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A separate thread for reviews of the album, as it seems a couple have already appeared.
[Beware, here be spoilers]
Posted by FCO in the main Kingdom of Oblivion thread.
from EMP:
Quote:Mit dem scheppernd und knarzend vorwärts marschierenden, dabei erstaunlich melodischen „The warning, Pt. 1 & 2†stellen die Herrschaften aus Trondheim mal wieder spielend unter Beweis, wer die Könige des psychedelischen Noise-Hardrocks sind. Als ob wir das nicht alle längst wüssten. Um ihr Statement aber noch zu untermauern legen Motorpsycho mit dem majestätischen Titeltrack nach, der dann überraschend in das akustische, etwas an den Westcoast-Sound von Crosby, Stills & Nash erinnernde und mindestens ebenso geniale „Lady May 1†übergeht. Weitere Highlights eines atmosphärisch stimmigen, dabei immens abwechslungsreichen Longplayers mit viel Spät-Sixties- beziehungswiese Früh-Seventies-Feeling und doch von zeitlloser Schönheit gesegnet, sind das ebenso deftig riff-beladene, wie nachdenkliche „The united debasedâ€, das düster-verspielte „The watcherâ€, das fast neunminütige, proggig anmutende Epos „At empire’s end†und das spacige Stoner-Monster „The transmutation of Cosmoctopus Lurker †Ein weiteres Meisterwerk in der von solchen überquellenden Diskografie der Norweger.Google translate:
Quote:With the clattering and creaking marching, surprisingly melodic “The warning, Pt. 1 & 2 â€, the guys from Trondheim again playfully prove who the kings of psychedelic noise hard rock are. As if we didn't all already know. To underpin their statement, Motorpsycho followed up with the majestic title track, which then surprisingly merged into the acoustic, at least as ingenious “Lady May 1â€, somewhat reminiscent of the West Coast sound of Crosby, Stills & Nash. Further highlights of an atmospherically coherent, immensely varied long player with a lot of late sixties or early seventies feeling and yet blessed with timeless beauty are the hearty, riff-laden and thoughtful “The united debasedâ€, the gloomy, playful “ The watcher â€, the almost nine-minute, prog-seeming epic“ At empire's end â€and the spacey stoner monster“ The transmutation of Cosmoctopus Lurker â€Another masterpiece in the overflowing discography of the Norwegians.From Reverendo Lys
Quote:The Waning ci introduce direttamente nella comfort-zone dei Motorpsycho, lasciandoci intendere che stavolta il viaggio sarà meno impervio, non privo di scossoni, ma in qualche modo confortevole. Riportandoci addirittura in posti già visti, come la The Watcher che fu degli Hawkwind prima e dei Motörhead subito appresso.Kingdom of Oblivion insomma è il ritorno ai Motorpsycho un po’ pluviali e un po’ plumbei di Timothy’s Monster. Capaci di dolcezze assolute (vedi qui i sipari acustici di Atet, Cormorant e After the Fair) e di cavalcate grungedeliche come gli undici minuti di The Transumation of Cosmoctopus Lurker. Sembra di stare in equilibrio sul palco del Central Park in occasione del concerto di Simon & Garfunkel con la consapevolezza che presto da sotto le travi un qualche motore a reazione sputerà il suo carico di cherosene sottoforma di lingue di fuoco per spararci nello spazio, dove quelle lingue si trasformeranno nei tentacoli di The United Debased, Dreamkiller, Kingdom of Oblivion seducendoci come le braccia di KÄlÄ«, mutandosi in abbraccio quando serve, come succede su Lady May1 e The Hunt.
Dall’alto del loro pianeta ellittico e verdeggiante, i Motorpsycho guardano il nostro pianeta friabile sbriciolarsi sotto i loro occhi. E ammiccano.
Translation by DeepL:
Quote:The Waning introduces us directly in the comfort-zone of Motorpsycho, letting us understand that this time the journey will be less difficult, not without jolts, but somehow comfortable. Bringing us back even in places already seen, such as The Watcher which was the first Hawkwind and Motörhead immediately following.Kingdom of Oblivion, in short, is the return to Motorpsycho a bit 'rain and a bit' leaden Timothy's Monster. Capable of absolute sweetness (see here the acoustic curtains of Atet, Cormorant and After the Fair) and of grungedelic rides like the eleven minutes of The Transumation of Cosmoctopus Lurker. It seems to be balanced on the stage of Central Park during the concert of Simon & Garfunkel with the knowledge that soon from under the beams some jet engine will spit its load of kerosene in the form of tongues of fire to shoot us into space, where those tongues will turn into the tentacles of The United Debased, Dreamkiller, Kingdom of Oblivion seducing us like the arms of KÄlÄ«, changing into an embrace when needed, as happens on Lady May1 and The Hunt.
