= March 2 0 1 5 =
 

reetings and welcome to the first Rumbles of 2015. To Kick us off I would like to introduce you to the newest member of our team, Andrew Young, a man whose musical knowledge is being put to good use as he helps us tackle the ever present pile of music needing review. Thanks for your help Andrew.

First up is 'Sovereign Sky' by Junkboy on Enraptured www.junkboy.com. This is the first album since 2010 for the Brighton based brothers Rich and Mike Hanscomb, who deal essentially in a very British strain of Americana.

The record starts with 'Priory park', birdsong peels out of the speakers, which is accompanied by a very Jansch style finger picked acoustic guitar and nice trap drums. Birds continue to sing and the song has a very bucolic feel, reminiscent of a lovely day in a park replete with those summer sounds of kids playing and having fun. Next song up is 'Redwood' which introduce strings and a full band sound, breathy vocals and electric guitar, all very lovely and again summery in feel. 'Release the Sunshine' follows and continues the theme set out in the first few songs. 'Saltwater' has a Felt like feel with curlicues of electric guitars and a full band sound. 'Rainfalls' follows and the summer takes on an edge as storm clouds are building, Strings enter again now and it's all quite lush sounding, massed harmonies and an almost English folk feel. 'Red Letters' brings to mind a sort of Pentangle meets the Clientele sound. 'Amber Glow' is a bit more proggy but with a medieval feel, its a bit more electric and a fuller sound is ushered in. The title track 'Sovereign Sky' is all breathy vocals, strings and more acoustic, great track. ' Images Colours Coffee' has a hazy gauzy intro a full string section and a jazzy feel. 'Belo Horizonte' follows and the sound is now quite cosmopoliton and fuzzed electric guitar is given free reign accompanied by Moog and Latin style Percussion. Lastly we have 'Water Wheel' a song that echoes all that's gone before and is the longest track here, fading out to the birdsong and back where we started.

A really fine summery record, highly recommended.

Next up we have Francesco Paolo Paladino and friends with 'The Son Of The Unknown Fish' on CD/DVD and his email is francesco-paladino@liberio.it. First up is 'Headfish Eatfish', a mantra of Headfish Eatfish with some nice proggy flourishes eases us in to this record with guitars, bass and drums, and for this record is fairly straightforward, back to the chanted mantra again. 'Scelsi's Umbrella', announces itself with what sounds like a circular saw and ambient sounds drifting around for a few minutes which dissolves into 'My Passworld is the Work' with space whispers a la Gong, with lead guitar in a jazz/blues style from Davide Devoti worthy of mention, before we hear sped up vocals intoning the title. Then things get quite bluesy with more fierce lead guitar. 'The True Trout' opens with running feet and is quite cute with what sounds like a door opening into a wind tunnel and then snatches of a thirties trad jazz band playing in another room. 'Jesus Autosound' is all found sound, walking bass and xylophone which yield to a solo piano and a vocal that is very reminiscent of Robert Wyatt, (to whom this record is dedicated). 'My Passworld is the Work' (reprise) begins with a Jazzmaster bass, more space whispers, live drum sound, more lead guitar and is all over in a couple of minutes. 'Pianoro' a treated nocturne provides a bit of calm for a couple of minutes before 'Night of the Man on the Moon' this has Saxophone, Korg and the voice of NASA command in Houston and concerns the docking of Apollo 11. It's a bit like John Zorn in space with its trippity trappity drums, free Jazz and lunar dust. 'The Jamaican Eye of the Fishice' starts with a loose reggae vibe and in effect is a reggae blues jam with a few blips and glitches. 'Silence is what were made for' provides more ambience and treated percussion .'Tree Soul Rain' is an ambient interlude echoing some of what's gone before. 'Hey Juda' is a chamber music piece for four violins and is fairly straightforward. ' Watertales' riffing guitar, walking bass, sped up vocals , chants again provide a coda of bits of all of the above tying all the elements up nicely. 'Troubles and Silences' is more ambient sound this time sounding as if underwater and drifts along happily before the album concludes with ' Con le mie lacreme' the stones song 'As Tears Go By' and a bit of an odd ending to a fairly eclectic disc. There is also a DVD which is very strange, and features amongst other things a lady with a Giraffe’s head accompanied by some of the music on the CD.

Finland is a country that I do not know much about, even less so it's music. Tervahaat are a Finnish band who are on to album number 4 www.tervahaat.com , ‘Taival ‘is a delight and all over and done within 30 minutes or so, homemade instruments are featured prominently in the instrumentation. The record starts with ‘Kärrinpyörä’ (The Cartwheel) a great intro all bubbling bass progression with chiming guitars and metrotonic bells intoning this church like hymn with what sounds like ‘sport’ repeated over and over again to nice effect. ‘Kevätkirot’ (The Spring Curses)continues the church like feel, acoustic guitar, nice melodic bass again and synths appear through the fog, accompanied by trippity trappity drum figures again nice deep melodic vocals.’ Toumiolaulu’ (Judgement Song) Is solemn stuff, again more deep vocals accompanied by treated guitar and very deep bass, the song achieves a heaviness through a very light touch. ‘Kouloutie’ (The School road) introduces arpeggio banjo, twin vocals and a very Kaleidoscope (the band) type arrangement, it chugs along nicely and it’s now that I would appreciate at least some understanding of what it is the song is about. ’Kultaluu’(Gold Bone) starts out with a simply picked out melody, questing vocals and a super prog rock structure, all very knotty again with light drums, it is unhurried, very melodic and very special, for me the highlight track on this fine record .’Metsännyrkki’ (the fist of the forest) starts off with finger picked electric guitar, acoustics then join in, and some sort of keys ( probably some of the homemade type or old synths).This is the centerpiece of the record and is wordless for the first four minutes before the singer enters the tune in a very mournful way, I love the way they achieve a heavy, dense sound but always with a light touch, not an easy thing to do. The title track now ‘Taival’( Journey ),intoning ritualistic vocals, industrial clatter , synth washes , gentle vibes throughout this sepia tinted song, ending with a full church organ, with all stops open, peeling out and ending this record on a high, lovely stuff and highly recommended.

