HERE BE MONSTERS

I feel like it is high time to have a newer Motorpsycho sound, one that kept up with their psych prog flows whilst also doing something different. As a result from a commissioned concert at Teknsik Museum, the music that was performed offered the band a lead way into new possibilities for their sound. As a result, going through producer changes, and going through several influences of Mike Oldfield, Mogwai, and even the odd Grateful Dead and Porcupine Tree, Here Be Monsters was born, and so my second favorite album Motorpsycho composed.

I think what strikes this album as being one of my favorites is just how more methodical the band plays these songs. These jams are more slow, precise, and take their punches in different directions. The big moments on this record are a bit more subtle, but I feel like subtleness this album is played at not only creates for an interesting experience, but also a very vibrant one at that as well. Tracks like Lacuna / Sunrise, Running With Scissors, and the cover for Spin, Spin, Spin by the English psych folk band H.P. Lovecraft creates more melodic jams that are still filled with energy, though the energy is more reserved throughout the course of the entire album. The exception to this is I.M.S. which is this energy, almost Thee Oh See or King Gizz flavored jam session with lots of unique distortions that I really enjoy. I think the wound up for I.M.S. with those more methodical songs from before helps create this very unique experience for Motorpsycho, wanting to tease the listener with tracks that take their time more than ever. I also really like how the group covered Spin, Spin, Spin as, while I am not the biggest fan of covers, I think this works immensely well as it is a great opener for the second half of the album, making this more folky song into a very vibrant and heavy hitting track that still plays into the album's methodical nature, which I really enjoy.

This is also one of the Motorpsycho albums to have a seriously amazing prog rock epic in the form of Big Black Dog. I think Big Black Dog holds the same candle to The Wheel from Timothy's Monster, being this song that slowly builds up to a more heavy hitting, and quite intimidating part. Unlike The Wheel, Big Black Dog truly experiments with the long 17 minute run time, fully crafting this powerful, and highly progressive sound, almost dipping slightly in post rock territories near the end. While the first few songs (not including Sleepwalking and Sleepwalking Again since they are practically just preludes) were amazing, I think Big Black Dog holds some of the best music Motorpsycho has put out there, and thus makes the album a masterpiece in my opinion.

A different, but still highly great album from Motorpsycho. The more disciplined jams are quite interesting, but hold a candle in terms of amazing Motorpsycho works, almost rivaling that of Still Life With Eggplant. Truly a masterful album for the ages, and one that I doubt will fall out of my heart anytime soon.