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As the comparisons grow more and more esoteric I’d like to throw in that the Neotzar introduction strikes some memories of early/middle Kate Bush for me. Wonder who’s next in the big Motorpsychedelic stew ;-)
My five cents after completely binging this record these last few days.
Know I’m mirroring what already has been said, but SOOO many GOOD tracks, so much genuine MP DNA, you hear echoes of their whole catalogue all through the record. I have said this for 30+ years: Quite amazing for a band to be this distinct, while their palette is so all over the place. And it still holds true. Cliches, and true for many bands (well, a small few), but all the same true.
In my ears we have many COMPLETE classics here, “Bed of Roses” and “Dead of Winter” being two of them, sooo good! And sort of unexpected. Everything I love about MP. The strangeness and groove of BOR and the melody and normal-but-intricate beauty of DOW (Phanerothyme vibes anyone?) Can’t WAIT to hear these live. And, what the hell “Lucifer, Bringer of Light” might also be up there, in the uppermost echelon of this huge massive mountain of MP masterpieces. How lucky we are.
I also really love “Laird of Heimly”, just so fucking good. What the hell, I’ll also put this on the MP Rushmore. Getting crowded up there!
And yes, hearing the singles in their context makes me appreciate them more. Both are really nice (tho doesn’t tickle me like the 90s hits, but who cares 40 years in, so refreshing to hear some great pop rock bangers from them again, love the video), and the transition from LOH – sweet. They know their sequencing. Like always. And these will BLAST live, esp Stanley.
Guess I’m not a super fan of boogie-rockers like “The Comeback” tho I never was, way back when this trend started w Barracuda. I call them boogie-rockers to myself (because I can’t stand boogie-rock!) tho god knows what they are. Enough w the cowbells! But this is part of my deal w MP, some hit me, some don’t.
Always a sucker for in interludes like “Kip Sadie”. Not a key track, but great for the flow of things, like Siddhartino, a nice break.
“Balthazaar” is ALSO GREAT. What the hell. Great playing, great groove, love the vocals. The organs (?) or synths are so well painted in the overall picture, this is something I can not picture them having done in their 60s appropriation period … 20 years ago. Rushmore candidate. A+
“Neotzar” might be one of the best songs of the latter day MP, where I feel it’s all coming together more succinctly than before. Insane playing. I should do more drugs.
“Three Frightened Monkeys” doesn’t catch me at the moment, but who knows. Skip for now.
In total, for me this might become the most played MP album since LLM, or Phanorthyme. I feel like there’s been a ton of MP masterpieces written the last 20 years, but I’ve lacked some mystic spirit in their album-output, some mystic pop-spirit or twisted intention. A gaze outward. For me this has it all, neatly wrapped up. Thanks guys. Perfect record, perfect title, and album art; The Sun and the Moon and everything in between. Live this will be epic!
Ok, another association from the Neotzar intro: the creepy synth in the background sounds quite a bit like something from the radio theater version of «Day of the Triffids» (from the 60s, I think). Again, minor (and fun) details. The album overall is soo good, I think it’ll make it to my top 3 MP of the last two decades.
Still on the same Page, the Laird of Heimly is also a distant cousin to the first two and a half minutes of Easy Does it from the overlooked Coverdale Page album – a really great rock album to these ears.
Has anyone received the doubleCd at last? Patience ok lesson learned too, seems the vinyls were dispatched but cd have a delayed
@deusvlc: Yes, received the double CD in Oslo yesterday.
The main chord structure from DOW strikes me as a reworked and re-sequenced version of the structure from The 29th Bulletin
Anyone outside of Norway got their copy from motorpsycho.store yet? I wonder if the swiss post is on the snail trail again…
My order is marked as “confirmed”. But I’m not sure what to make of this. “Neigh” which I got when it came out is still marked as “on its way”
I ordered from the MP store and the vinyl arrived last week in Finland.
One thing I noticed about the 2CD: Some of the song titles are spelled differently.
Lucifer, Bringer of Light is instead Lucifer (Bringer of Light)
While Laird of Heimly is The Laird of Heimly on the 2CD.
No big deal, but a nice little detail whether intended or not
Sputnik Music review – 4.1 (Excellent)
Like an upgrade to an already impressive CV.
The last couple of years have been quite challenging for Motorpsycho, who have undergone some significant logistical changes. First was the decision to function as a duo, leaving the door open for various collaborators to join future live performances and recording processes. Second, they parted ways with the record labels that handled all their music releases. However, starting anew as an independent band brought forth a renewed excitement. The result is another double album, self-titled this time, to mark the start of a new era for the Norwegian prog/psych veterans. While Yay! and to a certain extent, Neigh!! boasted considerable sonic restraint due to the toned down, folksy nature of the core material, their latest epic brings back the magnitude of their Gullvag trilogy. This way, over the span of 81 minutes, we receive everything from multi-segment odysseys to short, instrumental ditties. The alternative rock leanings of its predecessors are present here too, especially in the immediate, infectious grooves of “Stanley (Tonight’s the Night)” & “Core Memory Corrupt”. You can also hear traces of the group’s early ‘00s pop-oriented direction as you’ll dance to the straightforward rocking, fun melodies. Moreover, the chunky, blues rock riff of “The Comeback” keeps the momentum going with its ‘70s revival vibes, a period of time much beloved by Motorpsycho.
Diving deeper into the album, we are treated to a string of expansive tracks with a lot of jamming going on. The one thing they have in common is the up-tempo main rhythms from which they develop. Krautrock certainly played an important role in the mesmerizing, locked patterns the members engage in. “Balthaazar” takes off with its cyclical drum and bass lines, allowing various embellishments such as synthesizers, Mellotron and various guitar solos to intertwine as they please along the way. Same goes for “Lucifer, Bringer of Light”, where Ryan jams for minutes on end on a seemingly looped melody. It’s nice to hear Motorpsycho breaking from the cascade of progressions of previous records to just have fun experimenting with whatever sounds they feel like. Nevertheless, these tunes can be seen as a warm up for the 21-minute centerpiece, “Neotzar (The Second Coming)”. While there are several references to the occult interlaced with today’s political environment, this epic goes all the way with its lyrical pragmatism. From the swinging groove, complete with sharp guitar leads, we’re led into progressive rock territory as a King Crimson-esque break unfolds halfway through. Once more the Mellotron does a wonderful job creating a pastoral atmosphere until things turn darker with wailing solos and distorted bass takeovers. The fog ultimately clears as another round of verses kick in. As immersive as ever, these trademark moments are just as rewarding over a dozen LPs later. In between them, various ditties pepper the listening experience, whether it’s the folksy “Laird of Heimly”, “Bed of Roses” or the piano-led interlude, “Kip Satie”. Of course, there is more to explore until the closing “Dead of Winter”, a sweet indie rock type number which, dare I say, features a smooth Santana vibe on its instrumental latter half.
To sum things up, Motorpsycho crafted a record that simply displays their love for making music. It turned out the opposite of preceding prog epics, as they infused just the right amount of the genre into the playful, alternative rock oriented material to keep it lighter yet very engaging. The production sounds lovely too, each instrument can be heard clearly in the mix even on the layered, heavier moments. The duo effortlessly presented us another excellent LP which takes further steps into their own sonic path, while offering a brief resume of their activity over the last couple of decades. It might not be their definitive work, but that’s hard to judge with so many strong entries in their catalogue. Most importantly, 36 years into their career, the duo still forges ahead with no signs of slowing down.
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