MAXWELLS SUBMARINE

NOTE: The listing of material here is different than what is seen on Bandcamp. This review is the Bandcamp's version

1. Lost Dreams of Conquest 2. Maxwell's Submarine 3. Destiny put His Guitar in Her Salad 4. The Major's Boots are where She Left Them 5. History ... Like Science, is Ever Changing 6. All of Her Eyes are Out of sync 7. The Sea & Brisa 8. Goodbye Bakullama!

Rick Whitehurst ... all instruments Eric Cambum ... eDrums on "Destiny" and "All Her Eyes" "O'Man" ,,, Bass on "Destiny" (oman5.bandcamp.com) Kalvin Foster ... Guitar on "Sea & Brisa"

I had to listen to this again, before starting to really enjoy it. Each piece is not exactly like the previous one, and it takes a bit of patience, and then this album starts to fly, and it has its really nice bits, parts and pieces. And very enjoyable they are I say!

There is some really neat stuff here, and sadly, some of it, appears to seem unfinished, or the player tired of doing what he was doing. While that is not a criticism since he is the creative person here, and I am just a reviewer, it is a thought that what we are hearing is missing something, and that we want a bit more here and there so the piece might have a feeling of completeness, instead of ... that's it? Though that is not the feeling for the whole album at all. But, sometimes, you want to hear more and it is not there.

There is a side of things here, that might give us an impression that order here is not what matters, but somehow the addition of this or that will make it work, and in general, it does, though, as I suggested, we want more. The first piece is a good example, with the piano part in the end, not exactly helping anything, and you wondered what happened there.

However, in general, this is a neat album, and special in many ways ... as the next piece shows, in "Maxwell's Submarine". It has a neat feeling and somewhat sci-fi from the old days of the movies, and maybe this is the album's cover that is giving me that idea, but the feeling of this thing moving is really well done, with some suggestions on the edges, as if this was the end, and you could hear something, a memory of sorts, special in its own way, but a detail that really makes this piece work really well as the piece comes to an end.

"Destiny put His Guitar in Her Salad" is probably the highlight of the whole album, though that is suggesting that other things are not as good, which is not true at all ... but there is a bit more continuity and quality here than some of the other pieces, and it might be the Bass Guitar that makes this work well.

The last two pieces listed here are probably the best ones, if not the ones that will get our attention the most. "The Sea & Brisa" ... is the one that is more attractive, probably because of the guitar, which is the one part that is easiest to stay with sometimes and its beauty shines throughout the whole piece, and makes this a very special piece in the album. But, remember that this piece is not at all, much of anything like the other pieces in the album. One could say that this is more about the guitar riffing, and leading this piece of music, and yeah, it stands out, because it is very good. In some ways, the difference in this piece from the rest of the album, makes it seem like it doesn't belong here, but somehow, it didn't bother me, though it gave me a bit of a rest listening to the other, less defined, or designed as this one is. A wonderful piece and deserving some attention.

The last piece, is the tough one for me ... "Goodbye Bakullama!" is something that Rick has mentioned online, was over and he was looking for the next step and ideas to take hold. Personally, I liked, and appreciated the hermit's idea here for the creativity of the music in this album, but sadly, I think the lack of comment and appreciation, or perhaps sales, has made the end of this whole thing ... its reality.

On this last piece, you get the feeling that there are here many of the ideas and sounds that never got anywhere, or were represented, and while not "empty", the thing, somehow did not take flight properly or well enough to continue. It has a nostalgic feeling and idea, that makes me feel like this is all gone, and music, for me, is not something that will be EVER ... gone ... anywhere ... at all, to be wasted and not heard. Some folks might feel empty inside, but rest assured that this is not the feeling in many listeners, though you might not hear them say much of anything. The memory and moment that passed through your mind is as important as any other part of your memory ... or it would not be there!

A really good album, probably a difficult listen for some since it is not a conventional design or album, with "songs" that we can hum to and remember, but in its own way, this is a really nice thing ... though I will find it sad that this is the last one ... and its time to say goodbye ... and the ending of this piece is just as I suggested ... unfinished and unclear ... something that you and I do not want to hear about any band out there, or player.

Worth having, and a neat listen all around.

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