Review of Let Them Eat Cake taken from the
British magazine
NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS, 2000-01-28.
Review found at the NME-website.
English.

Motorpsycho
Let Them Eat Cake
(Stickman)
Rating: 08 / 10

Previously known for their garage-tinged experimental rock, Motorpsycho's latest offering is a surprising, and welcome departure. 'Let Them Eat Cake' is a breezy flight of fancy taking its influences from the Fab Four, Syd Barrett and the more fragrant side of West Coast psychedelia.

It helps that the Norwegian three-piece are quiet virtuosos, and so are able to tackle wig-outs like the instrumental 'Whip That Ghost' with aplomb - though the track does veer a little close to Rock School hell for its own good.

Tracks like 'The Other Fool' and 'Never Let You Out' are Arthur Lee-inspired pop gems, and while they're not quite in the same league as anything Love recorded, they're still brimming with enough ideas and quiet insanity that you feel Lee would approve. Come 'Big Surprise' and they're aping the Beach Boys' 'Pet Sounds' - all wandering basslines, staccato piano and 'just got dumped by my college sweetie' vocals from frontman Bent Sæther's croaky larynx.

If the album falls short of its lofty intentions - to create a post-millennial psychedelic masterpiece - then it's mainly down to the sugary production; with brass and string sections aplenty it's always hard to maintain yer true grit. Despite that, this is easily Motorpsycho's finest and, taking into account their scuzzrock fanbase, bravest record to date.

Listen to what the flower children say.

Andy Capper