Review of Phanerothyme taken from the
German newspaper
HAMBURGER MORGENPOST, September 2001.
English translation done by Stefan with some corrections done by the lighthouse girl.
Motorpsycho
Phanerothyme
Stickman Records
They aren't cut out to be rock stars. The four Norwegians are way too odd,
unusual, mutable and surprising for that. But most of all, Motorpsycho are
one thing: the exception in a guitar industry enslaved by trends.
The four multi-instrumentalists work in other ways. Nine-minute long orchestrated
epics, alcohol-induced rock songs, psychedelic 60's pop - all of this is
part of Motorpsycho's universe. The new album carries on where predecessor
"Let Them Eat Cake" left off with nine bundle of sunshine, 4-and-a-half
minute songs using brass and strings to stack harmonic trifles en masse on
top of each another.
More things happen in this short time span than on
other bands' entire albums. The 60's are omnipresent, here and there
progressive bands of the past like the early Yes lurk round the corner,
short fantastic melodies unfold, without an ounce of stickiness - in other
words: marvellous things happen.
Maik Koltermann