Next up is ‘Growing’ by Stereocilla the latest E.P from John Scott www.stereociliamusic.com  consisiting of three instrumental tracks. what we have here is essentially one man in the studio. Starting with the title track ‘Growing’ which slowly builds momentum in to an echo laden flanged guitar wash and continues its passage for 13 minutes or so ending with what sounds like the clatter of a train and the distant clanging of tubular bells. 2nd track ‘Still Breeze’ is like being in a submarine engine room, all churn, White noise and drone. 3rd and final track is another 13 minutes of drone laden noise slightly bassier than the other two and again is very atmospheric in nature.

Broken Mono are up next, which is essentially the moniker of one Mike Dmytruk and ‘Bad Magnet’ is its title. It’s the third Broken Mono release, all still available at the website www.brokenmono.com. First track ‘Television Watching Buddha’ arrives with a Hendrix style guitar, backwards treated guitars and a glam stomp feel. 'Easy Engine' references space and sky and is anchored in a very deliberate guitar line which fractures and spits and features some clunky metrotonic percussion and a nice descending bass. 'Now The Sun Is Golden' continues in a similar style, wah wah guitars and is again a bit of a glam rocker, Indeed the rest of the record follows this pattern full of rocky, glammy songs with rifferama a plenty. A big dollop of Sly Stone bursts out the speakers on 'Nobody But You' which also features some prominent electric piano. There are also a few gentler moments here too which really add a bit of contrast particularly on 'Soft Hammer'. the record ends with 'You're A Spaceman Now' which is a bit of an amalgamation of all that's gone before.

Next we have Jesse Rakusin whose 'Awaken' is his latest release, find him here www.awakeinadream.com. This is basically 32 minutes of 'freak folk' and I mean freak. what we have here is very much a one man operation and throughout this disc most songs feature a quite heavily fuzzed up guitar with random percussion appearing throughout. Lots and lots of chanted, wavering vocals interspersed with fuzzed lead lines is the order of the day, percussion is often in the form of a tambourine, but always accompanied by a heavily treated fuzz guitar. A sitar drone makes an occasional appearance on some of the songs, however all of the songs are very similar in feel and instrumentation. Depending on your tolerance for heavily fuzzed guitar, It makes for a good listen and It all ends with a massive xylophone wig out.

Thanks for those Andrew. Next up a Beautifully written collection of poems from Jasmine Dreame Wagner (Cabinet of Natural Curiosities). Entitled “Rewildings), the book comprises of six free-flowing pieces that create pictures in your mind, the words shaped on the page to add an extra level of delight to the poems. In the early poems, stanzas find their lines beginning with the same letter, a device employed throughout, giving the poems a natural lilt and rhythm. It is an easy to read collection yet each piece is open to many interpretations, the enjoyment is as much in the wordplay as it is the meaning, at least to the reader. Each time I have read my way through I have discovered new lines that stand out, new joys that shine like jewels from the page. To be fair I don't feel particularly qualified to review the written word but I did thoroughly enjoy the book and have dipped into it many times. (https://ahsahtapress.org/product/rewilding/).

     Not actually commercially available, yet worthy of mention “Learning to Listen” is an hour long film directed by london based sound/artist/musician Dan Linn- Pearl. Exploring the use of sound far beyond the constraints of commercial or traditional musical values, the film is a discourse that focuses on the work of several artists, touching on their work without ever getting too bogged down in its discussions leaving the viewer plenty of room to make up their own mind. Featuring David Toop,  Derek Holzer, Jasper Stadhouzers and Sylvia Hallett, amongst others, we are introduced to tape manipulation, art installation, field recordings and the methods individual artists use to make their art. Easily holding the listeners interest, the film is engaging and absorbing without ever getting lost chasing its own tail. Towards the end, the term “Sound Art” is discussed with, as suspected, most of the contributors choosing not to label their own work. With abstraction and melody involved in the pieces displayed, often in equal measure, this is an excellent gateway into an interesting and little known world that warrants further exploration. The film has limited showing now and then, keep an eye open and support its independence. (http://vimeo.com/deafpictures)

    Packaged as a packet of incense sticks with a download code, or as a regular download, “Trial By Fire” is a four-track EP from New Horizzzons, a three-piece featuring members of July Fourth Toilet, Tijuana Bible and LSDoubleDcup. The opening title track is a freak style spoken word affair, followed by the seven minute “Convictions” a highly convincing track that has the sound of The Deviants, Edgar Broughton or Ladbroke Grove about it, a fucked up prowling bass line supplying the groove for some wah guitar, drums and a sinister lyrical delivery, the song leaping about like a stoned gazelle in a neon jungle. Equally gnarly is “Spring Thaw” which adds a bit of punk attitude to the party with some more nasty guitar whilst, the whole thing ends with “Building Our Brand” another hard rock freakout with hades of Alice Cooper amongst its snotty grooves. (https://newhorizzzons.bandcamp.com/album/trial-by-fire-e-p)

     Released on 7” vinyl and as a download, “Joule” is a delightful 4-track EP from Ruth Garbus. The highlight for me is “I Took a Walk” a lovely shimmering folk inspired song that is a sparkle of innocent sunlight that catches you imagination. Elsewhere, “Certain Kind” sounds like it could have been released on 4AD whilst “Opal Elections” has the feel of a French pop song, the whole collection held together by Ruth's sweet and distinctive voice. (https://ruthgarbus.bandcamp.com/album/joule-ep) Oh and good luck getting hold of the vinyl as the company osr Tapes have decided to no longer have a web presence, which seems a strange move in these times. (http://osr-tapes.com/)

