PSEUDO/SENTAI

So this is my second taste of Pseudo/Sentai, and while I was very keen on their latest EP - this new single may prove to be even more seductive to these ears(even if it is released as a solo mission by band member Blue). Just remember that 'these ears' have a weakness for electronic music - music that surfs and rides fluidly over- tops this beautiful surge of robotic power. Sure, you often get the exact opposite in the ambient uncouth industrial corners of the genre, but with this track, Making a Hole in the Center of the First Outside Planet, you get an overpowering feeling of being slingshot right into the very title of the track with buzzing fire thrusters and a nearby church organist, who's finally gone completely fishing, circling round in small neat, and yet blurry disturbing sound patterns.

Sounds like an engaging, if not slightly deranged electronic seaman ditty - y'know the ones you hear way out west in the blue deserts, where folks say AYE and GUVNOR?................. - in fact all of this track oozes a maritime feel, even if we're setting off for the first outside planet. I guess we're sailing after all eh? Gotta love those beautiful golden sun sails shimmering in the deep blackness of space. If I close my eyes, I can almost feel those exact images riding alongside this highly shimmering sailor tune. In a matter of 3 minutes 18 seconds you get all of this handed over to you merely through the sounds of a synth and a mouth. Great partnership, and I for one am looking very much forward to hear what these two cats can come up with in the future, especially when they pair up with the rest of the band who additionally have both musical skills and mouths to boot.

Coupled together with the eclectic and at times avantguardistic Indie rock of this band, this new little experiment could be something quite astonishing. I am not sure I want to award 4 stars to a single track, but rest assured I dig the heel out of it. Really really dig the heel out of it baby....

I was rating 3 stars and writing this review while I was listening to this EP for the second time. Now I get it. Pseudo/Sentai is an alternative/experimental rock band. I'm into Super Sentai, mecha and almost every sci-fi related stuff, so I decided to taste the band after a conversation with Greg (Guitar/Vocals/Blue pseudosentai). Thanks to Greg, I'm glad to meet you. Keep the good work, guys.

It sounds to be their latest review (actually, 2013). Well, there's no boring song here. Nature's Imagination (Chapter 2) is a good EP, and it's interesting how it works. The songs are all different from each other. The first song intro, Landmark of Vascular Catastrophe, is nice. When the vocals start, I clearly remember Coldrain (japanese alternative) vocals. The atmosphere is good, and I like (a lot) the guitar riffage at 1:30" - 2:10". The second song, Photoperiodism, is mainly acoustic and clean, a nice mood frame.

My favorite track here, Oil Hurricane. I love MIDI songs and oldschool video-game ost's, one of my favorite albums ever is the F-ZERO soundtrack, very creative and... Nostalgic tune. And this track is nostalgic, even at the first time. But it's not boring as nintendo-core and modern poop. Foliage Flower and Keeper of the Stars are light hearted and slow tracks, maybe the weakest side of the EP. But not bad. Some good effects. And I like the last half from the last track.

You can find Nature's Imagination (Chapter 2) at their bandcamp. Check it out.

At this early juncture in the band's history, the band was recording under the name Patient's Worth, and was essentially just a duo of Greg Murphy and Scott Baker. And right out of the gate, the group really seem to have aimed high here. While it may be lacking in some of the immediate surface appeal of their more recent material (the shimmering avant pop of Nature's Imagination, Chapter Two for example), this early album has a bit more of an exploratory vibe that really appeals to me.

Clocking in at just over 33 minutes in length, Pseudo/Sentai packs a lot of musical ideas into a short amount of time -- even a two minute song in their hands can go through as many sections as Tarkus did in twenty. The changes can be jarring at first, but on second or third listen they feel more natural, and better yet, they're supported by solid melodies and variations in texture.

"Federation Cremation", the four minute opener, seems to sum up the album's appeal the best. Accompanied by a brisk electronic drum beat, the song starts with a strong, assertive verse, but by the one minute mark the song has already changed directions, into a slightly woozy section, keeping me off balance, and soon you get a new riff to chew on, and by the time the song's over you feel like you've gotten about 3 songs for the price of one. Other highlights include the more straightforward "Fit for a Sting", which brings in some creepy electronic effects on the vocals as well as some punky guitar riffing. "Suturing Spectres to Ghostman" is a truly bizarre number that reminds me of a ska record played at half speed, with Fred Frith-like guitar overdubbage and choice lyrical phrases like "numerically tattooed sheep don't come cheap". Right on.

The most avant garde track comes at the end, the 8 minute "$$$/OBW", consisting of weird electronic noises for most of its first half, long stretches of silence, then finally a triumphant outro that pairs a good solid song seemingly duetting with some robotic voices. Reminded me a little of the Third Impression of ELP's Karn Evil 9, kind of. The song ends on an emotional coda, and fades out with some synthesizers. Nice track.

Avant prog fans would do well to check this out. It's certainly a similar composition style to their more recent material, but there's a more intentionally weird tendency that fans of groups like Cheer-Accident might like. Very enjoyable.

Pseudo Sentai are a conglomeration of experimental effects, indie alternative and art rock that have somehow achieved the 'difficult to pin down' genre. No amount of labelling will describe their music though they fall into the crossover box more easily than other genres. Listening to the EP "Nature's Imagination (Chapter 2)" is an intriguing experience because the songs all stand apart from one another. None of them outstay their welcome, but this is really a short listening journey for newcomers to the band, albeit a pleasant refreshing musical taste.

The EP opens with 'Landmark of Vascular Catastrophe' launched by ambient violin synths. Then the tranquillity is offset by the dissonance of offbeat and rather abrasive multilayered vocals, that are off key and battle against the beauty of the ribbons of synth. Suddenly I realise I need to prepare for a sonic journey as the experimental off kilter style is a trait of Pseudo Sentai. The band are earning a reputation for being out of the box in musical terms, and they jump completely out, defying description on this EP. Every song is distinct and unlike the other, which is refreshing when so many bands tend to emulate their own style song after song.

A case in point is that the next track 'Photoperioism' stands alone opening with bubbling burbles and then an indie folk rhythm locks into place. The harmonies are astonishing, so well executed that I had to check out the singers, only to be greeted with a cryptic listing of The Sentai play all Instruments. A bit of digging around will unveil that the band are a duo, often referred to as Blue and Red, that embark on these projects or recordings using home recording tools. The Residents music springs to mind at times listening to these short experimental ditties, and of course the anonymity adds to the mystique, though I don't believe Pseudo Sentai don eyeball masks to maintain this.

Having stated all this, the band are curiously accessible especially on songs such as 'Oil Hurricane; which could be mistaken as the latest soundtrack of the new Mario or 8 bit retro game of the like. The video game sound is endearing and is joined by more aggressive vocals with odd lyrics; "The fair haired children decorate the tether ground, the soundtrack to their end is their very own lack of sound, we all knew but we hoped this day would never come, the day the oil hurricane would stain the sun." I like the ominous quality of such lyrics adding to the drama accentuated by sparse musicianship.

'Foliage Flower' is stripped back to staccato piano notes and auto tuned vocals, again layered as harmoniously as is effective. The eerie effects create a dark atmosphere and, as an oddity, this short slice of inventiveness makes its marks and exits in a mere 1:50. The lyrics intrigue me and are as indecipherable as the music; "Mysterious threading binding pine growth, into a dimunitive gift as careless as its maker, I can never reach high enough when altitude escapes me, spare me your artefact of fiction." Poetic to say the least, and the lyrics enhance the musical figures.

The last track is my favourite and is really a fish out of water as it sounds more like a new wave band, one that is interested in melodies, nice vocals and exceptional musicianship, that were really aspects missing from the previous tracks. This one has a retro 80s sound like a track from Depeche Mode in the early years, oddly enough, but is all the more enjoyable in its uniqueness among the oddities previous. The guitar work is superb joined by beautiful swathes of synths with an organic flow. Lyrically the words capture a timelessness that can be open to interpretation, at one point sounding like the hypothesis of a science experiment; "Glistening specks of diamond light look like dirt residue, when placed next to your smile and all that is you, leaves have turned orange in the fall air, and with wind they rain, carriages roll breaking for the light, and they fly back up."

The consistency of this last song and indeed the whole EP are the interjections of strange effects, spacey in places but overall generating an ethereal atmosphere. In conclusion, Pseudo Sentai are a band that inject passion and energy into their music, and refuse to adhere to one genre, opting instead to merge as many genres as suits their purpose. Whether it be 8 bit video games, indie folk, or experimental alt rock, the music is constantly developing in their darkroom where the initial snap shots are taken. As the songs take shape the music takes on its own life force, and the band simply go along for the ride, therefore the songs become their own entity. It's great that bands are still finding their own uniqueness in a world where so many artists are being manufactured by the industry. We need bands like Pseudo Sentai to keep the rest of the plastic self-manufactured artists honest.

