WELCOME TO RIVERHOUSE

The HOLY RIVER FAMILY BAND is a side project of the SPACIOUS MIND keyboardist and they are a trio using ethnic instruments along with the usual ones. All three play a variety of instruments. Their debut "Haida Deities" was based on Haida mythology and the Haida are North American natives which I didn't know at the time. This surprised me coming from a Swedish band. Didn't they watch "cowboy and indian" movies growing up? Probably not and I appreciate the lyrics here, the embracing that nature is from the Creator and worshipping this infinite being. A Raga vibe with this music too.

I had a little fun with the debut, with the band's name and such but man by the end of my week with that one I gave it 3.5 stars even though it's not really my kind of music. I mean opening and closing with repetitive and mellow ethnic stuff kept me from the 4 stars but so impressed with their compositions that were all instrumental. That brings us to "Welcome To Riverhouse" album number two and an ambitious double album at that with around 110 minutes of music. Same topic but a complete change as they have gone to shorter vocal songs this time although we also get three tracks over ten minutes.

Despite changing to what seems like an epic failure with the short vocal songs this has surpassed the debut easily in my estimation. Sure it's a double album and as such we're going to get some misses which we do but man such a moving recording for me and the lyrics are so interesting. The vocals are handled by two of the guys and both have character in fact that opener always makes me think of David Sylvian but more the in the way he delivers his vocals not the tone so much.

I have a top six with the top three of those being killer tunes. So lets start with the bottom three and "Dogma(Here Lies The Essence)" probably more for the electric guitar but I like the backing vocals along with the lead. The other two include the over 11 minute "Many Moons" and the longest track at almost 16 minutes "Psalm" which reminds me of POPOL VUH a little but this is more like a drugged out haze with those vocals mumbling and sound. Check them out around 4 1/2 minutes. Some cool vocal arrangements later oh and there's a brief outburst of guitar around 12 minutes reminding me of Rypdal.

Top three include "Peyote Visions" yes I have tried. This is where the vocals bring Sylvian to mind and this is my favourite. Instrumentally this is very good, impressive. "After Chacruna" is dark to begin as native styled percussion arrives, organ and chanting eventually. All sounds amazing over the 10 minutes. Then lastly "Suffocation/ Meditation" at 8 minutes rounds out my to three. Nice bass early as strummed ethnic sounds and beats arrive followed by organ. Really good! Spoken words and I like the drumming that follows. Interesting lyrics once again.

I had no idea how many side projects the members of SPACIOUS MIND were involved in and if any of them are as good as this I need to investigate. Highly recommended, this one is special.