    Also on vinyl and containing four songs, “Area Woman” is a fine collection that has a sound of its own courtesy of Jason Honea who records under the name The Shitty Listener. He was also part of the Jewelled Antler collective and there is definitely hints of their otherwordly sounds to be heard, the presence of Glenn Donaldson on one track strengthening that connection. Opening track “No Thrones” is a magnificent beast with confident vocals and a kosmiche backing, whilst “Beautiful Same” is an alien love song with glistening guitar wrapped around it. Over on the other side, “Pool Of Light” is a fragile soundscape that crackles and rumbles held together by a barely heard voice, the collection wrapped up with “Candle On water” another beautiful piece that seems to live in your dreams. (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shitty-Listener/268525889856157)

    To finish our brief round-up of vinyl singles The Linus Pauling Quartet pretend they are Black Sabbath for the full on metal crunch of “C is for Cthulhu”, a magnificent riff propelling the song forward with evil intent crushing everything in its path, the solo the icing on a delicious slice of metal cake. Flip over the shiny red/pink vinyl and you get another sonic rock blast as “My Desire” maintains the energy and intent, the vocals of Carol Sandin Cooley perfectly suited for this grungy tune that takes no prisoners and needs plenty of volume. (http://www.worshipguitars.org/LP4/)

    Sticking with the heaviness for a while longer we come to a brace from Elektrohasch Records. First up, Colour Haze celebrate almost 20 years together with the release of “To the Highest Gods We Know” featuring five tracks of heavy Psychedelia that remind me of Sundial at their peak. Opening track “Circles” is a slow burning epic that has a deep bass riff at its heart, the guitars nice and dirty whilst the addition of stabs of brass add a different texture. Much shorter, “”Paradise” has a more modern feel, shades of Queens of the Stone Age to be found within its almost funky groove. Leaving the best until last, the title track is an eleven minute piece that opens with some acoustic guitar picking with an Eastern flavour the band adding more and more layers of sound including strings giving the song an unsettling feel, the instruments ebbing and flowing creating a strange piece of music that crosses Floyd with The Kronos Quartet whilst retaining that Stoner Rock groove.

    Also on Elektrohasch, Kalamata dispense with brass and strings to concentrate on the riff, their sound heavy and instrumental. Containing seven songs named “You”, “Have”, “To”, “Die”, “Soon”, “Mother”, “Fucker”, the band stick to the stoner blueprint but do so with some excellent music that needs to be loud. Highlights include the de-tuned heaviness of “Have” which is slow and brutal to the ears and the gnarly riff at the heart of “Fucker” , a distorted guitar tone threatening to rip your skull open. (http://www.elektrohasch.de/)

   Recently released on Crusher Records is the self-titled album from Hypnos, a Swedish hard rock band who sound like Judas Priest circa 1977 before they went truly metal. Filled with 8 hard rockin' tunes, the band have all the right moves, great playing and plenty of energy. Topped off with some excellent vocals, there is plenty to be enjoyed with tunes such as “Mountain” and “Nightmares” hitting the spot for fans of the genre whilst “How to Handle Madness” closes the album with a short, sweet blast of metal that leaves you with a smile on your face. (http://www.crusherrecords.com/)

    With an outsider folk/psych vibe, King Darves has much to enjoy on his two latest releases. On “Daughter”, a twelve song collection, the songwriting is paramount, the album nicely balanced between melody and atmosphere with some great playing throughout. An early highlight is “Poison Flowing” with excellent guitar work and a Velvets flavour, whilst the following “Got Fired Up” has plenty of lyrical vitriol and a sweet folk melody. Elsewhere “Blaze and Moan” has a strange whistle running through it adding atmosphere to the tune whilst “Shaman Therapy” is mountain Americana reminding me of The Cherry Blossoms. Similar in sound (and construction) “Evergreen” is another strong collection housed in a home-made sleeve, with highlights including the west-coast psych/folk of “Coats are Not Crowns”, the haunting atmosphere on the beautiful ballad “Bombing” and the delightful melody of “Sour Night Haunting”. (https://kingdarves.bandcamp.com/music

   As well as making music King Darves also finds time to run NOSTORCA a tape/download label. Featuring drone and weird Techno, Rode Grey is a rather excellent 20 minute collection with the drone pieces entitled “Devotion I” and the Techno pieces entitled “Beat I” up to parts VII although a couple of numbers are missing. Of course the Techno on offer here is stranger than most with “Beat I” disintegrating into noise towards the end whilst the drones tend to be very short a moment of stillness between the writhing Techno moments. Best enjoyed in one go this is simple sounding music that has been lovingly crafted. Also available is a split cassette featuring 2673 and Jenny Haniver. Offering one long piece each “Karakum” is a wall of static noise from 2673 that appears harsh at first forcing the listener to find the gaps between the noise until a series of tones take over, the crackle an undercurrent to their sound. These high tones continue until the very end when they are joined by the static cloud again. One the other side “Eden” has a lower end crackle, the sound of a large insect zooming around the garden, the buzz becoming harsher and more insistent as it progresses, the insect seemingly stalling then self-destructing until it comes to a sticky end. Not easy listening but sometimes you need a bit of noise in your life. (https://nostorca.bandcamp.com/album/2673-jenny-haniver)

    Also on cassette comes “Maple Stag” a collection of short songs from Graham Repulski. With only one song over three minutes and several under one minutes this is a quick fire and noisy selection that is lo-fi and distorted, the guitars fighting there way out of a blender vocals coming from another room (or dimension). Despite this there are melodies to be found, riffs to savour and the occasional glimmer of beauty such as the beginning of “Rubes” although the tune follows the tried and tested quiet/loud route and the beauty is lost in the noise. Elsewhere “Bagpuss” is 19 seconds of guitar noise, “I See You” is a feedback driven ditty with a lovely ending and “Teach Your Children To Be Useful” is almost half a song and I would like to hear it expanded. Best of all is “Cartoon Meltdown” the track given time to evolve a little, a song you can sing along to whilst retaining its noisy credentials. (https://grahamrepulski.bandcamp.com/album/maple-stag)

