NO MONEY FOR A RADIO

A three-year break since the anterior debut album have changed the style of the group completely. From the jazzily fusion band a psychedelic krautrock band has become. What remained are the sketchily numbers which sometimes look rather unfinished. But the sound of the band which appears finished and compact already in the following album " Tea At Two " a year ago begins to accept clearly form. Pieces like "Flowers, Stones and Early Morning", "Surfin' Boomerangs" or "Sleep Song" begin to fly and show the group in a new light. And with numbers like "Rock and Work" they show that they also can rock off. The album is no masterpiece certainly, but it shows a group on the way, and generally known the way is the aim. Sure interesting for all which gladly venture forward in musical new territory and enjoy in psychedelic krautrock.

Some really terrific krautrockt-pieces, near rather weak unexceptional. Unfortunately, the most is recorded very badly, the sound is to regurgigate. Aside this KC'S Earthbound is a studio recording. Nevertheless, pieces like " Flowers, Stones and Early Morning " or the strange and original "offroader" lift out the record of the Austrians about the average. The album is altogether in spite of the mentioned weakness an interesting document from the kraut-era, very independently and self-willedly played and never boringly. Not essential, but stylistically already clearly and to recommend for all this one which like the charm of kraut.

No wonder!

Although "No money for a radio" was only Ixthuluh's second album, it already represents a transition phase for them. The band bought a house together, losing both their original bassist and drummer in the process, and proceeded to move away from the traditional jazz of their first album towards a psychedelic direction. While guests were brought in to bolster the line up, no direct replacements for the departed members were brought in, the remaining members playing various instruments, almost on the basis of who got there first! Hence, any line up indications of who played what should be taken with a large pinch of salt.

The results were predictably poor, and this album represents their least focused, and frankly worst album (as readily admitted by the band). In their quest for a new direction, the band decided to forgo quality controls, and to experiment publicly. By way of mitigation, they explain that for this album the listener should appreciate the ideas, rather than the technical aspects of the music. Unfortunately, it is painfully apparent that ideas were also in short supply, many of the tracks being clearly devoid of any inspiration whatsoever.

There are some occasional moments of relief, notably the flute sections on "Sleep Song In Rain And Meadow" and "Offroader", and some Pink Floyd ("Ummagumma") spacey sounds on a few tracks, but they only offer momentary breaks in the tedium.

The recording quality reflects the basic nature of the equipment used, but this could have been compensated for to some extend through avoiding the use of long sparse sections.

Even though the entire album is available for download at the band's website www.matscheko.at/ix_dl.html, this is one to avoid.