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Litmus - Planetfall CD (album) cover

PLANETFALL

Litmus

Psychedelic/Space Rock


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Mellotron Storm
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars I was really looking forward to this release. Space Rock with mellotron is a combination I can't get enough of. Andy Thompson the man behind the web-site Planetmellotron is the synth, moog and mellotron player. The music on this disc I would describe as very HAWKWIND sounding with more of a metal edge.The synths are firing off all over the place and the vocals are almost yelling over the soundscape. Unfortunately this wasn't a good listen for me as the sounds I mentioned seemed to be relentless for over 76 minutes. I did like the guitar a lot but I couldn't even hear the mellotron except for at the start of one song. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Andy Thompson gave a little review of this album on his site. He mentioned that 15 minutes of this album should have been chopped off and that during the mixing of this record they mixed the mellotron and moog either too low or completely out. Andy says this happened "while I wasn't looking." By the way he has since left the band. Too bad about that and the mixing. By the way he gives this record 3 out of 5 stars as well.

The highlight for me is the song "Expanding Universe". This is the song where you can actually hear the mellotron to open with some great sounding guitar which has a lower sounding tone. Even the vocals seem better on this track. It shifts up a gear after 3 minutes to a nice and heavy sound. Check out the guitar 12 1/2 minutes in. Nice.

I'm sure HAWKWIND fans will eat this up, and it is a good record, but compared to THE FIRST BAND FROM OUTERSPACE and other psychedelic bands (too many to mention) this was a let down.

Report this review (#136653)
Posted Thursday, September 6, 2007 | Review Permalink
FruMp
PROG REVIEWER
1 stars I could not stand this album.

This is very poppy shallow space-rock (or modern rock as it would seem to me) and it goes on for far too long. One of the things that annoyed me most was the random synth sound effects - they are relentless for the entire album and they get old really fast, when they first started I thought they were pretty good and then the second song came in and they started back up again and I was slightly perturbed, by the third song I was already annoyed so you can imagine how I was feeling by the end of the album. I never really got a progressive vibe or detected much progressiveness in the music either which is odd considering how there are 2 epics on the album, I'd listen to it again to pay closer attention by I'm really not sure I want to.

Stay away from this one folks you're better off sticking with HAWKWIND.

Report this review (#145540)
Posted Thursday, October 18, 2007 | Review Permalink
4 stars Now if your into hawkwind this is a good album,ive got 40 albums by hawkwind and i think planetfall is an album worth having as its like hawkwind kind of heavier hawkwind sounding,i like every track on this album the other reviews are a bit not right i think as i think its an album hawkwind fans would like to,litmus are a good band and deserve more credit especially if you into space rock the singing on this does remind me of dave brock a bit which is a good thing this planetfall album i think sounds more like hawkwind live its just got that sound to it to me,i just cant understand the other reviews on this its alot better than the other reviews say it is believe me,the guitar on this sounds like dave brocks guitar but a bit little heavier,i bet litmus are good live to,the bass in this album is bit little like alan daveys bass to which is a good thing to me,trust me dont take any notice of the other reviews as this is a good album and i give it 4 stars.
Report this review (#216577)
Posted Tuesday, May 19, 2009 | Review Permalink
4 stars Only a few reviews of what is an excellent album although very derivative of SPACE RITUAL era Hawkwind...full of spacy electronics/synths and extended guitar trips. The CD is long - clocking in at over 76 minutes but certainly not boring and the time passes quickly. There are two tracks over 15 minutes.

Of course the orginality of the compositions has to be questioned but the execution is excellent. These guys know how to play . Andy Thompson (of the Planetmellotron website) features on mellotron and synths although I understand he has now left the band.

Marks are lost for lack of orginality but sound quality and playing is a high standard.

Worthwhile addition to any prog collection.

3.5 stars.

Report this review (#423421)
Posted Sunday, March 27, 2011 | Review Permalink

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