MOTORPSYCHO

Motorpsycho is one of the most prolific bands in the modern prog scene. They're not quite King Gizzard, but they're not terribly far off, either. Including a handful of collaborations, their 2025 self-titled is their 28th full-length release. They've demonstrated a lot of range, both across their career and on individual records. Their 1991 debut is primarily a stoner metal album, for example. I wasn't introduced to Motorpsycho until their sprawling 2017 album The Tower.

Motorpsycho sees the now-duo take an approach somewhat similar to The Tower. This is a long record with a few songs where the band really stretches out. Textures are rich, dreamy, and psychedelic, but flashes of heavier stuff crop up every now and again.

Kicking things off is the nearly-11-minute "Lucifer, Bringer of Light". It's got a jumpy energy, and the buzzy and jangly guitars call to mind many alt-rock acts of the '90s. The rhythm is insistent and unflinching, channeling many krautrock and krautrock-adjacent acts; it's a strong complement to the lightly-folky guitar and vocal passages. Much of this song's midsection is occupied by an extended guitar solo. It's strongly in the vein of many classic psych acts, in that it cultivates an astral atmosphere. It can both serve as great background music and hold up under scrutiny.

"Laird of Heimly" is entirely psychedelic folk, with squonky synths burbling in the background. The occasional string embellishments and distant percussion give this cut a dreamlike atmosphere. In contrast, "Stanley (Tonight's the Night)" evokes the melodic hard rock of the mid-1970s. It's upbeat, catchy and fun. Maybe it's not the most experimental thing they've written, but it's simply a solid piece of smart songwriting.

The band dips into an off-kilter, bluesy guitar lick for "The Comeback". The guitars feel oh-so-slightly askew, but in a very controlled way, and that oddness helps elevate this song. "Kip Satie" quiets things down. This is a short, mildly creepy piano interlude that offers some breathing space and really helps with the flow of the record.

Their next long song, "Balthazar", kicks off with a pair of strange, monophonic synth lines. The specific tones and unusual patterns played call to mind certain strains of medieval European music, like one might hear from Gryphon. That soon fades away, though, and gives way to another relaxed and groovy psychedelic guitar line. Those odd, blaring synths reemerge briefly, and the blending of those two elements is an interesting experience. Much like Motorpsycho's opening song, this piece can be enjoyed either as spacey chill-out music or as something more actively listened to. Its conclusion is especially grand and triumphant-sounding, and the gradual increase in intensity is effective.

"Bed of Roses" has a creepy, groaning vocal line. Processed strings and acoustic guitar add to the haunting feeling.

Following that brief interlude, "Neotzar (The Second Coming)" occupies the entire third side of this album. This 21-minute piece opens with eerie, glassy keys and a female guest vocalist. The overall feeling is cold and isolated. Somewhat suddenly, the band jumps into their more usual sound. Motorik-inspired rhythms and big, crunchy guitars blast in and take control. Jittery electric piano adds to this section's tension and anxiety

Things drop out rather suddenly, and the song moves into a quiet and atmospheric section. Electric piano and harp lend an ethereal quality. Keeping with this cut's unsettling aura, as guitar and percussion rejoin the fray, it's chaotic and noisy with strong upward momentum.

Launching into the final major movement of this piece, light jazz flavors emerge as the band continues with more high-energy instrumental theatrics. Things threaten to dissolve into pure anarchy at points throughout this movement, but the band clearly knows how to control chaos.

"Core Memory Corrupt" features some nice, bright synthesizers under the guitar lines. Motorpsycho again dips back into the realm of '90s psychedelic alt-rock acts like Amplifier or Screaming Trees. It's melodic, catchy, and?if nothing else?fun. "The Frightened Monkeys" has some nice vocal harmonies and a krautry rhythm, but it is both longer than it needs to be and one of the less-essential cuts here. Had this shown up earlier in the album, I may have liked it more, but by the time this song arrived, I'd heard plenty of similar stuff.

The album ends on "Dead of Winter", which starts on a simple, stripped-back verse. A full backing band kicks in, and the sound is evocative of some '00s indie rock. It's not a bad way to end the album, but in isolation, it's not my favorite of the songs here.

Motorpsycho is a long album, but it's pretty digestible. The songwriting is sharp, dynamic, and engaging, and if the worst I can say about any song is, "it's alright," that makes for a pretty solid release.

Review originally published here: theeliteextremophile.com/2025/03/24/album-review-motorpsycho-motorpsycho/

Social review comments

Review related links

• Send comments to TheEliteExtremophile
• Report this review (#3167970)
• Buy MOTORPSYCHO music online with PA partners
• Show all MOTORPSYCHO MP3/Stream
• Go to MOTORPSYCHO page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Motorpsycho page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for MOTORPSYCHO related discussions