The Mind Expansion Thread - Psych/Space Rock

MARY NEWSLETTER is a band i've looked into more than once over the years but i could never find much in the way of reviews so i always passed.Then tszirmay came along praising this Italian Psychedelic band which coincided with the "Mellow records" sale, so i got this one and the followup fairly cheap.I'm so glad i finally pulled the trigger. I was able to find an old interview with this band which was enlightning because all the info and lyrics are in Italian in the liner notes.Mario the drummer says "We tried to compose a dark,psychedelic,minimilist album.We chose sounds able to drive the listener into a mental trip".This is a concept album about the incapacity of human understanding when it comes to infinity,nothingness,death,eternity etc. The title "Del Perduto Coraggio" stands for "Losing hope".The idea is that this(losing hope) is the final consideration of the human mind that struggles with these concepts(death,eternity etc.) and gives up. "Atomic Deja Vu" is silly and seems so out of place on this album,especially as the opening track.The band even called this "a stupid song about death".It's only 2 minutes long and is quite catchy. "Ah...sssch!" is atmospheric with sparse piano.This becomes haunting as other sounds come and go.Drums before 3 minutes out of nowhere.Vocals and a powerful soundscape follow.I like the guitar before 5 minutes.Vocal melodies then synth-like sounds follow. "Andrea Emo Nel Suo Studio" opens with these experimental sounds that are repeated over and over as synths play in the background.I like it.Vocals 1 1/2 minutes in come and go in a relaxed manner.It's experimental again.It kicks in around 4 minutes.A calm before 6 minutes as it turns spacey with vocals.Piano before 7 minutes to end it. "Dovuti Effetti Du Una Sola Causa" is my favourite and it features fast paced spoken words with a haunting background.Sounds like footsteps coming and going.The song turns into sounding like a cross between FLOYD and TANGERINE DREAM.Vocals 4 1/2 minutes in and it becomes louder after 6 minutes. "Neon" kicks in with a good rhythm before 2 minutes.Nice guitar too. "Del Perduto Coraggio" opens with pulsating sounds as other sounds come and go.It's eerie and dark.A beat comes in.Spoken words after 2 1/2 minutes or is it yelling.Haha. The raw guitar before 4 minutes is cool.The pulsating sounds of the intro return to end it. "Amica Venus" kicks in around a minute.Great sound! Guitar solo 3 1/2 minutes in.Nice.Atmosphere to end it as it blends into "Wittgestein".The atmospheric synths continue.A beat comes in then vocals. "Deja Vu Reprise" is next.Why!!? Haha. "Prospettiva Nevski" features FLOYD-like bass as vocals come in.It turns powerful after 1 1/2 minutes as vocals continue.It ends as it began. I think there's enough here to give it 4 stars.

