BEYOND-O-MATIC

3.5 stars. These seven tracks were compiled from some improvised sessions they did in their home city of San Francisco in May of 2012. This is a long one at close to 73 minutes with the last five songs ranging from 10 to16 minutes. I was really surprised at this one after being blown away by their previous album "Time To Get Up". These were from improvs though so a lot of jamming and space here but it's not even close as far as the quality of songs go. Still it's tough not giving this 4 stars knowing how good the vocals and compositions were on "Time To Get Up" and then hearing both being not as good but still impressing me. Problem is there's lots of so-so sections and even songs keeping me from going all in on 4 stars.

Man those first two shorter tracks had me wondering what was going on. I mean I give Peter and the band credit for going to far away places and shaking things up from that earlier record but it just doesn't always work. "In The C" is catchy and the vocals are given prominence. Just not big on this one. Even less so with "Tick Tock Rock" with those soft vocals and sound. "Wish" and "Turn, Switch, Trust" are the two tunes I like quite a bit and we are in four star territory with these. Experimental early but when it turns powerful I'm all in. Vocals at 2 minutes and this is so good. Some flute too leading the way then more vocals and a spacey calm. It becomes quite catchy with electronics and flute as it builds then they jam to the end.

"In Tow Os" puts the focus on the vocals but man after 10 minutes it turns surprisingly heavy to the end. Really good. "Out The C" ends it and it opens with these beautiful sounds in atmosphere and it stays sparse until kicking in around 2 1/2 minutes and those vocals get passionate at times as it trips along with sounds that echo. Some cool vocal arrangements before 6 minutes as the sound gets fuller. It calms down late to the end. "Turn, Switch, Trust" the other song I really like opens with this gorgeous atmosphere with light guitar. Beats and bass then these emotional vocals arrive along with experimental sounds. Atmosphere 6 minutes in leads the way then vocals at 7 1/2 minutes as themes are repeated. Gotta love his passion 9 minutes in.

I am thrilled to own "Time To get Up" and have BEYOND-O-MATIC in my Psychedelic collection but this one was more challenging in different ways.

BEYOND-O-MATIC are from San Francisco, California and are led by singer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Peter Fuhry. We get a couple of drummers and long time collaborator Kurt Stenzel on synths, samples and more. A couple of bass players plus a singer adding harmonies on one track. While this was released in 2010 it was recorded back in 2002-2003. They also released three records in the 90's before this one and there's one after this album from 2013 that I hope to review soon. I would describe this recording as trippy, spacey and melancholic with some exceptionally good vocals. I mean the man can sing. I don't usually hear this quality of singing in Psychedelic music. I feel this is right between 4.5 stars and 5 stars with the only hiccup being "The Liquid Midnight" a vocal only track but at just over a minute I'm good with the five stars. Plus it's a nod to fellow Californians THE BEACH BOYS. So take that track out and we get six tracks over 57 minutes so they do like to stretch it out. Peter plays Cross5 Bariguitar and guitar, effects, flute, bass, accordion and "the long stiff finger of doom"as it says.

The first three tracks just kill with "Plague Of Bliss" getting us started as the guitar and synths create atmosphere as those high pitched vocals join in. So much melancholy. I really like his wordless melodies then he sings again as this pattern continues. The song does build including the vocals becoming more passionate before it all settles back. "Hawaiian Lady" is over 14 minutes long and my favourite. The song reminds me of some of those seventies jazz albums from the States where the female singer or singers sing in this style. He'll sing "Hawaiian Lady" twice with the second one in a lower register. Not always but mostly. Active drums in this one and some brief accordion before a minute along with some jazzy guitar moves. Bass is next and then we start to hear that main melody for the first time. Man the music is so intricate as the vocals arrive before 2 minutes. The instrumental work is just so impressive. It settles after 4 minutes as the music drifts with flute as the vocals step aside. Nice soaring guitar here too. Time to jam. It's haunting before 9 minutes. It eventually builds and vocals return but it's different here with the vocal delivery.

I really like "Starbong" especially that spacey and melodic chorus. Lots of flute and this is trippy with synths, guitar and drums. Vocals before 1 1/2 minute sound double tracked and are melancholic. Just another great track. "Trying To Find You" builds beautifully and vocals join in before a minute. How good is this! Synths swirl. A powerful sound after 2 minutes. Vocals echo as it settles around 3 1/2 minutes. Spacey is the word. Guitar starts to solo slowly around 5 minutes over the heavy spacey sound. What a song! The title track is really good but not great while the closer ends it all perfectly with an "Obscured By Clouds" vibe with that folky psychedelic sound.

Just an absolute pleasure listening to this psychedelic beauty from California.

Part Canterbury fun, part Komische space rock, this is a eminently enjoyable album, start to finish. With a psychedelic sound reminiscent of the 60s and 70s San Francisco scene (which is, coincidentally, from where this band hails).

1. "In the C" (5:14) is a very GONG-sounding jam with plenty of wild electronic gadgetry playing around in the background throughout. (10/10)

2. "Tick Tock" (2:29) Again, Daevid Allen's GONG is all that comes to mind while listening to this one. (9/10)

3. "Wish" (15:38) With this song the band move into the realm of space/psychedelia. (Not that Canterbury bands-- especially Gong and Steve Hillage--didn't use space/psychedelia sound palettes and techniques.) (9/10)

4. "In Two Os" (12:57) (8/10)

5. "Turn Switch to Trust" (10:43) is a very cool, very spacey, slow and ethereal journey into nether worlds--like a shamanic journey. Wonderful vocal layering throughout this beautiful song. (9/10)

6. "But the Love" (10:04) I love the slow build, "Hurdy Gurdy Man"-wavering of the guitar tracks and poetic lyrics of this one. (9/10)

7. "Out of C" (2:26) a true Country/Western-Bluegrass song! (8/10)

A real surprise and sleeper for 2013. Solid four stars.

