Friends Of Dean Martinez - Lost Horizon

by Jon Rogers

published: 23 / 1 / 2006

Label: Glitterhouse Records
Format: CD

Beautiful, haunting Americana on fifth album from Friends of Dean Martinez, unfortunately weakened by sounding exactly like the group's last record 'Under the Waves'

Review

Film director David Lynch made his eerie, warped 'Lost Highway' in 1997 and now Friends of Dean Martinez have gone for a 'Lost Horizon' -but they haven't really been looking that far ahead. 'Lost Horizon' is a beautiful, captivating record but weakened if you've heard Friends of Dean Martinez's previous 'Under the Waves.' 'Lost Horizon' is basically the same record. It explores the same themes and uses the same palate to create its textures and colours. Once again Friends of Dean Martinez seem to be making the soundtrack to some road movie across the American desert. There's a haunting, spooky feel to tracks like 'Heart of Darkness' and 'Two Hundred Miles.' There's hints of Brian Eno's ambient doodlings, some alt.country care of Calexico and a lifetime spent on America's highways with the roof down. Friends of Dean Martinez manage to capture that feeling superbly. 'Lost Horizon' just treads water. Mix up the album with 'Under the Waves' and play them at random and no one could probably tell which songs went on which album. While 'Lost Horizon' is a great, expansive album, filled with some fine playing and subtle craftsmanship, those musical horizons need to be lifted up higher and the possible vistas ahead need to be seen before Friends of Dean Martinez can move ahead. As it is, they're currently stranded out in the desert at night in desperate need of a lift. But no one seems to be stopping.

Track Listing:-

1 Landfall
2 Dawn
3 Heart Of Darkness
4 Somewhere Over Waves
5 All In The Golden Afternoon
6 Two Hundred Miles
7 Hidden Out Of Sight
8 Dusk
9 Departure