SLIZDEXICS UNTIE

A mostly instrumental offering by Adelaide electronic rock band Peak, 38 years after their first and hitherto only album. Features original Peak members Paul Fisher (guitars / keys / electronics) and Robert Reekes-Parsons (keys on 2 tracks) plus Colin Forster (bass on all tracks) and guests on other instruments. "Last of the seatbelts" reminds me a little of "Obscured By Clouds" and other tracks have an instrumental Floyd feel to them also eg "Gorilla Gas" (seems to me rather like a sped-up version of Floyd's Shine on). Produced beautifully, selection of instrumentals that at times sound like Jean Michel Jarre with added guitars and sound effects. I will extend this review after I have listened a few more times.

Slizdexics Untie is groundbreaking - beyond the exceptional musicianship and incredible recording quality, the composition is a combination of flowing and drifting melodic passages peppered with sudden, powerful riff-oriented prog rock movements. "Gorilla Gas" and "The 'J' Curve" stand out among a sea of gems, but any lover of quality music - be it progressive or any genre, will find their own favorites, and they will change with your moods as this work is, unique unto itself, "evolving" - something that is experienced rather than listened to. Absolutely a must for any complete prog collection - beyond that, for any collection.

Peak were an Adelaide-based progressive electronic rock band based around two multi-instrumentalists Robert Reekes-Parsons and Paul Fisher, who along with some guests on drums released 'Ebond'zzar' back in 1980. Did I say 'were'? I guess I should amend that to 'are' as only 38 years on from the debut the guys have been joined by bassist Colin Forster and are back with their second album, 'Slizdexics Untie'. I have yet to hear the debut, but as the guys are planning to be soon release a remastered version, I am hoping to rectify that in the near future if it is anything like this which is a very interesting album indeed. Heavily influenced by krautrock and Tangerine Dream in particular with Kraftwerk here and there, there are also plenty of Floydian touches especially from the 'Meddle' period, but the guitar is often more strident and dominant than one normally expects from Gilmour with more of rock edge. Keyboards provide the backdrop, often with repeated melody lines, which allows Paul's guitar to be dominant and drive proceedings forward. For something which contains so many layers of keyboards it is surprisingly heavy in many ways.

Peak only had a bassist on one number on the debut, but Forster's role in this album cannot be understated as he is very much an important part of the overall sound, sitting in the middle ground between keyboards and guitar, linking the two together so they combine as oppose to acting as individuals. There are some vocals on the album, but they are used mostly in an instrumental sense, and the overall feeling is of something quite experimental which wouldn't have sounded out of place in Berlin more than 40 years ago. There aren't many bands who release albums with such a gap in between, let alone produce something which is so enjoyable and easy to listen to. Songs like 'Trains' are just great fun, with keyboards and bass running down the tracks and guitar all over the top making a mess of things. The combination of structure on one side and freedom on the other is what makes this such an accessible and fun album from beginning to end. Let's hope it isn't quite so long until the third.