STATIONS OF THE GHOST

What's up this time, Fred? EARTHLING SOCIETY's goal is to offer something different with every album, come what may. The release sheet promises that this one 'takes you into the misty realms of Lancashire witch country', a wild and beautiful landscape without a doubt. Expressions like 'occult, kraut-angst acid, halloween, gothic' are given - so according to that I expected something hard to digest this time. Above all when opening myself to the cover art including old-fashioned letters ... sunset ... dark horizons will appear soon ... uaaahhhh - it's the time of ghosts, scarecrows ... and dark mooded songs to accept here?

Not really! Okay, Fred Laird's vocals need getting used to, are rather acid, slightly modified, echoed ... and some spooky samples respectively effects are appearing occasionally. However, while ignoring the lyrics, I have problems to comprehend this hype ... never mind, what the band offers music-wise is excellent as usual fortunately, simple as that. You can await songs with profoundness in opposite to plain jams, that's for sure. Compared to the forerunner 'Sci-Fi Hi-Fi' Luis Gutarra has joined as a new crew member. His bass guitar goes really funky here and there.

On Dark Horizons for example, basically arranged with a proper straightforward drive, a kick in the ass in best Hawkwind tradition. Somewhere in between though the bass makes the signal for an excellent spacey jamming interlude, including nice organ input and wonderful soaring guitar walls. Vocals sound close to Native American chanting here. Overall an extraordinary composition in my humble opinion. The title track is the shortest piece on this occasion, designated for the kick-off - ambient, based on sonar synths, very melancholic. Even country and folk impressions appear futhermore, the repetitive The Halloween Tree resembles a krautrock atmosphere with oriental touch and acid guitars, reminding me of Amon Düül 2 in some way.

The longest track Child Of The Harvest comes like another shooting star - an opulent outfit, very entertaining song structure, even with some sing along opportunity plus cool saxophone.and nice mellotron/organ contributions by Joe Orban. Music fans who are keen on unlimited, well thought out psych/space stuff should grasp firmly here. EARTHLING SOCIETY and 4 Zero Records surely can take a pride in offering such a new release spiked with enjoyable songs all over.