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Chilliwack - Chilliwack CD (album) cover

CHILLIWACK

Chilliwack

 

Psychedelic/Space Rock

3.14 | 18 ratings

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Sean Trane
Special Collaborator
Prog Folk
3 stars Not long after having changed their names from the Collectors (after two superb albums and a few singles) to Chilliwack, changing their contracts but keeping grosso-modo the same line-up, out came this first self-titled album, which is often called Parrot (re: the label), because their second album is also self-titled. This confusion, I believe is due to the fact that the album was released on different labels and thought to be deleted, but please do not quote on this. If you have more info, please feel free to advise me on this issue.

Still headed by guitarist Bill Henderson and multi-instrumentalist Claire Lawrence (whose flute and sax works are definitely making the difference), the group adopt a more west coast sound than in their previous incarnation, but also manage to sound like early Tull (on Sundown), sometimes slightly Amerindians (the chants and drum rhythms on Seventeens Summer, even if it allows for a Diddley passage) - maybe in homage to the ethnic mask on the artwork - and downright hippy-trippy and reflective (Ballad).

But the group still retained some typical 60's twist such as the fuzzed-out guitars (Got You Fixed's wild solo) with some bluesy elements (the lengthy Rain-O) and some cool soloing (the good guitar on the great closing track Chain Train) but almost getting lost (but not quite), yet still retaining the dreamy feel. The album slowly dissolves into a quiet flute and bass outro.

Please note that the Red Fox Cd-reissue of this album mentions 1972 as a release date, but this is wrong, the album being from 70. This "debut" album is not quite of the calibre of their previous albums, and if less-inspired, there are still tons of moments that lets you see the band's brilliance, and letting you hope for a better follow-up.

Sean Trane | 3/5 |

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