Bardo Pond - Ticket Crystals
by Andrew Carver
published: 19 / 6 / 2006
Label:
Select Label
Format: CD
intro
Placid-sounding combination of trance, space rock, drone and krautrcck on latest offering from durable Philadelphia-based psychedelic act Bardo Pond
Philadelphia’s Bardo Pond has been turning out ultrafuzzy, slow tempo space rock for more than a decade. On ‘Ticket Crystals’, this five-person group once again takes its cues from trance, space rock, drone, and krautrock to create a psychedelic work that creates a mellow mood from outright dissonance. Even when the distortion reaches a fever pitch, the music has a peaceful, stoned mood. In ‘Destroying Angel’ crushing fuzz jockeys with wah-inflected feedback as Isobel Sollenberger’s plaintive voice trades off with Ed Fansworth’s drum rolls. The restful ‘Isle” features Isobel’s flute and fingerpicked acoustic guitar and is more akin to the work of freak-folk performers like Espers and Nick Castro. A reverberating electric guitar is kept on a tight leash for starters, but gradually builds to a greater but not overwhelming role. Other sounds, like the jangling bells in ‘Lost Word’ provide variety to a soundscape that could have been turned into one long song. ‘FC II’ once again gives a dominant role to Sollenberger, this time on violin, though her droning bow has some competition from Clint Takeda’s dub-style bass lines. The longest song on the album at more than 18 minutes, it too increases the feedback as it progresses and is the clearest example of the band’s krautrock influence on the disc. The band also throws in one wild card - a drugged out interpretation of the Beatles’ ‘Cry Baby Cry’. The cover’s booming acoustic guitar and Sollenberger’s narcotic vocals make for an ominous listening experience, the sole departure from the album’s otherwise placid sound.
Track Listing:-
1 Destroying Angel2 Isle
3 Lost Word
4 Cry Baby Cry
5 Fcll
6 Moonshine
7 Endurance
8 Montana Scara II
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bardo-Pond/171784216179634http://www.threelobed.com/bardo/
http://bardopond.com/
https://twitter.com/lemurhouse
interviews |
|
Interview (2007) |
|
| Since 1989 Philadelphia space rock act Bardo Pond have recorded countless albums and toured alongside the likes of Mogwai,Dinosaur Jr and Acid Mothers Temple. Guitarist Michael Gibbons chats to Dominic Simpson about the band's latest album 'Ticket Crystals' and the band's unique methods of recording |
reviews |
|
Under the Pines (2017) |
|
| More than welcome return from the American purveyors of psychedelic rock Bardo Pond with an album that rises above all clichés of what fuzzed out guitar noise should sound like |
| Peace on Venus (2013) |
| Bardo Pond (2011) |
most viewed articles
current edition
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.Dennis Tufano - Copernicus Center, Chicago, 19/7/2024
Elliott Murphy - Interview
Wreckless Eric - Interview
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #16: Living in the Minds of Strangers
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #17: Tom Robinson
Adrian Gurvitz - Interview
Norman Rodger - Interview
Chris Spedding - Interview
Penumbra - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Groovy Uncle - Making ExcusesPhilip Parfitt - The Dark Light
Jules Winchester - The Journey
Deep Purple - =1
Bill Wyman - Drive My Car
Ross Couper Band - The Homeroad
Hawkestrel - Chaos Rocks
John Murry and Michael Timmins - A Little Bit of Grace and Decay
Popstar - Obscene
Splashgirl and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe - More Human
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart