MOTORPSYCHO

You know, I didn't expect them to release a new album this early in the year, since usually it happens much later. That said, who cannot complain about a new Motorpsycho release? It's basically tradition at this point. Last year with Neigh!!, I felt like that album was likable, but certainly a step down from what the band had made prior. However, I was still cautiously optimistic when it came down to their next album. Keyword cautious, cause I didn't quite know if they'll double down on what they had on Neigh!!, or go to richer endeavors. Oh boy how glad I was when this dropped, because along with it came my caution crumbling down into just pure optimism.

Motorpsycho's...Motorpsycho (It feels weird to say the band's name twice when the album is named after themselves) is probably their first big BIG release in a long while, since The All Is One. Big, as in a masterpiece! Been a hot minute since Motorpsycho made peak like this again, and boy howdy is it incredible!

Despite having a career spanning over 34 years, they still manage to make some very original music, and honestly this record feels like a manifesto of all their great moments bundled into one package.

For example, you get some really fun and trippy psych rock tunes with tracks like Laird Of Heimly and Dead Of Winter. Motorpsycho's psych rock movements are always really strong no matter the album, and this recent endeavor is no exception. Y'all know how much I love those psych rock/pop tunes they made during their more extensive psychedelic workouts in their albums from the early 2000s, and the psychedelic tracks off this record are like a modern example of what they had done during those days.

Honestly, shoutout to Stanley (Tonight's the Night) especially, cause that song has a structure that gives me Go To California vibes. Obviously a lot shorter, but that guitar solo at the end felt very much like something that could come from Phanerothyme.

Though, the real treat here is the progressive rock. While on the Neigh!! review, I did say that I didn't really jive with the band stepping back into more proggy familiar grounds, I do think them doing it on here is a lot more acceptable, mostly because, well, it sounds fresh! Whenever I listen to songs like The Comeback, or Three Frightened Monkeys, my mind wonders how they can still manage to push the progressive rock envelope to new heights. The prog songs honestly sound like a mix between the harder edges of The Crucible or Heavy Metal Fruit, with some of the more jammy sides of Little Lucid Moments and Still Life With Eggplant.

Oh yeah, speaking of jams, this record has a prog epic! Been a bit since we've seen a proper 20 minute Motorpsycho score. Neotzar (The Second Coming) is just superb honestly, certainly a highlight for me and for most people as well. I mean, they never really missed on an epic, aside from that one time with Jaga Jazzists, but even still who cannot complain about a properly amazing Motorpsycho jam? It's creepy, it's weird, but I think Neotzar is one of the best tracks Motorpsycho has made in a long while.

Honestly all the long songs here are highlights for me. Lucifer Bringer of Light is such a good opening, especially how the band implemented more krautrock grooves into it. Gave me some really strong Amon Düül II vibes, which I think is always appreciated. Cannot go wrong with some good ol' psychedelic infused repetition.

But also, one of the real top of the line songs on here has to be Balthazaar. When I first heard it, specifically the intro with that crunchy, almost video game-esque tune at the start, I already knew that we were so back. I am listening to the song right now as a matter of fact, and it still hits as hard as it did when I heard it the first time. I can already tell that I will listen to this track more times than I can count this year. It's just too good honestly, almost addicting.

However, I think one of the strongest highlights, in fact maybe it is the strongest, is Kip Satie. Now, you may be asking, why Kip Satie? Well, while it's certainly not my favorite track on here, hell I'd say it and Bed of Roses are the weakest here, it was the track that made me realize something...no matter what Motorpsycho will still be Motorpsycho.

Now that may sound obvious, but hear me out. While it's true that pretty much every band under the sun changes things up every once and a while, maybe every new album if you're lucky, I find that Motorpsycho still always felt like themselves even with lineup and musical changes.

Even if they make long winded prog rock jams, they're still Motorpsycho.

Even if they make live albums that have excessive noise complaints, they're still Motorpsycho.

Even if they make ambient albums for imaginary films, they're still Motorpsycho.

Even if they do country covers of their own songs, they're still Motorpsycho.

Even if they do hardcore and sludgy grunge music. They're. Still. MOTORPSYCHO.

That is why I think this record is simply called Motorpsycho. Motorpsycho will forever be Motorpsycho. Whether it be on Lobotomizer, or here and now, Motorpsycho will always be Motorpsycho. They're a band that infinitely changes, like a butterfly that has phoenix mechanics. No matter the album, no matter the song, no matter the momentum, Motorpsycho will still make songs that FEEL like Motorpsycho, because they are Motorpsycho.