'Nature's Imagination (Chapter 2)' - Pseudo/Sentai (6/10)

Although it may not have been optimal to be introduced to this band through a sequel-record (and an EP no less), the second instalment of the "Nature's Imagination" series says alot about who Pseudo/Sentai are, and what their sound is all about. Although the band's primary ingredients consist of modern alternative rock and prog, there would be little point in comparing them to Radiohead or Coheed and Cambria. Instead, Pseudo/Sentai have left me in a rare position where I might call their music 'unique'. Tossing in every style from indie rock and pop to metal, electronic and 8-bit video game music, Pseudo/Sentai's experimental collage is striking and feels unsettling, in just the sort of way that experimental music should. Although "Nature's Imagination (Chapter 2)" is sonically interesting as anything I've heard this side of Alpha Centauri however, the way they have compiled these ideas is patchy at best. It's raw, inconsistent, and well worth a listen if you're looking for something off the beaten path.

At fifteen minutes long, it's surprising how many ideas and sounds Pseudo/Sentai are able to cover. Each track adopts a new set of styles to work with. "Landmark of Vascular Catastrophe" is an abrasive alt rock soundscape fuelled by math rock riffs, atmospheric ambiance and industrial percussion. By contrast, the second track "Photoperiodism" switches the sound almost entirely, focusing on bright acoustic twang and the sort of warm vocal harmonies you might expect from a cute indie folk group. What's remarkable is that Pseudo/Sentai are able to reinvent themselves with each track. For further proof; the third track "Oil Hurricane" inducts extreme metal rhythms into the 8-bit 'video game' format. Especially on the first listen, Pseudo/Sentai gets the senses reeling. Considering that none of the tracks here even hit the five minute mark, they spend very little time in each of these worlds they craft. While the brevity keeps the band's more gimmicky experiments from wearing out, the compositions feel like they have been kept as sketches. Although you're likely to remember an idea or two from the album, there's no song in particular that will leave you wanting more. A possible exception to this is the Coheed-esque "Keeper of the Stars" (which bears a conspicuous sonic similarity to Coheed's "Pearl of the Stars"), where Pseudo/Sentai return to the laid-back acoustic prog of "Photoperiodism" and let their more conventional influences take over.

It shouldn't be too much of a surprise, but "Nature's Imagination (Chapter 2)" feels completely scattered as an album. There are tossaway ideas meshed in with the excellent ones, although given the 'everything but the kitchen sink, and then the kitchen sink' approach these guys take to the music, that should be expected. One thing that seems to bind the album together are remarkably tuneful vocals that fit snugly in with the Claudio Sanchez (of Coheed) and Cedric Zavala (of The Mars Volta). Against a backdrop of sonic chaos, it's strange to hear vocals that I would have otherwise expected in an indie or alternative rock band, but they work well to give Pseudo/Sentai's music here a bit of consistency. The only poor exception is where they break the cardinal rule on "Foliage Flower" and break out the autotune, to a less-than-favourable result. Of course, Pseudo/Sentai aren't a band that's concerned with perfection. Instead, they give a fifteen minute dose of experimental ideas. Even taking the bad with the good, "Nature's Imagination" is worth checking out. Love it or hate it, you'll remember it.

This EP-length release, ostensibly the latest chapter in an ongoing saga, has an abundance of musical ideas that belies its temporal brevity (it's 15 minutes total). I had to listen quite a few times before I could pin it down -- there's quite a bit going on at once, while at the same time, it's not a "difficult" or "inpenetrable" album either. It just covers a lot of bases in a short amount of time, while sticking to the general ground rules of Western music. In fact, at times it seems eager to employ as many these rules as it can!

"Landmark of Vascular Catastrophe" is an inviting opener with high harmony vocals throughout, string synth patches, and a heavenly air to it (somewhat macabre, given the title). There's a neat section in the middle with an odd but nicely flowing chord progression in an odd meter. "Photoperiodism" might be my favorite of the five tracks, employing acoustic guitar sounds in a folk rock vein, and a nice circular melody that eventually gets some nice counter melodies piled on top. "Oil Hurricane" is probably the "weirdest" track, with twisting synth lines creating confusion only to rein it in to show those synth lines belonged together after all. The brief "Foliage Flower" feels like the long intro to a dramatic song that never really comes, an epic piano ballad boiled down to its essence. Finally, "Keeper of the Stars" ends on a brooding note, a dark groove with subtle changes in coloring throughout, occasional playful licks coming in and out, and gaining in intensity before slowly spiraling away in confusion. An odd track, that.

While I still can't quite grasp the overall "agenda" of this band, and they play a style of music that I have not really heard before, I can't deny it's compositionally sound (well constructed if complex chord progressions) and has no shortage of melodies. It's a bit too short to really make a huge impression on me, but what's here is likely to please any fan of modern ambitious music that isn't easily classified and doesn't stay in one place too long.