This unique release remains one of my favorite Italian School of Prog releases of all-time, an extremely thoughtful album, lushly loaded with shimmering ideas, simmering atmospheres and exquisite creativity. It does need total attention as the value takes time to surface . The immediate first impression is one of playful invention, with decidedly unpretentious delivery, featuring the quality guitar playing of Davide Pisi, whose style is a mixture of Mark Knopfler (that gritty bluesy tone), Jan Akkerman (the jazzier solo period) and at times, early David Gilmour. But the remaining musicians are wonderful as well Marco Gusberti on piano and keys, Massimo Necchi on rotund bass, Mario Bramè on bold drums and a full-voiced Massimiliano Galbani, a vocalist who can emote, wail and soar in the language of his ancestors. "Vis Country" is a fine example of their inimitable recipe, an evocative romp that swerves, swoons and swamps with utter conviction. The guitar technique is pure genius, a blend of crass, coarse, grainy and rough, within a jazz-blues-prog blanket, great melodies and moods, up- tempo coalescing with mid-tempo , tossing in a few viola, cello, mandolin and flute passages to the mix, the mid section infuses mysterious psychedelia into a glorious paroxysm of emotion. A subtle piano-led solo and the restrained electric lead solo crowns this opener with cheering zeal and augurs well for the following tunes. "Intermezzo per chitarra, flauto e bouzouki" is a brief piece with German spoken words, flute, acoustic guitar and bouzouki, a beautiful pastoral interlude, full of sultry beauty, a simple melody to expire for, sheer exaltation. "Lontano" is a bruising, guitar-droned 6 minute masterpiece that resonates with conviction, bass guitar bopping along uncaring, the vocals sadly exuding some "distant" pain, dreamy psychedelic overtones color the arrangement. The ultra-distorted guitar break really growls with unabated fury, proving what an original 6 stringer Pisi really is, loading up on a fluid jazzy solo just to add faint distinction to the grind. A string quartet ends the tune and allies itself with an acoustic guitar on the next splendid ditty "intermezzo per quartetto d'archi e chitarra acustica". The contrasts are well thought out and thus, exhilarating. "Cattolica" is a 9 minute extravaganza with slithering slide guitar runs adding to the sublime main melody, very wistful and permissive until the underlying tone kicks in with pulsating frenzy, a restrained synth passage ushers in a pensive introspection and then, explosion! Pisi's axe playing becomes utterly lewd, almost dirty, complete bravado and bold assertiveness, an incredible display that is so rare in modern electric guitar playing. A return to the slide guitar trip and the vocalist recall of the main theme give the piece room to blossom, in fact imploding into a jazz bar-room atmosphere with scat-singing, bebop drums, cymbals crashing in seemingly disarray, real cool stuff! The next Interlude is "Orientale" where sitar, flute and percussives combine to provide an Eastern aroma, another sign of their expansionist creativity. "La Danza" is a mischievous little piece that "dances" convincingly, with Pisi's punkish axe leading the way, while Galbani's vocals truly shine with both brute power and insidious resolve , held down by some insanely nimble bass work. The similarly brief "Ricordi" is firmly in the dreamier category, with the spotlight directly on the vocals and some slithering bluesy guitar runs (a riveting solo that just rages onward), again combining jazz, blues, classical and that touch of originality that defines their style. "Le coup de fion" is a sumptuous interlude featuring piano and strings within a gorgeous melody. To prove how great this album is and how deep their craft can express powerful emotions, they finish off the proceedings with a 19 minute epic, the simply masterful "Martiri di Curiosita" (Martyrs of Curiosity). A long, sinuous, pensive intro assigns gentle electronics together with delicate percussion, the space/psychedelic overtones palpable, slowly exploding into a reptilian propulsion where all ingredients come together led as always by a bass-led turbo charge, some extended guitar improvisation, smashing, slashing, drilling and drooling with barely restrained abandon until the clearly defined melody breaks through the sonic clouds, opening up the piece like a blooming tulip! The piano and the vocal then reiterate the theme with conviction and one cannot help but smile as the whole becomes crystal clear, this is simply astral music. It's all here: soundscapes, special effects, great instrumentation, superb melodies, great singing and superlative playing. An absolute must for any ISP fan as well as for those who constantly seek new rock guitar sounds and styles. 5 virgin headlines.

