THE PITH OF ELEUTHERIA

From what I understand, this EP is a kind of teaser for The Madcap Laughs' debut album, which is currently being worked on. If that is in fact the case then I think in the near future they're going to have a very good debut album on their hands, as "The Pith of Eleutheria" is an incredibly solid sampling of tracks.

Musically, I would venture a guess that The Madcap Laughs was extremely influenced by Pink Floyd. Despite their name, however, this is far more similar to post-Barrett Floyd, with the long, spacey sections of the Wish You Were Here album probably providing the best comparison. However, there's a healthy dose of alt-rock sound thrown in as well, and that gives this music a very fresh sound despite its clear influences.

"Inceptum Finis" begins the album on a very relaxed note, with a very simple repeated series of notes over which a variety of instruments play, from spacey, liquid guitars to smooth, jazzy horns. Midway through the track the intensity picks up and some heavier, distorted guitars come in, lasting until the end of the track and helping to add to the excellent pacing of the track. I have to remark especially about the horn part; it gives the track a totally unique flavor and definitely strongly adds to the overall sound.

"Mendax" is a longer track, starting off with some pulsating guitar before adding percussion, piano and vocals. The vocals fit this kind of music very well, with a laid back, almost monotone delivery that reminds one of Pink Floyd's spacier moments. The interplay between the instruments is very good as well, with the percussion laying down an insistent but non- intrusive beat and the piano and guitar working off each other perfectly to create an excellent melody that really highlights the vocals. There's an excellent guitar solo beginning in the middle of the track as well that lasts until the song's end, and the playing is very impressive, emotive, and melodic. The guitarist deserves a lot of credit for putting together a solo that can effectively fill half the track without sounding repetitive or tiring, and it's largely thanks to this that "Mendax" is such a good track.

"Thanks, Konrad Zuse" has an almost trancelike feel to it, with those same dreamy vocals returning and a plethora of great synth sounds to back them up. The song features an excellent chorus as well, with the synths matching the vocals nearly perfectly to create an excellent sense of drama. Guitar plays a much more understated role here than on the previous track, but there's nothing wrong with subtlety, and all of the background distortion and spacey mini-solos it provides still add a ton to the atmosphere of the track. The horn returns as well with a great solo towards the end of the song that lends the piece a jazzy air. It's the guitar, however, that again gets the privilege of closing out the track, and while the solo isn't as involved as on "Mendax," it's no less effective.

"Hey You In The Sky" begins with a guitar and keyboard part that really strongly reminds me of David Gilmour's solo album On An Island. When the vocals enter they only reinforce this similarity, with languid delivery that's spot-on for Gilmour. The song has an incredibly peaceful, relaxing atmosphere, making the listener feel like they're lying on a beach, lazily strumming a guitar and watching the waves. Another great, jazzy horn solo adds to the atmosphere as well, with orchestral synths in the background to complete the sonic picture.

Next up is "Overshadowed by Shh," which starts off on some orchestral synth chords that set a very grand, cinematic mood. When vocals enter, they're much in the same vein they have been, and as a result "Overshadowed" has a very laid back atmosphere, similar to most of the album so far. Piano gets its turn in the spotlight on this track as well, with a very pretty solo throughout the middle of the track. There are some brief moments of heaviness as well, with a recurring guitar riff that pops up every now and then, providing a nice contrast in sound.

"The Post-Childhood Blues" is the penultimate track here, as well as the longest, coming in at seven and a half minutes. Beginning with a barrage of swirling, shimmering synth, the track sets up a very nice atmosphere before electric guitar enters, creating a feel not unlike the beginning sections of Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond." After a nice solo, the guitar drops back out and vocals are left alone with the wash of synths, which creates a very otherworldly effect. This dreamy opening section only enhances the effectiveness of the heaviness that comes in midway through the track, with killer guitar parts and distorted vocals creating an unbelievable amount of intensity while still not losing the spacey feel of the track.

"Sanity" is the final track. Beginning with some clips that all sound like news items, it features one of the more uptempo vocal lines, though the overall feel of the song is still very languid. Orchestral synths and percussion provide most of the music, though there's some electric guitar used as the track goes on, as well as another killer guitar solo. The music fades out and the final moments of the track are taken up by a voice clip from John Lennon.

So overall this is a very solid first release from this group. Fans of "Wish You Were Here" era Floyd should absolutely check this out, as should any fan of this extremely psychedelic, spacey kind of music. Coming in at just under 40 minutes, this is nonetheless a very fulfilling (and relaxing) musical trip.

4/5