    Finally on cassette come the rather beautiful “Hidden Tales and Other Lullabies” a lush six track release from The Child of a Creek, the music uplifting and imaginative allowing the listener to relax completely. Complete with delicate string and gently pulsing notes “Poison Tree” is a gorgeous opener with some sweet guitar/piano adding depth to the piece. With richly chiming bells and echoed chords the title track continues this meditative path whilst “Shy Rainbows, Shy Tears” has a warm flowing drone at its heart, chiming percussion dancing dancing above it, the piece changing in timbre as more instruments are added yet retaining its warmth. By the time you reach “Going Home in the Middle of Nowhere”, the final track, you are feeling very mellow indeed, the music remaining calm and beautiful without descending into New Age, although it does get close at times.

   Also from the same artist comes “Quiet Swamps”, a vocal album that expands on the instrumentals above, the voice giving the tunes more presence with “Land of Hope” reminding me of Ramases or possibly the first Vangelis album. On the title track a simple evocative melody leads us in to another sweet tune creating a delightful piece of quietly drifting Psychedelia a path the whole album follows to excellent effect. Throughout the album the playing and arrangements lift the songs and I am reminded of some of the solo work of Daevid Allen especially his more ambient work. These are just references of course, Child of a Creek has his own voice and you can feel the passion shine through in the music he creates. Elsewhere on the album “The Ravine” is full of shimmering synths, “The Mist” has a moody presence and spoken word intro and “The Owl and the Moon” has a playful whimsical feel and is one of my favourite tracks. (https://thechildofacreek.bandcamp.com/)

    Whilst it is both lyrical and emotional, the biggest draw on “Celestial Gold”, the latest album from Kung Fu jesus, is the melodic hooks that pull you in, the collection sounding like an album you have loved for years after only a couple of spins. Mixing synths and jangly guitars, the music has the feel of The Fence Collective if they had formed a retro 80's band, all soaring choruses and plenty of dramatic moments. It all starts quietly enough with the delightful “Friends to the End” a perfect Sunday morning tune that is easy on the ear. With a Psych-Pop jangle and some interesting lyrical observations “The Death of Penny Lane” has a darker guitar undercurrent, whilst “Tomorrow Shine” brings out the synths for an expansive, almost epic feel. Throughout the vocals are warm and there is an attention to detail within the songwriting that is good to hear. Other highlights include “Kimberley”, the song blending everything good about the album into three minutes, whilst “Baby Eating Lizard People” is an Illuminati inspired tune with Goth ambience and more eighties synths. Released on vinyl and download in April (see how up to date we are !), (http://www.gargleblastrecords.com/)

    Released in March, “Crocodilians” is a collection of electronic instrumental from Moth Effect. Mixing Kraftwerk style repetition with the sounds of the Radiophonic Workshop the tracks have a playful feel that makes the collection a happy listening experience, the music making you want to have a bit of a groove, generally making you feel better about life. This is not to say the music is throwaway or naïve, there is lots to enjoy, the compositions structured with care and the sounds chosen to complement each other such as on “Look Nicely”, the albums opener, where a driving pulse is sweetened by spiralling melody lines reminding me of Yello pretending to be a space rock band. On “Fingerbobs” a lazily strummed guitar and a Canterbury bass line combine to create a summer ambience that is embellished with floating electronics, the whole tune sounding like the soundtrack to a strange children's programme. Relaxing and spacey, “She Likes Her Sleep” is beefed up with some distorted guitar that drones underneath, whilst “Sleepless and beatless” closes the whole album with melodic grace, a delightful tune is light and airy as a spring morning. An album that takes a couple of listens to reveal its depths and worth the time. (http://www.sunstonerecords.co.uk/)

    Next up a couple of recent singles from Son Of Skooshny  (Mark Breyer), with “Cloud Cover” being a beautiful and pastoral tune that recalls The Byrds in its jangle yet has a more contemporary feel and some gorgeous vocals that shine out throughout the song. Equally lovely, “No Ho” has a similar shimmer, the jangle ever present as the song glides along, its bejewelled outer hiding a tale of regret that can be felt in its emotions and atmosphere. (https://sonofskooshny.bandcamp.com/)

  Hailing from Italy and sounding like Monster Magnet or Fu Manchu mixed with some Sabbath and Hawkwind, Stoner Rock trio Black Rainbows take no prisoners with “Hawkdope” (slightly dodgy title there), a monolithic slab of riffery and fuzz that takes a couple of tunes to really get going before the title track really shows the band in their true light, adding some synths to the riffage to create a psychedelic haze of noise and atmosphere that takes you deep into space. From here on in it is all good with “No Fuel No Fun” sounding low down and sleazy as it grinds out of the speakers, whilst “Killer Killer Fuzz” recalls the glory daze of the mighty Sabbath, the song slowly pulling you into the vortex with a monstrous riff and plenty of volume. To end it all, “The Cosmic Picker” has some sweetly Psychedelic guitar to lead you in, a slow ride into the heart of the sun, the song slowly exploding into an extended solo that dances across the heavens, sounding more 70's than contemporary. An album that needs a few listens before it truly comes alive, lots of volume and some kind of intoxicant seems to help as well. (http://www.theblackrainbows.com/)

Time to hand over to Steve Palmer with some slightly mellower moments.