I suppose Motorpsycho, with Motorpsycho, is Motorpsycho. All as one, as it should be. Anyways yeah this album is pretty good you should check it out or something.

Best tracks: Lucifer Bringer of Light, Stanley (Tonight's the Night), The Comeback, Bathahaazar, Neotzar (The Second Coming), Three Frightened Monkeys

"Worst" tracks (but they're still pretty good): Kip Satie, Bed of Roses

And then there were two: the Psychonauts' two founding members . . . and a bunch of hired hands. The realities of the modern way of making and publishing music has finally dawned on Bent and Hans.

Disc 1 (40:49) 1. "Lucifer, Bringer of Light" (10:49) off to the races we go straight from the first frame--especially with metronomic JAKI LEIBZEIT-like drummer Ingvald Vassbø in the driver's seat. The harmonies on the team vocals are rather weak, even discordant at times. The song's chord structure is fairly straightforward with only a few interesting bridges or instrumental passages. The WHO "Baba O'Riley"-like third minute starts off interestingly but then devolves into a fairly straightforward ALLMAN BROTHERS-like guitar solo--and then slightly more interesting LYNYRD SKYNYRD-like duet/duel. This goes on until the ninth minute when the boys try to come back to a slightly-more sophisticated (and infinitely more interesting) variation on the opening theme for more vocals. (17.5/20) 2. Laird of Heimly (3:54) 3. Stanley (Tonight's the Night) (4:10) 4. The Comeback (4:32) 5. Kip Satie (2:25) 6. Balthazaar" (11:40) bug-buzz-saw playing around until Krautrock motif steps into play at the 0:56 mark (with a bass line that is a variation on the famous "Peter Gunn" riff). The team vocals are okay, melodic and smooth, I just don't know (or care) what they're singing about. Guitar solos with a variety of guitar sounds (one very Allman Brothers-like). Halfway into the song I'm finding the motif to be more annoying than hypnotic, this despite all the different guitar sounds and the addition in the sixth minute of piano chord hits. A turn given to synths for solos in the seventh minute provide a little diversion/relief but then we're right back into the rut for the next vocal section in the eighth minute. Around the eight-minute mark the band shifts a little (mostly drummer Ingvald Vassbø's drum beat and style) and then synthesized guitar takes off for the next solo (with the next sound). The eleventh minute brings us around to the final vocal section while the instrumental parts of the song show signs of cracking and, perhaps, dissolving. No such luck. And then there's the whole travesty of focusing a song about "Balthazaar" much less using the word as the exclusive occupant of the chorus's main lyric, repeated over and over. Sorry guys! This just doesn't live up to the high standards of your tremendous body of work! (17.375/20) 7. Bed of Roses (3:19)

Disc 2 (40:50) 8. Neotzar (The Second Coming)" (21:07) pretty weird and lame for the first 2:40 with piano-like guitar notes backing singer Thea Grant, but then the band kicks in with some decent cruise-drivin' music over which another lame vocal (and equally-lame background vocal) is set. The Mellotron strings work is mismatched and the guitar solos in the mid-section are just okay. At 8:15 there is a break before harp-like "heavenly" music fills a minute and more while, eventually, electric guitar plays a spacious series of mindless notes for another minute or so. In the eleventh minute some chords begin to form from behind, orchestral washes. At 12:15 some ominous and acerbic notes and chords begin amping things up until there is about 90 seconds of almost-UTOPIA/MAHAVISHNU/ZAPPA-like cacophony up to the end of the 14th minute. But then things smooth out and return to the main Motorpsycho highway though a more-subdued electric guitar continues soloing into end of the 15th minute before being rejoined by the other guitarist--who then takes over in the sixteenth. Man! It feels as if these guys have really been chompin' at the bit to have some loose solo time--even some vicious duels. Drummer Ingvald Vassbø really ups the chaos in the seventeenth minute but then things straighten out again for some piano and synth leadership--just before male vocalist steps in with a lame vocal. The final three minutes continue this piano-pounding palette while the guitarists (and vocalists--in the background) speed along toward the 21st minute in which they break it all down into bare-bones guitar and Mellotron note picking to the song's end. Interesting and sometimes exciting--especially if you're just into guitar shredding--but really not a greatly engaging or memorable song. (34.75/40) 9. Core Memory Corrupt (5:38) 10. Three Frightened Monkeys (8:41) 11. Dead of Winter (5:24)

Total Time 81:39

An album that feels like the two have rustled through their closets of old songs that had never made previous albums and dusted a few off for fresh renditions. I can see why most of these had been left in the closet. Even the ones that feel fresh are filled with either too much chaos or too much noodling: not the stuff that have kept me loyal to the cause for over 16 years.

