Mellow The Band - Bliss

I listened to this CD several times. Not because I enjoyed it, but because I wanted to give it every chance to make a good impression on me. I even tried listening to it in different environments; in the car, washing up, as background music at work and even in the bath. I turned the volume up and I turned the volume down. Sadly, I came to the same conclusion every time…….it sucked (to use the American phrase). As the excellent London popsters, Spearmint, once alluded to in their classic single “Sweeping The Nation”, there are loads of worthy bands out there that never release any records, so why does something as truly awful as this get released? Somebody somewhere has more money than sense. If the vocal parts were removed from the CD, then as an instrumental chill-out album it would score a begrudging 4/10. 'Higher Then' has a vague resemblance to Moby’s 'Porcelain', but in truth the two are poles apart and again the singer’s dreadful, reedy voice ruins things anyway. Elsewhere, 'Mellow' could be a poor man’s American Mike Skinner but again I’m clutching at straws to try and find some good in the CD. The one big plus point is that there are only 8 tracks to endure. At least Mellow The Band have spared me the pain of wading through a 15 tracker! There isn’t really much more I can say about this CD.

Track Listing:-

1 Something
2 Wonderful Life
3 Higher Then
4 Velvet
5 Shine On
6 Teen Years
7 Mellow Lane
8 Santa Barbara

Visitor Comments:-

78 Posted By: tammy, USA on 06 May 2007

This cd is great, I just bought there new one 1967 too. Beautiful songs

76 Posted By: Todd, manchester on 23 Mar 2007

This is an amzing cd. I thought John , Paul and Syd joined in on this

61 Posted By: Lillywhite@directvinternet.com, Seattle WA on 01 Jan 1900

This cd has not left my ipod. Every tune is has a great hook, great atmosphere. It reminds me of Lennon meets Syd with a hit of acid. I checked there site , equally as good. I read the earlier reviews and the 2nd was right on , i dont know what Dixie Ernill was listening too or what he/she listens to but each there own. Dont miss out on this one

30 Posted By: Info@zeitgeist-scot.co.uk, England on 01 Jan 1900

Well now, this is a delightful piece of psychedelic whimsy well worth having a listen to. As the band themselves say, "Mellow takes rock to exotic places it has never visited before. "Bliss" has turned its kaleidoscopic gaze to the psychedelic world of fused pop." The brainchild of songwriter Rex Essex, Mellow work in a pure, melodic format, with the songs enhanced by a range of harmonies, fuzzed out guitars and memorable hooks. However, the whole project has had a thorough sprinkling of pixie dust straight out of the imaginings of Daevid Allen and Syd Barrett. A great deal of care has been taken with the arrangements and detail adorning each song - look to the crackling intro to "Higher Then", which is oddly reminiscent of the Jesus & Mary Chains later work. Mr Essex also has a wonderfully evocative voice, nowhere more so than on "Velvet", the album highlight for me, which draws a link directly from the 60s psychedelic experience through to modern day practitioners such as Spiritualized and their ilk, dripping in melancholia and Flaming Lips type percussion. Although it's closely followed by "Shine On", a breathy tripadelic number with a Portishead type structure that just insinuates itself into your head. Definitely one for the headphones, this was a real peach.