    Dave Kilminster is a luminary of the progressive rock scene, being Roger Waters' lead guitarist of choice, and also touring with Keith Emerson, John Wetton, Carl Palmer, and many more. His new solo album "... and THE TRUTH will set you free..." is a collection of rock songs, opening with 'Messiah,' which sounds a little like some of Steven Wilson's solo work, not least in the vocals and massed ranks of backing vocals. Good tune, excellent playing and production. Kilminster is a confident singer, handling all the vocals and guitars, with old mates Pete Riley on drums and Phil Williams on bass. 'Addict' brings in some tasty slide guitar work, while 'Thieves' is more of a bluesy number, with more very nice fluid guitar work. 'Circles' opens with soft strummed electric guitar before a mournful vocal winds into the song. 'Save Me' is very slow and eerie, with acoustic guitars taking the load beneath Kilminster's sorrowful vocal - a very nice cut, this. 'Cassiopeia' returns the album to full trio format, and there are hints of some of Dave Gilmour's solo work in the guitar sounds here - no bad thing of course. 'The Fallen' cranks things up really high, with some stop/start unison playing, while album closer 'Stardust' is akin to Gilmour's ambient work. A very nice album indeed.

(www.davekilminster.com)

Former and current members of Focus comprise improvisational jam band Swung, including drummer Pierre Van Der Linden, bassist Bobby Jacobs, and former guitarist Niels Van Der Steenhoven and present strings bender Menno Gootjes. The musis is presented in two volumes, the first entitled 'Adventures 1-9' while the second is 'Raga Reverence 1-8.' Rock guitars, and tight bass thrumming and drumming, pepper the former disk, with some lovely wah-guitar solos from Van Der Steenhoven, especially on the dreamy third cut. The second disk is more psychedelic, though never less than rocky, with the fourth track (harmonics and jazz leanings) and the eighth (bluesy guitar heaviosity and lots of cymbal splashes) being of particular note. There is no Thijs Van Leer on these recordings, but Focus fans will undoubtedly want to hear them; they have much to recommend them.

(swungtrio@gmail.com)

Martin Turner & Friends "The Garden Party" is a double CD recording of a very special event arranged for the core fans of classic British rock band Wishbone Ash, which Turner co-founded in 1969. The twin guitar sound is present throughout of course, and the live recording is high quality. Many members of the band were present, the vibe was good, and even the weather (as dryly observed by the CD notes) stayed pleasant. Opening with 'Standing In The Rain,' the album heads off through seventeen numbers. Rehearsals before the event had been enjoyed, as this is clearly reflected in the totally professional and happiness-enthused quality of the playing. Guitar solos a-plenty of course, with that trademark double lead sound much in evidence; and the audience loved every minute, as made obvious by the applause at the end of every song. It hardly needs to be said that any Wishbone Ash fan must have this CD.

(www.martinturnermusic.com)

The present prog-fest concludes with John Wetton's District 97, in which the great man and band run through a host of classic King Crimson songs: 'One More Red Nightmare,' 'The Great Deceiver,' 'Lament' (particularly good version here), 'The Night Watch,' 'Fallen Angel,' 'Book Of Saturday,' 'Starless' and 'Easy Money,' all of which, as rabid KC fans such as myself will recognise, are from the Wetton years. The band however do also perform a version of '21st Century Schizoid Man,' which, although supported by a whirling Hammond organ, is a bit of a weird listen, updated so radically. John Wetton appears to be much enjoying himself at the moment, with all sorts of projects and recordings appearing, so it's very nice to hear these enthusiastic live versions of KC classics.

(www.district97.net)

Three years ago I reviewed a 3-track EP from a gentleman named Ric, who turns out to be Ric Kemper. 'An album would be an interesting listen,' I said, and now here it is - "Electric Rooms", comprising ten tracks of idiosyncratic singer-songwritery. The album opens with the downbeat sounds of 'Open The Way,' which matches a lugubrious vocal with a high-flying electric guitar. 'Gorse Ridge' opens with strummed guitars and pattering drums, and again, as observed in 2012, "Ric half keens, half sings his music, with some slightly shambolic - in the very best way - instruments backing him." The vibe is not lo-fi in the usual sense - the album is well recorded and eminently listenable - but there's a 'handcrafted' feel to the music, which is very English and definitely attractive. Most of the songs fade in, which is pretty unusual. 'Caravan' has an elegiac tone to it, while 'All I Need' for some reason reminded me of Ian Curtis of Joy Division - some pattern or style of the vocals, maybe. 'Circle Round The Sun' is a highlight of the album, a charming song set against acoustic guitar, with a strong tune. 'Castle Hill' features another keened vocal, 'Heartbreak Estate' is a slower, spookier song, while album closer 'Daughter Of The North' finishes the whole work off. This album flourishes on charm, listenability and that indefinable eccentricity that we English are so adept at. Good stuff, Ric!

(www.rickemper.uk)

Accolade are residents of Seattle, and on their new album "Catharsis Of Rhetorik" they do dream-pop underpinned by bass and drum machines. The opening track 'Gaze' merges a curious, almost English folk vibe (mostly in the high-register singing of Stefanie Reneé, who is an established classical singer) with phased synths and simple drum patterns - an effective mix indeed. 'Bleeding Cry' matches doomy synths with more ethereal sounds, while 'March' goes for a martial opening and then builds up the tension with thumping drum machines. Dramatic, with lots of reverb. 'Carthage Fog' is similar, with eerie, low-volume vocals from Reneé, that seem to morph into synth sounds - the EP highlight. The work closes with 'Heaven,' with even more reverb and a rippling synth riff that underpins the floating vocals. A unique and enjoyable listen.

(www.accoladeseattle.com)

"Green Girl" by Talbot Adams is a catchy single roughly in indie-pop territory, with a hint of sunny, psychedelic times thrown in. Similarities exist with "Death To God" by DeVries in Adams' vocal style, which suits the vibe perfectly. The B-side 'I Love You So' is similarly hazy, relaxed and hippyish. Really good sounds and songs.