— First review of this album —

To say any PSEUDO/SENTAI record is non-essential is BLASPHEMOUS. The world will rue the day their stars get below four. Proudly, that has not happened yet. With songs like "What is My Armed Nemesis?" and "Babylawn" under their belts, it can be safely said that I was right. That PSEUDO/SENTAI IS the real deal. Prog rock has come back with a vengeance! I'll never stop listening to their musical endeavors. A fact my ears greatly appreciate. However, it goes without saying, my reviews will become redundant. And for that, this is Orcus' last PSEUDO/SENTAI review. Unless I am compelled to talk about their newly appointed five-star status, I will refrain from coining phrases and putting forth my two cents. The reason why they haven't received five stars from me yet is because, oddly enough, something's missing. From what I've gathered through this site and Bandcamp, Scrapes and Y.A.B.A.T. are only 'Excellent Additions' and not 'Essentials' because, with all considerations, a computer can only carry two people so far without needing more bipedal understudies. Thankfully, a drummer has said to have been with this band, nay, this PRODIGY for some time now. I will listen to that addition in no time flat. And as recently as a couple of weeks ago, a bassist has also been said to have joined the band. HALLELUJAH! Prog rock WILL survive! And Orcus will live on.

The Devil went down to Georgia because he already looked into the souls of PSEUDO/SENTAI. And let me tell ya, those are some souls he could never steal. For they were already taken in by their music. Music he could never master. I too am taken in by their sound and the sounds that bind them. This is Orcus and I can proudly assume, nay, SAY: PSEUDO/SENTAI will always be bound by their instruments, forever and ever. Praise be rock! Prog and other kinds! Without such essentials, life would flounder. Scrapes of an Enigmatic Nature provides us with a beginning to the possible, nay again, THE return of prog rock. A tickle in the lead singer's throat emotes this time and time again. As well it should. If I HAD to choose just one song from PSEUDO/SENTAI's debut it would have to be "Muttering Mulligans (Femurs of Dreamers)". But I don't have to and, on top of that, I don't have to explain myself any further. Not to you. You who reads instead of listens. I wish deafness upon your ears if you do not do just that. Listen and the rest will fall into place. No one knows better than Orcus. My heart yearns for more. Yours will too. Onward to the progression of PSEUDO/SENTAI! Onward! Onward!

Progressive classic video game rock.

Pseudo/Sentai are (currently) a young quartet from Columbus, Ohio, an area which I've kept my eye on since fellow Columbus-based musician Cloudkicker made a name for himself. P/S, however, are quite different from the djent/post-metal/ambient style of the aforementioned artist, and instead create a unique mix of synth-based symphonic video game music and heavy progressive rock musicianship.

Nature's Imagination (Part 2) starts off with the emotional, brooding synth work of "Landmark of Vascular Catastrophe" that sounds similar to the music from Super Metroid for the SNES, but eventually kicks off into powerful anthemic rock and a beautiful cascading guitar melody. But one of the only real problems I have with this EP is on this song, and that is the vocals -- they're not awful, but they sound slightly off-key, but that might simply be a consequence of the home production -- but the musical arrangement makes the song enjoyable nonetheless.

"Photoperiodism" has an interesting indie music meets island music vibe to it that reminds me of The Spinto Band but with choir vocal effects that are reminiscent of Fleet Foxes. The quickly-played, playful guitar melody sounds like something Steve Howe might have played, and the swelling synths that appear halfway through the song, though subtle, create a surprisingly effective atmospheric climax.

"Oil Hurricane" brings back the video game music influence and is almost entirely dominated by aggressive 8-bit synth melodies, but heavy riffing also appears. It's a relatively short track that mostly serves as an interesting interlude before "Foliage Flowers" begins with it's soulful autotuned vocalizations and dusty piano melody. This song is also relatively short and serves as a (more) interesting interlude.

"Keeper of the Stars" has an interesting '80s new wave type of vibe to it, and is really quite relaxing and has an underlying spacey atmosphere enhanced by electronic sounds and the echoed vocals.

Nature's Imagination (Part 2) as a whole has a lot of interesting ideas crammed into a impressively short runtime, and (more impressively) it all works well together. The compositions are interesting without sounding like overkill, and they're catchy enough without sounding too simple, and though they sound completely different, these attributes are what made Rush such a great band, in my opinion. The only real criticism I have is against the production, but it's obvious that not every small band can get professional, squeaky clean production, but I'd also argue that this production style has a very rootsy, real kind of feel that has been either lost over time or reserved for lesser bands who like to operate under the "indie" genre umbrella. Pseudo/Sentai are an interesting young band, and they deserve your attention, so get at it and download this free EP.