Customer Reviews

When Sweet Sleep Returned

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

 

 

A San Francisco band with a mouthful for themselves and their newest CD title. They turn from the freakier Hawkwind-prog blend of their debut, "Ekranoplan," into what's been called more "Notorious Byrd Brothers" late-60s psych-folk. As that LP's on my top 20, I checked this group out after a friend played it and my ears perked up. It sounded in the background very early-70ish, and fans of the Dead (I'm not one, but I've tried) may admire some tracks, as well as those favoring a more muddy, dense, acidic (not alkaline) sound from this period.

The production makes this feel like it's coming from a garage down the street. Boxy, echoed, and processed, but it does not always stand up under closer than background listening. This is the group's limitation. Whether out of a lack of budget or a lo-fi aesthetic, the eight songs except for the rippling "Kolob Canyon" (the most Dead-like tune in a good way) and a pastoral "End Under Down" don't rise from the murk. This may be the Hawkwind influence, or AHISS's earlier musical legacy sticking to the record despite a move towards more quieter moods. (I also like early Hawkwind by the way, another reason I sought this record out; for the reviewer who wondered if AHISS resembled another band from The City, Wooden Shjips-- all of whose records I have reviewed-- they do, sort of, but AHISS seem less drony and more rambling, even if their songs, as with WS, tend often to be surprisingly short; this is only a forty-minute record.)

The best songs are the snappy "Two Birds" and the unfolding textures at a louder resolution on my favorite, the rapid yet hesitant patterns of "Drunken Leaves." The others don't leap out as much, but repeated listenings remind me of the later, less frantic, efforts from near-neighbors Comets on Fire. With a member credited on theremin & moog, this is a band that delights in updating a wonderful time for Bay Area and California coastal rock music, but they do need a stronger producer to bring out their potential. The woozy quality speaks of the forest, shadows, and mulch. But, some sunlight to pierce the dampness in these grooves could do wonders.

Wow -- Great new record from AHISS. While AHISS's first LP was a successful exercise in heavy psychedelica, WSSR reveals a band that is growing and maturing in terms of the complexity of its song craft, the quality of its production, and use of varied instrumentation. In terms of sonics, the mix is airy and ethereal, which matches perfectly the mood of the songs -- especially on the vocal tracks. In terms of the music, WSSR remains guitar-driven, and could easily be mistaken for a lost sun baked gem from the early 70's. The first track, "Two Stage Rocket," picks right up where AHISS's first LP, Ekranoplan, left off. From there, however, the songs -- beginning with "Two Birds" --- stretch out a bit with extended/layered guitar jams combined with some real nice celestial keyboard work (ala Pink Floyd Echoes). For me, "Kolob Canyon" is the highpoint with its slightly phased vocal choruses and driving Derek & the Dominos-esque guitar -- which appears to be interwoven with the subtle sounds of a sitar. So, overall, what does WSSR sound like? It's a combination of Comets on Fire's "Avatar," Dungen's "4," a bit of the Black Angel's "How to See a Ghost," the vocal spirit of Fleetwood Mac's "Future Games," and, in particular, Eric Clapton's "Let it Rain." Take note of this band. They are making music that is really good -- and arguably very important.

Well, you know it's a bad sign when the sticker on the disc cites no less than SIX other bands in an attempt to describe the band's music. Those bands are, in order of appearance in the blurb: The Byrds, Pink Floyd, Crazy Horse, Music Machine, Mudhoney, and Wooden Shjips. I haven't heard Wooden Shjips, a local band in San Francisco, but I have the heard the others and these guys sound nothing like them, in ANY era.

Now maybe the band can't help how it's marketed, so I won't penalize the music for what my expectations were going into it. But even on its own merits, this is pretty average psych-rock that rarely pokes its head out of the box and does anything interesting. The vocals are frequently muddy, and not in an energetic, visceral, garage-rock sort of way. Much of the record has a heavy-distortion fuzz-rock sound (think NMH's "On Avery Island" but without as much pep -- oops, there I go comparing it to other bands, maybe I should be in marketing?) Some of the riffs are good, and there's some decent solo guitar here and there. I can't really tell if they want to be an old school psych-blues outfit or a modern prog-rock band, and I'm not sure they know either.

I think if they went all-out toward the psych-blues side of their sound, and used stronger - but fewer - vocals, they could probably crank out a great record. But I'm not holding my breath waiting for a label that markets them entirely by namedropping better bands to suddenly, in a flash of good sense, give these guys a great producer and strip the band of its few mainstream leanings to produce a more focused, challenging, and rewarding album.