US band BEYOND-O-MATIC was formed in the early 90s, releasing three full length albums and then going on hiatus. A brief reunion just after the millennium saw them record and release a fourth album, and then another state of hiatus was forthcoming. Sometime after 2010 they decided to have another go, and "Relations at the Border Between" documents the creations of the current version of the band. The album was released in 2013 through the US label Trail Records.

If you enjoy improvised psychedelic rock of the space rock variety, Beyond-O-Matic is a band that merits an inspection. Their arguably retro-oriented take on this type of music, sporting an organic 70's oriented atmosphere rather than a more modern one, is a compelling listen, and the inclusion of vocals does make these cosmic journeys a bit more accessible than the great number of all-instrumental space rock bands out there. A band and an album well worth an inspection by both junior and seasoned space cadets.

Long awaited ... since the songs were recorded more than one year ago basically ... the new BEYOND-O-MATIC album is out now. Peter Fuhry took all the time in the world to make it good - in order to append overdubs and to refine this stuff while editing and mixing in collaboration with George Dugan in his New York based I-Heights Studio. Yes, it was worth while - Trail Records can be proud to offer another exceptional album to us progressive rock fans, especially those who are from the psychedelic and space rock fold.

Here we have more extended songs compared to the predecessor 'Time To Get Up', released in 2010, on the same label by the way. So five out of seven are beyond the ten minute mark exactly. That means there's more room for jam and improv parts overall. The tunes predominantly come slow- respectively midtempo arranged. The album's unique flavour results from the hypnotic, halting behaviour - a special spaced out mood. And yes, Peter sings about mushrooms in between, but those of course sauteed in some butter and wine, right?

Apropos uniqueness - I should not forget to mention his high-pitched voice of course, partially polyphonic and experimentally modified - not for everyone's taste probably - a real sensation anyhow if you ask me. Besides him the band's steady core also features Stenzo on synths and drummer Anthony Koutsos. Almost without exception the bass comes from the electronic fold (at least according to the sleeve informations) - this is not what I would prefer, but on the other hand not a problem at all here either. In addition to that Stenzo serves some quirky snippets.and tons of well put spheric patterns.

Starting with the more compact tracks I would like to mention Tick Tock Rock first, which has the focus on vocals, as for that not a rock song as a matter of fact - a fine experiment anyhow. Wish yields a wonderful jamming part during the second half, including haunting guitar and nice flute respectively tribal percussion work. And then In Two OS ends with a brutal cut ... eeh! - SHIT! ... during the first listening session I really thought my CD was corrupted.

Never mind - BEYOND-O-MATIC readjust this shock immediately though with the following lovely (love? - generally I'm not good in exploring lyrics in English language) song - provided as a bittersweet symphony probably. This CD is brim-full of entertaining music, I really adore when bands extend their songs with some jam approach. 'Relations At The Borders Between' is something off the beaten path obviously, it's melodic and enjoyable anyhow - as for that the songwriting marks a perfect blend of experimentalism and accessibility - absolutely recommended!

The US outfit BEYOND-O-MATIC was a San Francisco-based musical project with Peter Fuhry (vocals, guitar) and Stenzo (keyboards) as the main driving forces, with various friends and acquaintances coming and going in the handful of years the band was active. Initially disbanded in 1999, they briefly reformed to produce one last effort in 2002. After the recording sessions and studio work was finished in 2003 this creation never saw an official release, but eventually was made available as a free download from the band's website in 2004. Five years later the specialist label Trail Records decided to remaster and issue this effort, and in the late spring of 2010 "Time to Get Up" was finally given its official CD release.

Splendidly remastered by George Dugan, "Time to Get Up" is a high quality testimony to the talents of this gang of psychedelic warriors from San Francisco. And one well worth checking out by space cadets with a taste for material of a refined nature, with an emphasis on the gentler aspects found in this part of the psychedelic progressive universe.

This is a special offer coming from the charming space rock corner. The band had a return to active duty following a hiatus that lasted nearly 5 years. Peter Fuhry and his mates recorded this stuff around 2003/2004, however not officially released until May this year. Due to TRAIL Records the songs are now reworked with improved sound quality - a delightful experience for sure. One could only complain why it took so many years ... but never mind - 'Time to get up' here.

The songs are basically trippy floating jams where Fuhry's sweet vocals are a significant aspect, when even adding some pop appeal to the sound here and there in my opinion. Stenzo's quirky and spacey synthesizer additions are striking in the same way at least - possibly the album's greatest attraction as a matter of fact. Backing the cosmic flow all the way through bass and drums (Anthony Koutsos and David Jayne) appear relaxed and restrained.

It's quite hard to determine a typical highlight here. For some time I thought of Trying to find you which is notably hypnotic and provided with slight drones, also keeping a bunch of twittering synths and Fuhry's varied guitar work all over. Very melodic too on the contrary, yes - something to sing along really. Starbong holds a lively guitar, flute and synth interaction. The title track should also be named, at first rather unconspicious it all evolves to something haunting and dramatical step by step.

Expressing a happy mood Hawaiian Lady swings in a special manner. And the vocals nearly reach for falsetto heights. Another extraordinary track with time for a wonderful spacey excursion inbetween. One or two original, more electronically coloured songs are ignored for this collector's edition surprisingly, but it doesn't matter. BEYOND-O-MATIC provide an absolutely friendly peaceful atmosphere on this album. 'Time to get up' is a great collection of mellow space rock music suitable for some laid-back moments.