TIMOTHY'S MONSTER

Out of all the Motorpsycho-releases, this one was THE one that showed that they were more than just a "metal band with delusions of grandeur"*. After the first three releases which mostly belonged in the metal category, Timothy's Monster forever broadened the horizons for what could be done in one album (in an MP context, of course)

CD1 is easily the most accessible, and features acoustic driven ballads, awkward pop/rock with Pavement and Sonic Youth influences, shoegazer alà My Bloody Valentine and Ride, psychedelic rock with certain nods to The Grateful Dead and progressive elements (like mellotrons, hammond organs and jamming). All that in 11 songs and 57 minutes!

But for the Prog Archives die-hards, it's CD2 that probably will be the real payoff. 4 songs, 42 minutes. The Wheel lasts for 17 minutes, and is a droning, psychedelic and apocalyptic masterpiece that even provided lotsa room for endless experimentation live. Sungravy is an acoustic prog/folk-ballad with a nice string arrangement. Grindstone is a non-compromising metal song with harrowing vocals, repetitious riffs and a f---ed up noise ending that just keeps on getting louder and louder until it's abruptly cut off. And then The Golden Core ending the album on a 13 minute epic prog-rock journey reminiscent of King Crimson's finest moments (Epitaph, In The Court..., Exiles and of course Starless)

Some people were complaining that the metal was almost gone, and that the album was too diverse in expressions and styles. Maybe it is, but why should one complain when the songwriting is of such high quality, and the songs are so well performed?

This album cemented Motorpsycho's fate as genre-surfing, supersonic scientists.

(*= Quoted from the liner notes in the "Roadwork 2" live album by Motorpsycho)

NOTE: This album was re-relased August 9th 2010 in a 4 CD box version with a bunch of outtakes, demos, pre-versions and covers. Order it from their labels, either Stickman Records or Rune Grammofon.