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Translation into English from German by deepl:
Motorpsycho – The All Is One
By Raphael Lukas Genovese on August 28, 2020
(84:47, 2LP, 2CD, Digital, Stickman Records / Noisolution / Soulfood, 2020)
Motorpsycho from Trondheim in Norway finish their Gullvåg trilogy with the present album "The All is One". The previous albums "The Tower" (2017) and "The Crucible" (2019) already won the award #TeapotOfTheWeek. So the expectations for part three of the saga are naturally high.
And indeed, the three Norwegians have come up with something very special for the last part of the journey. As usual, the extravagant and extremely talented artist Håkon Gullvåg was responsible for the cover design. What is inside the cover is much more than just an album. The third part of the Gullvåg trilogy "The All is One" (LP page 1 and 4) is on a double CD or double LP. It includes the colorful journey to distant galaxies "N.O.X. ∞", which fills pages 2 and 3 with about 24 minutes playing time.
Both in terms of content and sound, "N.O.X. ∞" literally stands out from the main work "The All is One". The title-giving work is determined by progressive, psychedelic and sophisticated rock music with a lot of blues and some jazz in the luggage. The inserted journey to the middle of the double album becomes a multi-instrumental excursion into fields of space rock, acid, jazz and atmospheric sound art. Completely in the sign of the infinity one moves here in circles and spirals. Accordingly, the choice of titles falls on circles that move around the sun, the snake 'Ouroboros' or loops that bite its own tail.
Surprisingly, neither compass nor GPS are needed to navigate the very stubborn constellation of styles and concepts. "The All is One" and "N.O.X. ∞" can be listened to both individually and together as a complete work. Bent Sæther (vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards, drums), Hans Magnus "Snah" Ryan (guitar, vocals, keyboards, mandolin, violin, bass) and Tomas Järmyr (drums, vocals) manage to present complex processes and structures in such a way that they delicately pamper the ear.
The trio is supported on the almost one and a half hour long piece by Ola Kvernberg (Steamdome), Lars Horntveth (Jaga Jazzist, Amgala Temple) and Reine Fiske.
What Motorpsycho have delivered here is without doubt art. Not only has the Gullvåg trilogy received an absolutely worthy conclusion with "The All is One". At the same time, the included album "N.O.X. ∞", the included album will directly start the next journey, which will not stop at infinity.
Motor Psycho stimulates each synapse individually and the whole body as a whole. Every tone, every harmony, every beat sits exactly where it belongs, to pamper the senses holistically and completely. "The All is One" manages to animate body and mind to the maximum with even the softest of tones.
Rating: 15/15 points
Translation into English from German by deepl:
Motor Psycho – The All Is One
Review
At least in their home country Norway, MOTORPSYCHO have long since achieved a certain legendary status. A top 10 chart position is guaranteed here with every new album. The state museum for the appreciation and documentation of Norway's popular musical heritage "Rockheim" now lists MOTORPSYCHO in its Hall of Fame in a row with A-HA. No, MOTORPSYCHO do not have to prove anything to anyone anymore. And that makes their continued eagerness to work while maintaining the consistently high quality of their output all the more amazing. Where other bands from much less complex subgenres have long since abandoned the good old two-year rhythm for releases, MOTORPSYCHO has something new to offer almost every year. In 2019, "The Crucible" almost reached the metal.de high score in 2019. Can "The All Is One" continue there?
"The All Is One" takes its time
Where "The Crucible" celebrated the prog in all its impudence last year with only three extra-long tracks on 40 minutes, "The All Is One" increases the tracklist, but reduces the playing time only to a limited extent. The result is a beaten one and a half hour of searching and finding between sophisticated pop music, folk, jazz and unheaded prog rapture.
"The All Is One" starts once again on the tracks of the BEATLES and melancholic pop moments of a STEVEN WILSON. Later on, gypsy strings and DYLAN moments, flutes and vocal harmonies follow, reminiscent of JETHRO TULL and, in the more threatening moments, of the folk-prog OPETH albums of the last decade (see track number five).
At MOTORPSYCHO, quantity does not come at the expense of quality
Towards the middle of the album, "All Is One" turns into a five-part prog excursion including long, cryptic titles and with the greatest possible renunciation of vocals. Masterful and completely natural, MOTORPSYCHO lured the listener from the quite accessible album entry into this hypnotic sound thicket of psychedelic pop, herb and more.
The ecstatic finale of "Circles Around The Sun Pt 2" is followed by an acoustic relaxation break with "A Little Light", which introduces the home stretch of "The All Is One". MOTORPSYCHO end the journey where it began about 90 minutes ago: At the place of perfect pop-prog harmony. This band can do almost everything. Even in the rhythm of the year.
Google Translation of http://puls.no/18023.html
Motorpsycho pushes all boundaries – even their own
I am extremely opposed to championships in the world of music. But this must be the top in Norwegian rock, so far – after 60 years. But fortunately we have many years ahead of us.
By Arild Rønsen // 28.08.20
Motorpsycho lives in its own world, and thank you for that. They give a damn about what the music is called. More and more in their long careers, they only play their own music. Without squinting at either genre.
To put it bluntly: in "Night of Pan" they have stolen the entire riff from Paul Simon's "Late in the Evening" – and further away from Simon & Garfunkel in the musical expression it is difficult to get? There really is a long way to go between Paul Simon and Motorpsycho.
"Night of Pan" is located in the middle of a more than 40-minute suite called "N.O.X.", distributed on each side of the double CD edition. In addition to the trio that makes up the regular band, both Ola Kvernberg (violin) and Lars Horntvedt (keys) are credited as songwriters. I have trouble describing the musical content – other than that this is literally electrically good!
They call one of the songs "The Same Old Rock". But this is actually no longer the same. Everything sounds brand new. Even if they stand on the shoulders of their ancestors. Is it progrock? Yes, that's it. Could Motorpsycho have made this album if Genesis had not come up with "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" 45 years ago? Hardly.
Yet this is something completely different. Motorpsycho are experimental, just like Genesis was then. But Motorpsycho is much more experimental than Peter Gabriel was in the mid-seventies. Genesis functioned in a musical landscape where this was legal, daring – yet far into the inner core of the straight pop audience. Those who liked Supertramp and 10CC, usually also liked Genesis, Yes and King Crimson.
That is not the case today. There is a long way between young people who like Beyoncé, and at the same time are a fan of Motorpsycho. But maybe there are many who like the advanced pop composer Sondre Lerche who also loves Motorpsycho? I think so. At least I hope so.
Motorpsycho challenges you as a listener. Consistent. All the time. If you ask me, the band should be invited to play during the official opening when the restored organ in Notre Dame is to be inaugurated.
Anyone who walks untouched from the meeting with "The All Is One" should take a deep breath and think – where do I really stand, in this life?
So good is Motorpsycho.
Yes, what a perfect ending of the concert and the tour!
And yes, I also miss the wall of (water)sound (sorry 😉).
Chien
Year 0
Dreamhome
August
On a plate
STG
Ship of Fools
Greener
Triggerman
Bartok
Heartattack Mac
The Tower
Taifun
Plan #1