Another year, another Motorpsycho record. This time, it seems the band is trying to atone for their missteps on the previous two albums, which, in my opinion, strayed far from what Motorpsycho is all about.

Yay! (2023) and Neigh!! (2024) have little to do with the band's usual discography. They blamed the pandemic, but was the real issue that they simply needed a break? Maybe.

Now, Motorpsycho has released their self-titled album?and it's really good. They've paid their dues with this one, delivering a record that's a million times better than their last two.

The band is back on track, with both great epic tracks and strong shorter ones. They shift from a Jimi Hendrix vibe to Soft Machine, passing through Frank Zappa and King Crimson along the way.

The signature vocal style, with that Leslie effect reminiscent of Jerry Garcia, works wonders here. The bass and guitars riff like the best of Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, while the vintage keyboards? Mellotrons and Moogs add depth and texture.

The record kicks off with "Lucifer, Bringer of Life," an obscure piece of dark psychedelia and proto-heavy metal, whit a great guitar work reminiscent of the guitar tandem of Duane Allman and Dickie Betts from The Allman Brothers Band. This song puts everything where it belongs.

Then come some familiar Motorpsycho staples and instrumentals: "Laird of Heimly" sounds like something off Led Zeppelin III; "Stanley (Tonight's the Night)" and "The Comeback" are upbeat, pop-tinged tracks with a 70s feel; "Kip Satie" is a solo piano piece that serves as an intro to "Balthazar," a trippy psych-prog journey; and finally, "Bed of Roses" closes out the first disc beautifully.

The second disc starts with the mighty "Neotzar (The Second Coming)," the best song on the record. This 21-minute epic blends jazz, prog, and psychedelia, feeling like a continuation of NOX, the great suite from The All Is One (part of the Gullvåg Trilogy).

At times, the album feels like it could be a concept record, with recurring musical motifs and an overarching sense of cohesion. While not officially labeled as one, there's a clear structure tying everything together, making it more than just a collection of songs.

The pop-driven "Core Memory Corrupt" offers a moment of lightness before the album's final stretch. "Three Frightened Monkeys" is another standout, stretching nine minutes with a hypnotic, evolving groove. And then comes "Dead of Winter," the perfect closer?melancholic, grand, and reflective, bringing the album to a powerful and fitting conclusion.

With Motorpsycho, the band has proven once again why they're one of the most consistently adventurous groups out there. After a couple of missteps, they've returned with a record that reminds us exactly why we fell in love with them in the first place.

Motorpsycho is one of the most prolific bands in the modern prog scene. They're not quite King Gizzard, but they're not terribly far off, either. Including a handful of collaborations, their 2025 self-titled is their 28th full-length release. They've demonstrated a lot of range, both across their career and on individual records. Their 1991 debut is primarily a stoner metal album, for example. I wasn't introduced to Motorpsycho until their sprawling 2017 album The Tower.

Motorpsycho sees the now-duo take an approach somewhat similar to The Tower. This is a long record with a few songs where the band really stretches out. Textures are rich, dreamy, and psychedelic, but flashes of heavier stuff crop up every now and again.

Kicking things off is the nearly-11-minute "Lucifer, Bringer of Light". It's got a jumpy energy, and the buzzy and jangly guitars call to mind many alt-rock acts of the '90s. The rhythm is insistent and unflinching, channeling many krautrock and krautrock-adjacent acts; it's a strong complement to the lightly-folky guitar and vocal passages. Much of this song's midsection is occupied by an extended guitar solo. It's strongly in the vein of many classic psych acts, in that it cultivates an astral atmosphere. It can both serve as great background music and hold up under scrutiny.

"Laird of Heimly" is entirely psychedelic folk, with squonky synths burbling in the background. The occasional string embellishments and distant percussion give this cut a dreamlike atmosphere. In contrast, "Stanley (Tonight's the Night)" evokes the melodic hard rock of the mid-1970s. It's upbeat, catchy and fun. Maybe it's not the most experimental thing they've written, but it's simply a solid piece of smart songwriting.

