Crystal Antlers - Tentacles
by Daniel Cressey
published: 8 / 5 / 2009
Label:
Touch And Go
Format: CD
intro
Brilliantly ferocious psychedelia and garage rock on orchestral-sounding debut album from much-hyped San Francisco-based group,the Crystal Antlers
Already experiencing levels of hype somewhere beyond the rafters, the Crystal Antlers have managed to live up to far more of it than they should reasonably have been expected to with their debut album 'Tentacles'. This is a compelling blend of psych-garage rock and soaring keyboard lines, tinged with orchestral sensibilities and dashes of colour that switch from uplifting laments to torrents of gloom-laden noise. Opening track ‘Painless Sleep’ builds from an annoyingly simple keyboard progression into a rousing instrumental statement of intent. From this we move into ‘Dust’, which filters the semi-comprehensible screaming of At the Drive In through the pop sensibilities of the Killers before they became awful. By the time the album reaches title track ‘Tentacles’ the Crystal Antlers have evolved into a raging juggernaut, all blazing guitars, hammering drums and industrial strength keyboards. Occasional lyrics drift out of the music, but in the main this is one of those albums you have to let flow over you. Sometimes one of the bands more epic wig-outs collapses in on itself and becomes the sound of random instrument bashing. In the main though this is a glorious addition to the ranks of bands who take rock far beyond the two-guitars-bass-drum-vocals template while remaining true to the essence. 'Tentacles' is the noise of the Wall of Sound collapsing on your head, and it is brilliant.
Track Listing:-
1 Painless Sleep2 Dust
3 Time Erased
4 Andrew
5 Vapor Trail
6 Tentacles
7 Until The Sun Dies - Part 1
8 Memorized
9 Glacier
10 Foot of The Mountain
11 Your Spears
12 Swollen Sky
13 Several Tongues
14 Andrew (Demo) [Bonus Track]
live reviews |
|
Madame Jojo's, London, 8/3/2009 |
|
| Chris O' Toole finds much hyped psychedelic blues act Crystal Antlers to be a band of boundless energy and ideas, but as yet lacking the ability to focus them in a live context at Madame Jojo's in London |
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