There are very few groups in Progland quite like these simply amazing Italians, choosing to ply the oft traveled waters of symphonic prog with a whimsical take on the style, bringing in all kinds of intriguing touches. Their previous album "Distratto Dal Sole" was a real jewel, fueled by Davide Pisi's rather original guitar style, some unique singing in the traditional language of the land and some very attractive arrangements that kept away from synthesized bombast, preferring a jazzier experimentation slant. "Del Perdutto Corraggio" is even more leftfield, exploring peculiar soundscapes with unabashed curiosity , propelled by Pisi's magic axe and masterful interventions from the remaining crew, Marco Gusberti relying mostly on ornate yet slightly dissonant piano and hissing synths in an almost ultra-modern electronic style, as opposed to traditional sweeping virtuoso approach. The material sparkles with a hypnotic feel, singers Massimiliano Galbani and Mario Bramé (who is an excellent drummer as well) offering up some sense of lyrical balance to arrangements that veer dangerously close to sheer madness. At times minimalist (especially when the piano plays a major role) and at others effervescent, their brand of ISP is wholly original, extremely affirmative and slightly provocative as proven by the "Yugoslav" radio samples that collide with bubbling synths, mechanical drum beats, closer to experimental electronica than anything symphonic, as amply demonstrated on the manic "Dovuti Effetti di Una Sola Causa". The next track "Neon" returns to the supple delivery of their brand of psychedelia, with Pisi's twangy 6 string foray, twirling politely with Massimo Necchi's booming bass guitar, this is Mary Newsletter at their most cohesive and unique. The title track reverts to the realm of creative bizarreness, weird electro burps shuffling relentlessly, zips and zaps all over the place with an exalted vocal rant that is downright creepy, until Pisi kicks in a wickedly schizoid guitar blast, full of muted rage and insanity. This will not play on the radio, I assure you. "Amica Venus" is a disjointed affair that reveals some disturbing traits, burping bass heralding in a marshalling vocal that seem to float in luscious rancor. A slashing harmonica sardonically winks at the intense wah-wah guitar explosion, a definite descent into delirium. "Wittgestein 31" is another sterling electro breeze with swooning washes of synthesized wind, floating over some simple guitar picking, a brief but magnificent piece of divine music. The concise "Déjà vu reprise" revisits a previous album mainstay, the playful "Déjà vu", a sing along ditty full of fun and brawn. The boys like to have some fun, occasionally sprinkled with some odd ball configurations which continue on the rather Tullian "Prospektiva Nevski", echo vocal and all. While not as immediately appealing as their stunning predecessor, credit must be given to their inbred sense of "progression". 4 issues.

— First review of this album —

Fresh, weird, rocking. Floats my boat.

Mary Newsletter's fourth album is a very fresh take on the modern space rock album. The true Italian spirit of adventure and humor can be found in this eclectic mix of rock, space, psych, pop, and electronica. Do not judge the group by the streamed track on this site, it is an older track that frankly doesn't compare with the quality of this album. They list their influences as Pink Floyd, Radiohead, and Quicksilver Messenger Service and their guitar sound could be compared to Mark Knofler at times though it is often not as clean sounding as Dire Straits but with more of a spaced-out vibe.

"integro" begins with bleepy samples, weird sounding guitar and distorted wordless vocals. Some frisky acoustic guitar joins in. Then the band comes in heavily with good bass and drums. No one shows off too much but you can tell they are good players. Some normal vocals alternate with the distorted ones. The last minute features some weird squawking noises to the jamming guitar. "il colpo e la croce" is my favorite track starting with eerie noises to acoustic guitar. A beautiful and haunting vocal starts soon after that with absolutely perfect expressive space guitar and bass creating a Djam Karet style atmosphere. There is an odd effect to the vocal that gives a sense of helplessness to the subject. Soft piano sprinkles, bird like noises, and sparingly used percussion all add so much. The Levin sounding bass playing carries the track through some of the quieter moments. A masterful, perfect song. "peccato." comes charging out of the previous song with an upbeat drum beat and some rock guitar and heavy bass. More odd vocals give the otherwise static song a little edge. "illusione/delusione" is a jamming instrumental workout. "la pace" features both regular drumming and hand percussion with wah-wah guitar and good vocals. More nice piano here and there. The song structure breaks down in the middle and has some open space with just jazzy cymbals and loose guitar leads. One of the stronger tracks. "morte di un moderato" is quite bizarre with a movie soundtrack feeling, like from a strange 60s film. Exotic instrumentation and a "no rules" playing style of each man for himself. "step forward" is a strange song that begins with an electronica styled programmed beat with psych guitar in the background and wistful vocals. It slowly evolves into a good electric guitar solo over nice slow rhythm before the fast programmed beat returns at the end. "comin' into LA" may go down as the strangest cover I've ever heard. It's an electronica version of Arlo Guthrie's old "Coming into Los Angeles" that could be played at a rave to a roomful of partyers. It's a bit ridiculous to be sure but this album has a sense of humor lost on lots of dry artists. "nothing but the net" is almost a mix of punk, surf, and psych-pop. "in fondo" like the previous track shows the wheels coming off the wagon even further, in a good way, as "normal rock" music blurs into a loose, trippy rock chaos.

The band's myspace site claims they have disbanded but given the strength of this most recent release, we can only hope it is a temporary hiatus. Mary Newsletter is one of the most refreshing modern rock bands I've heard in some time, with a knack for combining good melodies with interesting and bizarre songwriting choices. Recommended to anyone who likes adventurous psych-pop or space-rock. Comes with a lyric booklet and nice artwork on the front and back covers.

