Motorpsycho - Here Be Monsters

by Paul Waller

published: 27 / 4 / 2016

Label: Rune Grammofon
Format: CD

Subtle and delicate latest album from Norway’s elder rock statesmen Motorpsycho now some twenty-five years down the line and creating their most impressive music yet

Review

For a band that has been releasing music since 1991 it’s incredible to think that with each new Motorpsycho release I can still feel excited before playing it and more than simply satisfied after listening. ‘Here Be Monsters’ defies any notion that a group's superior work lies in their formative years. This album is in a word – Outstanding. Opening with the minute long piano piece, ‘Sleepwalking’ breaks the album in perfectly. The gentle piece slides elegantly into the ten minute long ‘Lucuna/Sunrise’. Its summery morning feel blissfully glides along some understated guitar lines, and when Bent Sæther finally breaks the imagery with his creamy vocal tones you realise without any effort at all the band has won you over. Whether they take you by the hand and lead you through their take on Pink Floyd's trippy progressive leanings, Zeppelin's fuzzy riffing on ‘I.M.S’ or Fleetwood Mac’s knack for an infectious earworms over a Californian pop tune, you know you are going to be safe. Repeated listens only add to the listener’s pleasure of these joyous melodies and they effortlessly sweep you along until the neigh on eighteen minute album finale. Yep, eighteen minutes! Splashes of the Beach Boys perforate the opening few minutes of closer ‘Big Black Dog’. Then the band utilise Brian Wilson's creative passion to take the track into something quite unusual indeed. Dabbling in progressive rock isn’t necessarily anything new for Motorpsycho but within this epic time frame the band appear to have mastered at least their take on the genre. I’m on my fifth listen right now and I still can’t take it all in. Yeah, you could break it down to its individual parts but where is the fun in that? It’s like asking a magician to explain a trick. For now I’ll just press play and float away.

Track Listing:-

1 Sleepwalking
2 Lacuna/Sunrise
3 Running With Scissors
4 I. M. S.
5 Spin, Spin, Spin
6 Sleepwalking Again
7 Big Black Dog

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/motorpsychone
http://motorpsycho.no/

Label Links:-

http://www.runegrammofon.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Rune-Grammofo

Have a Listen:-

Profiles

Motorpsycho (2013)

Andrew Carver reflects upon the history of Norwegian psychedelic act Motorpsycho and their classic fifth album, 'Blissard', which has recently been re-released in a four CD box set

Favourite Albums

Demon Box (2015)

In our 'Re;View' section, in which we look back at albums from the past, Erick Mertz refelects on Norwegian heavy metal/psychedelic rockers Motorpsycho's classic third album, which has just been re-released in a four CD box set

Features

Profile 1991-2003 (2003)

One of the most durable of all Scandinavian rock groups, Motorpsycho's musical career has taken them from punk to psychedelia. Andrew Carver profiles their fascinating musical evolution, and multi-album history