(www.talbotadams.com)

Acorn Falling from Denmark comprise Lars Kivig and many special guests, including members of The Bad Seeds and Bauhaus. The music is largely instrumental, with a wonderful otherworldly feel, that is apparent at once on the spooky opening track, 'The Whistle At Tragedy Bay,' which, even when it opens out into a full band number, retains its eerie atmosphere. Classical instruments vie with traditional rock band instruments and synths as the music wends its gothic way forwards. 'Bitter Ashes' is a dark mash-up of drum machines and booming ambience, that leads to 'As Heaven Went To Hell,' which merges spiky arpeggiated guitars and string instruments. The pianos and synths of 'M/S Humanity' combine into a melancholic piece; this track somehow captures the vibe of the whole album, with its sudden sounds and mournful tone. 'The Navigator Who Doubted' has a tribal feel to it, with the vocals telling of bleak times: "... Is this my direction? Is this my decision?" 'The Shot' opens also with tribal feeling drums, and again the song is low key: "You're laughing hard without a smile." Bitter in places, and always dark, but still good listening.

(Vicious Records - no contact details supplied)

"Autumn Eye" by singer-songwriter Emily Jones (daughter of Al Jones - see below) is a terrific collection of seven songs. I'm a sucker for a good handmade CD package, and this is a beauty: metallic paper, recycled card, and a real leaf on the front. Very nice! The music is haunting, opening with 'Dark Moss & Coldheart,' where Jones' light, breathy voice sings of leaves, teeth, moss and shadows. Keyboards, a harmonium and an omnichord complete the instrumental backing. The overall effect is very strong - atmospheric, dramatic. 'Bed Of Mud' continues the dark, landscape/nature theme, with a harpsichord-like synth and another folk styled tune. 'Hermegant & Maladine' matches very eerie lyrics with another haunting tune. 'Light Appearing' adds secondary vocals to the mix above an arpeggiated keyboard, while 'Tethered' augments the folky vibe with a 3/4 time signature and a great tune, sung beautifully. The album closes with 'Bright Shadows,' which has a bit of a '60s feel to it, while remaining true to the milieu of the work. This is a really good album by somebody who could go far. Fans of alt-folk or English bucolica should check out this lovely music. Highly recommended!

(www.owltextures.co.uk)

Al Jones was a veteran of the British music scene, returning here 'from beyond the grave' (he passed away in 2008) on his album "Jonesville," which presents the listener with a previously 'lost' album from 1973. It is indeed a testament to the man's skills: great songs, great singing, idiosyncratic lyrics and themes. Mostly the songs are sung to guitar backing, but there are extra instruments too - bass, organ, occasional drums, harmonica. Recorded for the legendary Village Thing label, this is certainly music that needs to see the light of day. 'Jeffrey Don't You Touch' is a tuneful opener, 'Get Out Of My Car' is upbeat, 'Bernard's Exit' is a fingerpicked instrumental (one thinks of Nigel Mazlyn Jones here, another Cornwall resident), 'Earthworks' is another catchy tune, while 'To London With You' is another fine song. 'Caught In A Storm' tells the tale of real events, and this is an album highlight - beautifully produced, with lovely backing vocals. Kudos to Ian Anderson of fRoots Magazine for his work on this one; a little gem indeed.

(ghostsfromthebasement.bandcamp.com)

"Cabin 28" by Cabin 28 is a collection of strange, quite modern-sounding instrumentals, mostly played on keyboards and synths, with occasional vocals added. The feel is of the soundtrack of a horror film, but the music isn't particularly dark or gothic, rather it's atmospheric in a ghostly or suspenseful way. The pieces are all quite short, but they work really well. 'Spanish Oaks' features an oscillating synth solo over the dancing piano chords, and there's a hint of birdsong in the background. One inevitably thinks of those classic 1980's Tangerine Dream soundtracks. 'Night Draws In' again has sequences and lots of synths for more than a hint of TD, while 'Hitch Hikers On HWY 70' is really eerie, with its drones and subtle synths. Tons of atmosphere, and it doesn't overstay its welcome: I liked this one a lot.

(Static Caravan record label - no contact details supplied)

Before I review "Electronic Memory" by Crystal Jacqueline & The Honey Pot I must declare a possible conflict of interest: I know Icarus Peel and Jacqui personally, and have worked with Jacqui on an upcoming Mooch album. They're both charming and delightful people who make great music. Having said all that, I must be impartial as I review this album... Well, it's great! No, really, it is. Steeped in 1960's culture, and formed from a fab double EP released recently on Fruits De Mer Records, the album comprises Icarus Peel songs and covers of classics from the era. Opening with the mellotron-haunted sound of 'Outgoing Intro,' which tells the tale of Crystal Jacqueline "not waking up," the album then heads off into a cover of Rick Wright's gorgeous song 'Remember A Day,' from the "A Saucerful Of Secrets" album: lovely. 'Things Weren't Right' is another self-penned song, again featuring Paige Naomi Baker, the young narrator of the work. 'It's Raining,' 'White Rabbit' and 'Tick Tock' are Honey Pot-played songs, with Icarus/Jacqui on vocals - full-on retro here. 'The Swan Necked Spider' is a weird little number; hints of West Coast psych here, and a great vocal from Jacqui, whose voice matches the music to a tee. 'Egyptian Tomb' features Wayne Fraquet on sax, while the later songs include covers of 'Hole In My Shoe' and 'I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night.' Well, if you love 60's-influenced music, are fond of a good cover version, or just wish to revel in great music played with verve and skill, this is one for you. The narrations bind the album, the cover choices are classics, and overall it's a terrific listen. Go get!

(www.mega-dodo.co.uk)

Speaking of Fruits De Mer and Mega Dodo, on 24th May - Whit Bank Holiday Sunday - a fantastic live event will be taking place in Putney, London: the Games For May, based of course from the famous line/event from the Floyd's 'See Emily Play.' There will be five fabulous bands there, all of them worthy of your attention: Tir Na Nog (classic folk/indie duo formed way back in 1970), Schnauser (uncategorisable psych/prog musings with more than a hint of English eccentricity), The Honey Pot (wonderful Westcountry band with Icarus Peel and Crystal Jacqueline), Mark & The Clouds (fine psych/retro influenced band, whose "Blue Skies Opening" was an outstanding release of last year), and FdM regulars The Past Tense. You'd be mad to miss out!