Actually 3 1/2 stars!

This Band is somewhat difficult to describe in an overall sense?! I can tell you, however that this album to me is a very pleasant to listen. Not very complex but, melodic. It has progressive touches throughout no question about it, but it also shows elements of Rock, Blues, ethnic and space/Psych (ala PT) in the mix.

Several points, that I personally like about this album...It does not manifest a simple influence and preserves their Italian heritage, but with a 90's feeling (Italian lyrics by the way..) and, actually they have done a great job in this regard. There are four Intermezzos tracks, which give the sense of a cohesive album.

In all a very good release, that deserves some attention! I would not have any troubles in recommend this album to anybody, especially the Italian Prog lover!!!

Oh! - this sound flows through my body like heavy dope. And drugs are dangerous - you know that? Don't try to listen when you are in a bad mood. In that case this music will knock somebody down for sure. Otherwise - when you are up to scratch and feel the necessity to hug the whole world this can carry you to a new dimension.

'Last Day Of Sun' is the second effort of a Moscow based band with an almost unspeakable name KALUTALIKSUAK. The album title points to the fact that in some russian territory the sun is remaining below the horizon for nearly 2 months in winter. This is taking effect on the people's mood where Shamanism and native rituals still have a special meaning.

Is it one entire freakout jam what I'm listening to? Or composed with well thought out ideas? Onlythe band members know the truth. I tend to the latter. Krautrock and psych/space fans watch out! This is hot hallucinatory stuff predominantly - but not familiar as you might expect because provided with a strong avantgarde approach. They don't stay and float in the orbit - it's a permanant up and down - you can't figure out the direction. Starting from a psychedelic fundament they are adding ambient and free jazz similar parts with roving guitars and keyboards presented by the two core members Vladimir Konovkin and Alexander Chuvakov.

You will detect native russian elements, flute, exceptional vocals with a Shamanic background I assume - walls of crashing instruments too sometimes. All this is alternating, swirling around, gripping, perplexing - I don't think according to the random principle. It's not chaotic - an experimental symphony though so to say - only the popular understanding of what melodic means takes a backseat here - or is simply assigned with a new sense. Astonishing!

Recommended to open-minded music listeners who are interested in exploring new (foreign) territories. As for my personal sentiment - it has left me quite nervous once before when I listened to the whole album at a single blow. As no other it depends on your mood how you are digesting this sort of music. Probably not surprising for the band - they know what they are doing, KALUTALIKSUAK define new boundaries, celebrating an atmosphere which is absolutely unique. Not everyone's cup of tea and as for all avantgarde stuff it grows I'm sure. 'Last Day Of Sun' gets an additional star from me because I never came across something like that before ...

In some sense, there is a good reason to label KALUTULIKSUAK as Psychedelic/Space Rock band considering that their first official, self-titled CD-release featured a sort of proto-space-rock (with programmed beats, swirling textured keyboards, swishing phased guitars, and groovy bass). Those obscure songs were recorded in 1992-1993 at rehearsals. Simultaneously, they also recorded very different and much more focused avant-rock songs (as GB) which you can download and taste from www.raig.ru/AT_kalutaliksuak.asp.

And here comes a new album "Last Day of Sun" recorded in 2008. Space-Rock? Psychedelic? In the sense of HAWKWIND or OZRIC TENTACLES music it is not. But if you take, for example, French SHUB- NIGGURATH, blend it with Danish-Swedish ORESUND SPACE COLLECTIVE, and add authentic Siberian Shamanic chanting (sang on self-invented language), you would get a picture of how KALUTALIKSUAK sounds this time. This is an associative description for "rock" generation. Though, if your musical interests spread to classical academic music, the better description would be "an adaptation of Igor Stravinsky, Dmitry Shostakovich, or Alfred Schnittke's music to the format of rock-quartet".

Yes, it's very uneasy listening. Yes, it might sound too chaotic and confused (like certain works of aforementioned academic composers). But it's very concentrated and loaded performance, which sometimes even lacks in this free-loose spirit of psychedelic jamming.