Customer Reviews

Peel Sessions

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For anyone not sure, this is indeed the second Orb John Peel Sessions CD.

1) OOBE (12:17) ~ This version of OOBE strikes me as somewhat stripped down. The biggest differences are a repeating acoustic guitar "riff" and a minimal (though different) amount of samples. OOBE is one of my favorite Orb tracks and I found this to be a great variation on the original.

2) No Fun (5:28) ~ Just as OOBE fades out, this song kicks in and jars you. This is Stooges cover song - guitar, drums, bass and not a trace of ambience to be found. =) This is actually a fun (no pun intended) track, though you kind of wish it had been placed at the end of the disc so as not to interrupt the flow of things. On the other hand, maybe that's the idea.

3) Montagne D'Or (9:09) ~ Once again, a bit stripped down and different samples are found here. I actually like this version more than the Orbus Terrarum one as I find it to be a bit less harsh; the drums here have a much more acoustic sound to them. Excellent.

4) Valley (9:44) ~ Yet another of my favorite Orb tracks. This version starts out with a familiar sample from Pomme Fritz ("We're happy to be with you..."), which quickly fades into the familiar Valley groove. The drum sound on this track is just amazing. Lots of chanting-type samples populate this version along with those beautiful keyboard washes. This is an awesome version of an already awesome song.

I know that 5 star ratings are handed out on Amazon like candy, but I truly believe this disc is deserving of such a rating. Others may be more put off by No Fun than I am; I certainly think this disc could have done without it, but hey - just program or skip over it. You're still left with three amazing versions of Orb classics. This is a definate must have for any Orb fan.

Well, there's not much to go by here, except for Artist and Album Title, so I hope I'm reviewing the right thing! That "thing" being what may very well be the finest non-studio album The Orb has ever released.

Peel Sessions consists of three songs that originally appeared on The Orb's Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld, but that were re-recorded and reworked in 1989 and 1990 for the John Peel Radio Show. Since there are only 3 songs on the album--despite the approximately 40 minute total album length--I'll review song-by-song:

1. A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules From The Center Of The Ultraworld (Loving You): This version clocks in at just over 20 minutes, but absolutely flies by. It starts strong, with the wafting synth, pulsing beat, and randomly-forcing-its-way-to-the-foreground "ah" sounds you'd expect from this old Orb standard, but never quite gets to the really fast part. Not quite as good as the version on Live 93, perhaps, but the vastly superior sound quality allows it to more than hold its own.

2. Back Side Of The Moon (Tranquility Lunar Orbit): This is my favorite version of the almost uniformly brilliant Back Side Of The Moon/Supernova At The End Of The Universe/Reefer Spin In The Galaxy songs, omitting much of the drums in favor of heavy NASA moon landing samples. Indeed, those drums only kick in for about a minute, right in the middle of this 11-minute opus, but they make quite an impression in that short time. Definitely the highlight of the album, and along with White River Junction, S.A.L.T., and Majestic, one my all-time favorite Orb tracks.

3. Into The Fourth Dimension (Essenes In Starlight): Not really vastly different than the original, save for the wonderful circus-music ending, this version puts more of an emphasis on beat. But not to worry, the violins are still there, and as spacey as ever--as are the samples of some guy trying to explain the technical specifications of studio recording equipment (at least, that's what I think it is).

All in all, I think this is the best, most essential "remix" type album in The Orb cannon. It's a shame that it's so difficult to find.

This is the first Cd of the Orb's Peel Sessions, comprised of a session in 1989 (the first track), and one in 1990 (the last two). The version of A Huge Ever-Growing... is much like the album or single versions, only with different samples that pop up here and there (notably, in a tribute to their favorites, the riff from "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". This track last just over 20 minutes. The version of Back Side of the Moon takes elements also from Supernova at the End of the Universe (essentially it plays like an edit of the two tracks put together). It lasts exactly 10 minutes. The last track is Into the Fourth Dimension, and plays similar to a beatless version of the album track, and goes about 12 and a half minutes. These last two are interesting as these sessions came out before the album did, and it's interesting to see how they were still playing around with the songs. While the songs here aren't as radically changed as the versions of songs on the Live 93 album, they're still different enough to be necessary for Orb fans, and only the Orb can make 40 minutes fly by and make you want to play it over and over.

The second Orb Peel Sessions CD was released in 1996. It followed the Orb's successful fourth release Orbus Terrarum (1995). This album captures the direction of the Orb's music at that time. Lots of atmosphere, muted vocal samples, ambient synth with very little percussion.

There are four tracks in this 36 minute release. O.O.B.E. is a nice version of the UF Orb classic. It sounds like the band borrowed a little more of Pat Metheney's acoustic guitar (last heard in Little Fluffy Clouds) for this version. No Fun is the stand out, as the ambient pioneers diverted to play punk for a break in 1992. (Is that Alex P. doing John Lydon? Pretty close. No Fun is lots of fun.)

The best of the more traditional Orb is the version of Montagne D'Or, which is presented in an ambient mix without the noise of the 1995 version. This track is perfection. It is also a nice contrast to its polar opposite "Vesta Mix" version which appeared on the limited edition 1998 Best of: UF OFF CD. (That version is also excellent for its sheer noise. It sounds like someone rammed a Les Paul into a sequencer, shoved into a Marshal Stack, and set on fire. Awesome)

Finally (fourthly) Valley is very good . As well as some new production, this Peel sessions mix adds some structure to the Orb classic, which roams freely and sparcely.

Overall this album does not surpass the first (1991) Peel Sessions, but it is a great addition to an Orb collection.

Only four tracks (but really only 3; the second track is a soundcheck cover of the stooges' No Fun- but it IS fun!) and that's all that's necessary with this beautifully masterfully creation from our beloved Orb. Especially if you love Orbus Terrum, you will love these different productions of the two tracks from that album. It opens with the opening track of UFORB, "OOBE," but quite differently. Crystal Clearly heavy on the Pink Floyd DarkSideOFTheMoon sample. Then after tons o fun, track three is "Montagne d'Or" and track four, "Vally," both exquisitely done to perfection again, but again, very differently than on Orbus Terrum, with acoustic drums, and electric guitar; crazy good. So worthwhile, that any true Orb lover MUST *orbtain* it! running time is about 40 min or so...

I only have an audiotape version of this which is warped from overplaying and sitting out in the rain. (I told it not to, but it just kept going out there anyway.)

I want the CD.

For those who don't know there are 2 different Orb peel session albums, one that came out in 1991 and another that's newer but harder to track down, as with all albums by the Orb it must be good. Which Peel session album is this?
Need more info.