(www.mega-dodo.co.uk)

Finally, over to Steve Pescott to guide us home in what has been quite a marathon Rumbles. Take it away, Steve!

Comparing the back catalogues of avant gardists TETUZI AKIYAMA & ANLA COURTIS, it sure looks like a Mr. Chalk and Mr. Cheese scenario. There's Tetuzi with a past in the ultra-sedate soundworlds of the onkyo scene, while Anla's tape/found sound experiments (see "Tape Works" on Pogus Records), and time served with Reynols were certainly aimed towards the higher registers, when it came to recording levels. The duo's "Naranja Songs" c.d. on the ever happening Public Eyesore imprint, walks a slightly different walk from standard/received gitbox improv, as in this case, both players cast aside the wailin' axes in favour of acoustic models. And if you think that their joint phrasebook limits itself to a few pages...it's time to reconsider. There's a wide variety of moods 'n' dynamics throughout the four lengthy cuts. "Mind Mochileros" and "The Calico Vibe" obviously hold the attention with their carefully measured twangs, clicks and dampened thrum. But I'm more fascinated by the hairier half of the proceedings. "Springs and Strings" and "Los Frets Nomades" find the twosome using a number of sundry foreign objects and frantic bowing techniques, which at times ratchet things up to an almost industrial level. Frustratingly, the liner notes steer clear of any info re. just who puts what appliance where. That small hiccup aside, this good-natured parlez btween two masters of left field thought should satisfy anyone with portraits of Messrs. Bailey, Frith or Hans Reichel in their abode.

    Also from the same label, comes the "Avatar Woman" c.d. by AZURE CARTER & ALAN SONDHEIM. If the second-mentioned cove agitates a distant memory cell, it's because his "Songs" l.p. (Riverboat Records/1967), was an entry in the legendary "Nurse with Wound List" of yore. There have been recorded sightings via ESP and Qbico Records, but boy are they thin on the ground. Obviously becoming a big name in cyberspace theory (nah, me neither...) has taken its toll on the musical side of things. Our loss being cyberspace's gain I suppose. So as to this, ahem, comeback album, we find this multi-instrumentalist chumming up with vocalist/songwriter Azure Carter. Her exotically-inclined chants and incantations seem to channel wayward free spirits like Amy Sheffer and Carole Caroompas and really come to the fore on "Surely" and the bewitching "Blood Tantra". Although the material is lightly sprinkled with jazz inflections blown in by saxists Christopher Diasperra and Edward Schneider, the scenery is pure ethno cut and paste wonderment. With such instrumentation as the Dan Moi, Suroz, Sarangi, Cuma Cumbus (??) and Electric Saz, being plucked and twanged, I presume, I'm reminded of small armchair globe-trotting units like Limbus 4 and Kalacakra. Possibly a little too rich to be snarfed up at one sitting, but nonetheless "Avatar..." remains a nice item and one I shall certainly return to at a later date....(Public Eyesore Records, 475, 43rd Street, Richmond, CA 94805, U.S.A.   www.publiceyesore.com)

    The "Chamber Fracture" l.p./c.d. is the fifth release from Paris-based lo-fi combo ASTATINE, who seem to be plugging themselves into the mains supply of Lou Barlow's Sebadoh. Named after a radioactive element, in case you're wondering, these nineteen tracks of an expressionist/miniaturist bent, come saturated in tin-eared compression/distortion and distressed production values, where samples of Pharoah Sanders and The Dust Breeders skulk in the very darkest corners of the "mix". Some pieces are even reduced down to a haze of shortwave crackle, while the vocalese (for want of a better word) is at best vague and indecipherable, battling through a (broken) glass half empty worldview. "Crumbling Infrastructure", "Word Destruction" and "Worst Attack" giving the game away as to the parlous mindset of the collective (?). Available from Orgasm Records, 27 Rue Crebillon, 94300 Vincennes, France, in a severely limited run....that's twenty vinyl copies and then double it for the c.d.s (!!!!).

    Surprisingly enough, it was way back in a March 2012 edition of "Rumbles" when I first bumped into a handful of avant jazz/noisist c.d. releases from New York's 'Out Now' imprint. I remember being especially taken by the free guitar rattle of Israeli string-tweaker Ido Bukelman's "Solo", his quartet's "Cracked Song" and the EFT three-piece (aka the ElectroFree Trio), which included drummer Ofer Bymel and Daniel Davidovsky on electronics. Well..a couple of miles along the timecoast, a further Eftist bulletin has arrived at Emsworth Towers in the strangely twisted shape of the "Spatial Awareness" c.d. As luck would have it, the line-up has remained stable, but the sixty-four thousand dollar question on my lips was whether there would be anything as behemothically rambunctious as "Crunch" or indeed "Soul Cramp" within its virtual grooves. Well for starters, the sleeve art, showing an American 'z' film style alien/monster thing (nicely realised by Tal Lutzer), certainly promises something untoward concealed within. And...untoward a goodly fraction of "...Awareness" certainly is... Tracks like the fiery (and near bluesy) "Rough House" and "Emerging Foundations" remind me of Caspar Brotzmann's Massaker, where the power trio aesthetics have been stomped on heavily and then systematically revised. Naturally there are some quieter interludes but the spaceous whirrs and crackles of "Friend of No One but your Phone" and "Lone Tech Sucker" really only seem to operate as buffers which actually enhance the dynamics/random electrical sparks that course through this rather vital live recording.  (www.outnowrecordings.com)

