FOR SARDINES SPACE IS NO PROBLEM

Here we have another interesting release offered by the Austrian Sulatron Records label. THE MOVEMENTS are from Sweden, formerly known for making garage rock music with a retro touch. They established their reputation by extensive tours through Europe delivering kick-assing live performances. This album is differing though because a kind of space prog production mixed up with krautrock and folk elements. The concept is made around the story of Christer Fuglesang, the only Swedish (and even nordic) astronaut so far. The album title 'For Sardines Space is No Problem' is said to be the motto of his astronaut class at NASA.

After having trained since 1992 for his voyage he was part of a Space Shuttle Discovery crew in the end starting off at 10th December 2006. This awakened some interest in space travel in his native country of course and inspired the band to record a tribute album. As for the genuine chronological order it all begins with A Birth Under The Northern Sky accentuated by a crying baby - a folk tinged theme played by organ, deep percussion, clarinette, violin - all the instruments are serving a magical solemn mood.

Mother, Some Day I´m Going To Be An Astronaut - this song shows a young boy expressing his wishes with confidence at first. And the band interprets it with heavy psych rock - even getting close to punk. Soaring wah wah guitars and lush spacey synthesizer elements all over - later gliding into a hallucinogenic section initiated by weird vocal contributions. Growing up our young astronaut then continues In The Footsteps Of Gagarin - the famous russian cosmonaut who was the first person in space. An excellent dramatic organ work is striking here - the song has much of fellow countryman Bo Hansson as for my opinion - well done!

I assume the psychedelia/folk coloured Trapped On Earth is expressing the long waiting period for an astronaut until it's ready at last - where the dark mooded slowtempo Go Now My Friend (Out Into Space) perfectly reflects the last exciting (certainly frightening) moments before the lift-off initiates. Fuglesang had two space walks over the course of the mission - That Is The Wrong Bolt Christer, Standby is provided with a looping gliding behaviour here and some radiotelephony dialogues - probably even original recordings from the flight.

Worked out with obvious krautrock leanings and considering the flute Ministers Of Space reminds me of Kraftwerk's hit 'Ruck-Zuck' a little bit. Nice one anyhow. 'I've seen the earth, I've seen the stars, but I haven't found my home' - at the end we are left in suspense. Infinite space meets nordic melancholy. The last one The Grasp Of The Kings' Hand Is Not Enough is a psych folk song where at least the musical aspect is expressing a rather happy optimistic mood.

Surprise - surprise - THE MOVEMENTS are almost unrecognizable on this album - not only because they invited several friends with a quite unusual instrumentation. As for that a lot of details are to discover - in most cases not until after several rehearsals. A diversified effort with a well thought-out and implemented concept - excellent musicianship on top of it. Really enjoyable.

P.S. important sidenote: Fuglesang is crew member of Space Shuttle flight STS-128 - the lift-off is announced for the 29th August 2009! The band had asked him to participate in the recordings but he couldn't find the time for that. So at least he promised to take this tunes with him - covered on his i-pod.