Alpine Static

Kinski, Kinski | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 12, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sub Pop
• ASIN: B0009SOG4E
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #235,647 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Where Kinski once mined the explorations of detuned ‘80s guitar pioneers such as Glenn Branca, Live Skull and the Dead C, these days they set their controls for the heart of the 1970s. The cosmic ‘70s that is; this album shows a full affinity with the explorations of heads like Popol Vuh and Terry Riley, though it's definitely heavy in a Sabbath vein as well. It's not Kinski's best album, however; the pop sensibility that held their jams together has floated away. The jammy explorations that remain instead are very interesting and often gorgeous but they lack the compositional rigor of Riley and Vuh's Florian Fricke. This is likely a transitional album for these Seattle-based explorers. These mostly instrumental songs ebb and flow and change shapes yet stay together, like a school of brightly colored tropical fish. –Mike McGonigal

Product Description

This is the second Sub Pop album from Seattle's monsters of instrumental post-psychedelic rock. Since their last offering, Kinski had the chance to tour with everyone from Acid Mothers Temple to Mission Of Burma to Comets On Fire, and we'll be damned if that doesn't make sense. The new album is a logical, and thrilling step forward.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kinski - 'Alpine Static' (Sub Pop), April 9, 2006

By 

Mike Reed (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Alpine Static (Audio CD)

Good current CD release by the Seattle experimental/space rockers. Think I liked the disc's two lengthiest tracks the best, "Passed Out On The Lawn" and "Edge Set" which both clock in at around nine minutes. Also dug the electronic weirdness used in the background on tunes like "Wives Of Artie Shaw" and "Hiding Drugs In The Temple". Sort of reminds me of vintage Hawkwind. Funny, how I haven't seen that mentioned anywhere else. Overall, you get nine (9) cuts of trippin' mind music, JUST the way you like it. Might appeal to fans of Acid Mothers Temple, SubAracnoid Space, Bardo Pond and possibly Flying Saucer Attack. Recommended.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Picture yourself in a car on the highway, July 23, 2005

By 

John L Murphy "Fionnchú" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alpine Static (Audio CD)

Imagine this as a soundtrack for a road trip, from desert up through mountain pines, complete with, halfway through as you rise in altitude, blasts of static and later crashing storms of feedback interrupting the "motorik" chugging beat that accelerates up the first part of the journey, and then coasts more peacefully to a gentle, bucolic meadow of softer sounds.

This is Kinski's best balanced effort yet, and without vocals, the chance for Alpine Static to waft over your own array of moods makes this a perfect companion for the open road. A title like "Passed Out on the Lawn" runs the gamut of emotions while it makes you project your own storyline upon the sonic variations presented. Songs take their time to rumble and roam; it's reminiscent of Mahler at times in its restless, epic, scope.

At times it recalls the suitably named Swervedriver with its relentless but tuneful insistence, often Kyuss and the stoner rock blasted from the Californian parched plains a decade ago, and throughout the steady, hypnotic movement of Neu. It's less assaultive than Comets on Fire, and more akin to a cross between the bands inspired by loud-soft heavy dynamics and those longing to re-create the inner moods that you feel when zooming up the highway into places long awaited to be glimpsed for the first time.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, November 18, 2008

By 

Ellis Swearangin - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alpine Static (Audio CD)

This album combines virtuosity with inventive songwriting and a tightness that can only come from many long rehearsals. This album is a masterclass in psych rocking. There isn't much in the way of improvisation which means the music has a different feel than the w_nk rock of some bands. I'd say they are like a more trippy version of The F__king Champs. I really encourage people to give this disk a chance, play it a few times before you make your decision on it.

The mastering is really really good on this cd, which is a rarity for rock cd's. There is plenty of dynamic range and the drums are really punchy. Usually drums sound wimpy and wet noodlely on rock records because of the heavy use of compression and brick wall limiting (see 'loudness war' at wikipedia). Not here.

All in all, one of the best rock instrumental albums of 2007.