    Based in South Wales, SPURIOUS TRANSIENTS is a project in experimentalism from the pen of Gavin Lloyd Wilson, (gtr., b.g., synthi, samples etc). Aided by five occasional hired hands, his "Portraits of a Landscape" (c.d.) contains a number of pieces inspired by the Welsh landscape; five cuts reflecting the industrial side of things and the other four embracing the more rural elements. While G.L.W. is seen as being an avid cheerleader for the Krautrock cause, (the blurbsheet cites Faust, Can, Cluster, Harmonia, Neu and Kraftwerk as his only influences, I'm going to be the grumbling appendix in the body of the Terrascope as I just don't hear it at all. Lest we forget; Can were heavily into the Velvets, Kraftwerk were big Stooges fans and debut-era Faust were simply off the planet. In all of those bands there was always an element of danger, unpredictability and individuality. Check out "Vom Himmel Hoch", "Augmn" and "Lila Engel" if you really need examples.... Sadly these maverick personality traits have clearly been tippexed out of the songbook by these students of krautrock nouveau. It's all very indie really mid-paced and regretfully mild of temprament. The spirit of Krautrock in the British underground (to put the cat amongst the pigeons...) began and ended with This Heat and Metabolist.   Discuss?

(available from: www.spurioustransients.bandcamp.com  /  G. L. Wilson, Let y Band, Glandwr, Pembrokeshire, S. Wales. SA34 0XY.

    Gary Mundy is another one of those musician coves whose now fit to burst back story makes for fascinating, involved and indeed lenghy reading. A Pete Frame-styled family tree must surely be in the offing? He was the prime mover/curator of the beyond underground 'Broken Flag' label and fronted the legend that is Ramleh, Blind Alley, Toll and Kleistwahr. The first named with produce on Noiseville, S.F.T.R.I., Harbinger etc underwent an occasional janus-faced personality change from avant garage electronics to hard-nosed sike guitar weirdness (like the superb "Boeing" l.p. on Majora and the strange drummerless "Grudge for Life" album) to harsh analogue gush with Mundy manning the sound cannons on great albums such as the almighty "Valediction" on the sorely missed Second Layer label. However, it's the latter project that I'm really here for. I'm not really certain if there is really any distinction in sound or stance between the latest c.d. "The World is not my Home" and the latter period synth-dominated Ramleh; the alienated/blackhearted worldview being present in both units. But my unsuccessful musings aside, this little disc, with its sleeve art homage to the monochromed 'Broken Flag' livery is a living, (fire) breathing behemoth; loud, huge and spines-on-spikes abrasive. Witness an old established master showing the young noise whippersnappers the door pronto. And...it's so much more than shriek and blare as some of the backdrops/sound swells project a palpable sense of melancholia that's almost orchestral in its scale. Separating one or two highpoints from the set is a pretty fruitless task as the programming simply isn't designed with that in mind. From the first turbojet-like second of "Into the Black Light" with its ultra distorted vocal samples, to the last grey reverbed note of "Into the White Light" (does this refer to a Near Death Experience??), it's like being dragged through a series of dank/dark shafts and tunnels, face first (!) at sub-mach speed. And...at this present moment in time, that's precisely what I need. (www.fourth-dimension.net)

    I'm sure that we're all familiar with the age-old image of the enchanted toyshop, in which the inanimate toys suddenly spring into life just after the humans have retired for the night. Well...substitute toyshop for Robert Moog's laboratory and that kinda sums up the fourteen tracks that populate the bizarroid "FRACTAL MEAT CUTS, VOLUME ONE" c.d. comp on the Adaadat label. It really does suggest a twilight world where the instruments (for want of a better word), play themselves. As for background; all tracks originate from live material that was featured on "Fractal Meat on a Spongy Bone" - a programme from an online radio station based in the smoke.  Thibault Authemon opens with an "Untitled" and immediately beguiles the earways with a radiophonic/krautrocky hybrid that plays heavy on the deep foreboding side of things. "1-80" by Leslie Deere thrusts a mike deep into a busy street scene, which occasionally slips into an unexpected parallel dimension mired in drone and mild distortion. The beautifully named Flange Zoo's "David Cameron Rat Lung" meanwhile is truly a thang to encounter. Slavering/drooling vox, surmounted by a mutated Woolworths' kiddy organ and metal coathanger percussives say "Get it up yer Dave!!!" in a wonderfully unwholesome way. Another "Untitled" by Ryan Jordan, by way of light relief...ha!! is an oppressive chunkette of blackened noise that's akin to a gigantic metal robot hand reducing a rusted commer van to mangled metal shards. All that (and more) in the luxury of your own living room! As you can no doubt see, a fairly uncompromising...bucket of caustic soda...sorry! that should read...collection of backwater european electronix. Wear some body armour? Also, on the very self-same identical label is ROMVELOPE's "Bespoke Action Plantation" c.d. making this my second run in with circuitry-tweaker Bjorn Hatleskog. With a goodly portion of electro-acoustic blather, one really can't detect a great deal of um, progression from the previous to the now. If indeed progression is what the everyday noisefiend craves. That said, compared to his "Mountains of Mayonnaise" set, one can find a far more restrained hand on the tiller on tracks like "Busilaccio Breakout" and "Hudmandod". Less chainsaw of Texas and more 'House of Usher' if you will... Needless to say, other examples in which certain electro-frazzled particles circulate still have the potential to separate you from your breath and frighten tiny children from a long distance. "Fanfaronade" and "Bay Area of Pigs" certainly spring to mind, where claws are certainly out and teeth certainly bared.

(As a p.s. A brief message to Adaadat's packaging department. Wait until the glue has dried on the sleeves before inserting the discs.  Huh? Seepage. Causes woe.)   (www.adaadat.co.uk)

Thanks to Steve, Steve and Andrew for their hard work in this edition of Rumbles and to you for reading it.

Terrascopic Rumbles for March was brought to you by Simon Lewis, Andrew Young, Steve Pescott and Steve Palmer. Artwork, layout & direction by Phil McMullen - © Terrascope Online, 2015