MANZANITA

As usual this amazing group gives hearty tribute to late 1960s and early 1970's guitar style riffs mixed with exquisite melodic vocals, a plethora of keyboards and a dash of the Kinks, and still maintaining a close tie to early psychedelic music throughout. British Invasion meets California Surf meets Garage Rock, with a spacey psychedelic edge, with great use of guitar effects and reverb and mild to medium distortion throughout with a wonderful fluffy sounding keyboard.

A common theme throughout the album is either a cool as a cucumber reverb, a clean guitar sound, or a nice warm and fuzzy distorted guitar, or a bit of both. However, all the songs maintain a pop/rock driving force on this little gem of an album.

L.A. Sacrifice

Not sure if there was any reference to the song Soul Sacrifice or if intended or not, but there is surely a teeny weenie tiny hint of Santana somewhere in this great opening track? Serious thought invoking vocals and throbbing bass, great guitars, and Hammond keyboard sound throughout.

Gone (Round the Corner)

Lovely melody here with an upbeat albeit undercurrent poppy theme. This one grows on you're the more you listen to it and has a great guitar hook and plenty of fun towards the end with some wild distorted guitar. Then suddenly an unexpected Peter Green 'Man of the World' kind of ending.

Blue Wire

Wow, what can I say. Such an intro which kind of pulls you in to the song. An ambling sauntering, swaggering intro which chugs along really well. Then for the bridge/chorus. A nice turn and inventive musicianship. Nice distorted guitar with plenty of vibrato mid way through. The song appears simple but is so well put together it all makes sense.

Sunshine

Another 1960's or 80s throw back trying to be the 1960's style pop intro but do not be misled. It almost reminds me of a great band, Orange Bicycle or early ELO, or dare I say Beachboys. Once again towards the end a nice gruff sounding guitar.

Ghost String

Nice use of harmony vocals again with another catchy tune. Smooth guitars and solid structure. Mid-way through a wonderful change of tempo and feel. Then we close the song with a groovy fuzz guitar solo and then back to the beginning.

Slithery Thing

One poppy spacey intro to a song after another on an album, I would usually go quite crazy, but for some reason Assemble Head seem to get away with it. Perhaps it is because they are totally committed to this kind of atmosphere to a song and they are 100% not faking it. Again, great atmosphere and harmonies throughout this track.

Green Meadow Slow Down

At last! I am excited. Here we get a nice Canterbury themed intro and change in keyboard sounds and drums with a sweet flute to boot. Smooth vocals and well constructed song which then evolves into a lovely tune indeed. It certainly revamped this part of the album for me.

The Flume

This one for sure again took me back to sounds of the 70s California Sound which reminded me of a Los Angeles based 2008 band the Allah-As mixed with a little bit of Babylon Zoo.

Low Island Blues

No blues here, at all, really. But wait, at least there is a fun jingly guitar riff which takes us out of this fine, tasteful album.

To sum up.

Overall I loved this fourth album by Assemble Head (if you include their self released and named album in 2005). I got to listen to that first album online but it is not listed here on prog archives.

I don't like comparing a band's albums directly to one another but I would say that this one as their third album may not have the diversity that may be represented a little more in the first 3 albums and of course production changed hands after their first album. The first album if listed here would make a great review. It is for sure much more raw.

However, all the songs on this 2012 album Manzanita are wonderful as individual songs and have a great personality of their own.

I would give it a photo-finish 4 as it is an excellent album overall and a very nice addition to a progressive rock collection.