From the top of their elliptical and verdant planet, Motorpsycho watch our crumbling planet crumble before their eyes. And they wink.
I read Timothy's Monster in the review and now I hope it will be the first MP I am able to listen to more than maybe twice in years. The Tower is ok for me, but the last two albums??? They don't trigger my love for MP at all.
Strange how different it can be. I myself disvovered "The Crucible" to be my favourite album so far lately. 😎
Really? Well we seem to have a totally different impression. Lux Aeterna is my all time fav in between 🤣
Reading the reviews makes me more excited for this release than I have been since 2010.
For any other band the proggy phase since Eggplant would be an entire career, and a good one at that. But I can't shake the feeling that something has been missing, feels like its time to move forward. Or back. To the future. Or something.
And I say that as a prog lover who always used to wish Motorpsycho would tackle longer, complex works with wild time signatures and that '70s Crimson/Yes vibe. Stick it even more to the man, so to say.
These days I find myself missing the accessibility, the melodies and maybe especially the raw emotion that used to permeate their music 'back in the days'.
Anyway, I'm rambling. Can't wait to hear what they have cooked up for us!
Quote:I read Timothy's Monster in the review and now I hope it will be the first MP I am able to listen to more than maybe twice in years. The Tower is ok for me, but the last two albums??? They don't trigger my love for MP at all.Well said. The Tower is okayish, even good at times. The other two, especially the last one don't do anything for me. However, I'm wondering if this is because I haven't seen these tracks performed live.
I see valid points here, for sure some of the new stuff is obviously more introvert and personal than former recordings.
However, it's a life in transition we see developing.
Thing is: if you don't get the connection or know the background for the more personally pieces it make less sense than former, more direct tunes.
However, when the story is present, it's remarkable how they are able to expose complex feelings that are just impossible to formulate in words.
So they're covering a Hawkwind song! I'm personally hoping it doesn't drift into the territory of the Motörhead version, though the description of it being "gloomy" and "playful" suggests it could go either way.
Absolutely with you. I love the classic prog, especially Yes, but I'm also partial to intelligent, well made hard rock, with that raw emotion.
While N.O.X. blew me away, it's sitting on the shelf because I don't want to overlisten to it. I'm hoping for more-meat-and-two-veg (with apologies to veggies!) like Child of the Future (perhaps the last time they delivered what we're talking about on record – and, by the way, where's that CD?!).
@ Punj Lizard: Depends on which "watcher" they base their version on. Lots of possibilities:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXqWnvlMd_I (classic HW version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TKE0PUzro8&ab_channel=indigoinsf4 (Sam Gopal's "You're Alone Now")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jFC1IdShdo&ab_channel=Mot%C3%B6rheadBander
(Motörhead's latest "watcher" transmutation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZExd4uYeCQ (blues version with "god")
Probably the best song for MP to pay tribute to Lemmy (after serenading his "Motörhead Mama"
). Lyrics that perfectly express the spirit of the times:We are looking in on you now
What do you think you can do now?
You're very small from way out here
The last thing you will feel is fear
Give you a chance to do the right thing
Give you a chance to do the bright thing
Now our sense is all disgusted
We have found you can't be trusted
Where I come from, no-one smiles
Every inch exists in miles
Still it's cool, relaxed and calm
Sitting here on the funny farm
World in prison screams in pain
There are no leaders you can blame
Human greed destroys your sphere
And there's no room for you out here
You're on your own now
You're on your own now
You're on your own now
You're on your own now
@ Johnny_Heartfield
I was expecting you might have some interesting input on this subject
Thanks for sharing those other 'versions', none of which I'd heard before. I can't say I find the earlier Sam Gopal or the later Motörhead tracks you posted links to have enough in common with The Watcher (not least the title) to be fairly considered the same song, though the similarities in parts are clear – much like the similarity between Riding the Tiger and Tristano are clear, though the tracks themselves are hugely different.As for the Clapton-invovled live version … please god, no thanks.
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