MOTORPSYCHO

Another year, another Motorpsycho record. This time, it seems the band is trying to atone for their missteps on the previous two albums, which, in my opinion, strayed far from what Motorpsycho is all about.

Yay! (2023) and Neigh!! (2024) have little to do with the band's usual discography. They blamed the pandemic, but was the real issue that they simply needed a break? Maybe.

Now, Motorpsycho has released their self-titled album?and it's really good. They've paid their dues with this one, delivering a record that's a million times better than their last two.

The band is back on track, with both great epic tracks and strong shorter ones. They shift from a Jimi Hendrix vibe to Soft Machine, passing through Frank Zappa and King Crimson along the way.

The signature vocal style, with that Leslie effect reminiscent of a stoned Jerry Garcia, works wonders here. The bass and guitars riff like the best of Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, while the vintage keyboards? Mellotrons and Moogs?add depth and texture.

The record kicks off with "Lucifer, Bringer of Life," an obscure piece of dark psychedelia and proto-heavy metal. This song puts everything where it belongs.

Then come some familiar Motorpsycho staples and instrumentals: "Laird of Heimly" sounds like something off Led Zeppelin III; "Stanley (Tonight's the Night)" and "The Comeback" are upbeat, pop-tinged tracks with a 70s feel; "Kip Satie" is a solo piano piece that serves as an intro to "Balthazar," a trippy psych-prog journey; and finally, "Bed of Roses" closes out the first disc beautifully.

The second disc starts with the mighty "Neotzar (The Second Coming)," the best song on the record. This 21-minute epic blends jazz, prog, and psychedelia, feeling like a continuation of NOX, the great suite from The All Is One (part of the Gullvåg Trilogy).

At times, the album feels like it could be a concept record, with recurring musical motifs and an overarching sense of cohesion. While not officially labeled as one, there's a clear structure tying everything together, making it more than just a collection of songs.

The pop-driven "Core Memory Corrupt" offers a moment of lightness before the album's final stretch. "Three Frightened Monkeys" is another standout, stretching nine minutes with a hypnotic, evolving groove. And then comes "Dead of Winter," the perfect closer?melancholic, grand, and reflective, bringing the album to a powerful and fitting conclusion.

With Motorpsycho, the band has proven once again why they're one of the most consistently adventurous groups out there. After a couple of missteps, they've returned with a record that reminds us exactly why we fell in love with them in the first place.

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