OUT INTO SPACE

The fact that this album doesn't have any review yet should not surpise: it's a long psychedelic marathon made of 3 CDs and about 3:40 hours of listening, recorded for the 10th anniversary of the first band's live performance.

Each CD is performed by a different lineup. Only Dr.Space is present on all of them.

After few introductive words, the gig starts immediately with "Open The Skies", an instrumental with an early Pink Floyd vibe from the days of Zabrisky Point. A good trip is starting: hypnotic repetitive bass line with keys, drums and guitar enlarging the soundscape. Something changes in the second half of this 16 minutes track, but we are still in the land of Ummagumma with a little hint of Quantum Fantay in the bass line.

Some spacey electronic sounds introduce "Flyby Guitar Hero. The structure is not much different from the previous track, with the instruments jamming over the bass line, but this time there's some more psychedelia and Dr.Space makes an excellent job in the background with the electronics. Søren is a sort of a metronome on drums (like often Nick Mason was). Other 10 sophomore minutes on just two chords.

Has anyone seen Nick? I don't think it's about "that" Nick, even if the drummer is again a sort of metronome. Now we are more in the Quantum Fantay realm than in the early PF, for about 15 minutes, then "The Man Who Ate Planets" is a lesson about how to spend 20 minutes on a single chord.

"The Last Glide" closes the first set. The intro is electronic, then a guitar riff comes. Another psychedelic jam of about 13 minutes. The structure is still the same: repetitive bass line and all the others jamming. Pleasant, but we probably need some chemical help to appreciate it entirely.

So it's not a case that the second set is opened by "Jamming For Your Mind". A good 14 minutes bluesy jam ending with Mr. Space introducing the band members to the audience. Now let's travel to the "Stargate 7431" with uptime drums and a guitar jam. This second band incarnation is less Floydian and more oriented to the soundscapes of Ozric Tentacles. The track fades directly into "Circular Perimeter". There's more drumming, I would have preferred a different production, giving the rhythmic part more evidence. Good guitar work for the most rocking track up to now. There's no pause. "Chocolate Orange Candle" starts where the previous track ends. This part of the CD is like a single long suite. Respect to the first set there's more rock. Sometimes it reminds in the mood to Jimi Hendrix's Experience. It's a live recording, after all.

Few words from the stage. A quick band intro then back to music. "One More Space Out" starts almost funky. It's another 14 minutes jam, but the odd signature and the intensity of the sound send us back to the 60's. Very trippy.

It's now time for the third stage and the monster 34 minutes track "A Long Night Amongst Friends" whose title says much about it. Bass, percussion, electronic winds and it's back to Ummagumma. Just relax and let it flow. The presence of a percussion solo in the middle is remarkable.

After more than 3 hours, "Find A Way Out Of Here" is an appropriate title. It takes 23 minutes to find it inside a delirium, but if you have make it up to now, you can enjoy also this one. The bass plays a two major chords sequence (E/F). This semitone distance gives the possibility of jamming using minor scales on major chords. Not very original but it gives it a sort of oriental mood. Later it changes into what I think is totally improvised. The chord sequence is quite melodic but the lead guitar is often dissonant.

"Let It Groove" is the third and last track of the third and last set. It's the most various and interesting track. A good closer, good to wake the audience up and give them the possibility of find their ways home.

Now let me give it its deserved 3 stars and go to grab a coffee.