – Maybe The Stars, Maybe The Sun/Laser Fingers (Review by TimeLord Michalis)

THE MAGNETIC MIND – Maybe The Stars, Maybe The Sun/Laser Fingers

2012 (7” Heavy Soul Records)

www.soundcloud.com/themagneticmind

“Wow! What a Magnificent and absolute Powerful Psychedelic-Pop-Inspired-60s this Record is!!!”… That’s how I should end this review, filling my free space with as many stars as I’m allowed and adding 2 words; BUY IT! So, what's this all about? A Debut single on UK Indie label Heavy Soul by this quintet formed just a few months ago (early 2011). London based and fuelled with energy, excitement and charisma. The aesthetics of the artwork refers to the Psychedelic 60s. The same goes with the music too. It’s a psyche-west coast fuzz-sunny pebblelike-garagey nuggetlike-Grace/Mariska vocals-Jefferson harmonies sound with a Modern touch! It surely needs a lot of ability to combine all these and have an excellent result! I want a full album asap! Worth mentioning the production of Liam Watson (White Stripes/Tame Impala) at the Toe Rag Studios. Insuperable! TimeLord Michalis

Taste it: 

 Grab it here: