Psychedelic Space album review
A review of the album 'Psychedelic Space' (Doug Woods and Colin Powell)
Click the image to listen to or download the album
By Karl Weaver
Into the Bliss - An immediate feel of Joy, Hope and Positiveness, a feeling that everything is going to be great!
Touches of everything I love about early ‘prog rock’, it actually took me back to the time I was into ‘QUADROPHENIA’, by that I mean really uplifting. The recurring guitar riffs, Liverpool of the 80’s.
Ethereal Empathetic Pathways - wow, a mouthful. Off now into space, a Tron like adventure, the bike being more George Formby but a wonderful trip nonetheless. 4 on the floor CAN be relaxing, but not here, frantic bongos, Doug’s fingering up to his usual speed. Even the break down has the bongo player high on crack.
Universe Open - with a title like God’s shop open again after the spring break, this set itself up as something big, it didn’t disappoint, the driving bass, the carefree chorused guitar picking, initially random but showing a plan after 16 bars or so, the plan - tantric sex, kaftans and being at one with your privates!
Goonhilly Flexible - Doug, you either have a random song title generator or a monthly subscription to Meth, either way, the titles offer a touch of enigmatic questioning. Up to now this track defines a spirit of freedom, of having the balls to say, f*ck it - I’m off!
A time-lapse of an American road trip would sit nicely in the background, relaxing?
Almost!
Nightfall - defo darkness, images of creeping shadows in the back garden, the introduction of the electronic hat and guitar loop, the synthetic bleeps - “They’re here…”
Weird, hints of Native America and Buffalo - is your house built on the site of an old ‘Mic Mac’ burial ground?
Peace Sleep Dream - some of the background noises? Nightmares!
That clown under the bed in Poltergeist!
A feeling of spinning, good spinning, not that laid on the bed, drunk sh*t. The bass arriving gives a purpose, the circles join and a trippy loop takes me on a voyage of discovery, “Your room sir, this is the bathroom and this is the Orgasmatron” - International Space Station Tour has ended, the space vacuum noise as the hatch closes.
Flanging the Forest - Hello Mr White, back on the blue stuff, seriously?
The first piece that actually had me dozing, in a good way! The lack of beat, of bass, cool. Then just before dawn a bass arp wakes you in time for…
The Thaw - this is exactly what this is - Bears yawning and stretching, ice cold clear water and snow melting in the morning sun, Good morning Doug!
The Awakening - right on cue, although not waking in your own bed, you don’t have time to think about what happened last night, the chase begins immediately. The resurrection of Patrick Moore, while normally most welcome, here takes on a menacing ‘Vibe’, excuse the pun - what did you do, comb his hair?
Vapour - starting with a real drummer feel and the sound of somebody who had perfected a riff the night before and is determined the band are gonna remember it - he’s got a battle on his hands. As usual, the non-musical member of the band, the drummer, is also determined to show off the flexibility in his wrists - a stand-off of great magnitude - the winner - the bass player, by a head - a classic prog rock track, a killer!
Others Slipping - not you Doug, for sure. Never heard drumming this realistic since the last track I produced, always difficult to pull off, don’t tell me these are loops? I wouldn’t believe it. The various melodies playing at the same time, intertwining but never clashing.
So much going on yet the track maintains a direction, upwards, victorious!
Solar Gliding - the ship has landed, the great doors fall to the ground, the chosen few step out into a Brave New World, no, not Bootle - Mars - and Thor conducts this fractal sound that is AWE!
The Outside In - James Bond meets Gladiator, I hate comparisons, this one being only the quality of writing - I’m there, boiled sheep’s head, eyes intact, wondering how to get out of this meal.
The KASBAH in all its glory hole.
Pass the cinnamon sticks!
Ride My Slipstream - a touch of the Balearics chill out here, I was drunk last night, not hammered, but merry. The girl I walked down to the beach with has long gone, this tune is bouncing around my head, the last random 12 notes I heard before the cleaners moved in - what a night this album has been, thanks to Doug & Colins Airways!