The band dips into an off-kilter, bluesy guitar lick for "The Comeback". The guitars feel oh-so-slightly askew, but in a very controlled way, and that oddness helps elevate this song. "Kip Satie" quiets things down. This is a short, mildly creepy piano interlude that offers some breathing space and really helps with the flow of the record.

Their next long song, "Balthazar", kicks off with a pair of strange, monophonic synth lines. The specific tones and unusual patterns played call to mind certain strains of medieval European music, like one might hear from Gryphon. That soon fades away, though, and gives way to another relaxed and groovy psychedelic guitar line. Those odd, blaring synths reemerge briefly, and the blending of those two elements is an interesting experience. Much like Motorpsycho's opening song, this piece can be enjoyed either as spacey chill-out music or as something more actively listened to. Its conclusion is especially grand and triumphant-sounding, and the gradual increase in intensity is effective.

"Bed of Roses" has a creepy, groaning vocal line. Processed strings and acoustic guitar add to the haunting feeling.

Following that brief interlude, "Neotzar (The Second Coming)" occupies the entire third side of this album. This 21-minute piece opens with eerie, glassy keys and a female guest vocalist. The overall feeling is cold and isolated. Somewhat suddenly, the band jumps into their more usual sound. Motorik-inspired rhythms and big, crunchy guitars blast in and take control. Jittery electric piano adds to this section's tension and anxiety

Things drop out rather suddenly, and the song moves into a quiet and atmospheric section. Electric piano and harp lend an ethereal quality. Keeping with this cut's unsettling aura, as guitar and percussion rejoin the fray, it's chaotic and noisy with strong upward momentum.

Launching into the final major movement of this piece, light jazz flavors emerge as the band continues with more high-energy instrumental theatrics. Things threaten to dissolve into pure anarchy at points throughout this movement, but the band clearly knows how to control chaos.

"Core Memory Corrupt" features some nice, bright synthesizers under the guitar lines. Motorpsycho again dips back into the realm of '90s psychedelic alt-rock acts like Amplifier or Screaming Trees. It's melodic, catchy, and?if nothing else?fun. "The Frightened Monkeys" has some nice vocal harmonies and a krautry rhythm, but it is both longer than it needs to be and one of the less-essential cuts here. Had this shown up earlier in the album, I may have liked it more, but by the time this song arrived, I'd heard plenty of similar stuff.

The album ends on "Dead of Winter", which starts on a simple, stripped-back verse. A full backing band kicks in, and the sound is evocative of some '00s indie rock. It's not a bad way to end the album, but in isolation, it's not my favorite of the songs here.

Motorpsycho is a long album, but it's pretty digestible. The songwriting is sharp, dynamic, and engaging, and if the worst I can say about any song is, "it's alright," that makes for a pretty solid release.

Review originally published here: theeliteextremophile.com/2025/03/24/album-review-motorpsycho-motorpsycho/

You never quite know what you're going to get from this prolific (28 albums overall, and 16th album in the last 17 years) eclectic Norwegian prog band, with their ever-shifting styles that incorporate heavy doses of psychedelic, indie, and prog rock, along with forays into ambient, atmospheric, acoustic, pop, jazz, punk, metal, krautrock, space-rock, and so on. Although their last couple albums have had a lighter pop-oriented touch (I absolutely loved 2023's Yay!, whereas 2024's Neigh was just OK), this album gets back to heavier aspects and their psych, prog, and hard rock roots, but also contains bits of everything from their past and still maintains their melodic sensibilities and that Motorpsycho sound, in this expansive self-titled double album (11 tracks, >81 min.). This one has it all, and they pull out all the stops, in various moods and styles, from the dark psychedelia of the opener Lucifer, Bringer of Life, to the throwback pop feel of Stanley (Tonight's the Night) to the heavy guitar riffs (and Jimi Hendrix vibe) of The Comeback and the psych-prog journey of Balthazar. Then there is the epic-length (21 min) Neotzar, with its mix of jazz, prog, and psychedelia in a mesmerizing and a bit creepy blend. But there's still more with the lighter, brighter Core Memory Corrupt, and the driving groove of Three Frightened Monkeys, before the melancholy pop of Dead of Winter closes the album out. Another wonderful, eclectic album from Motorpsycho. Best Tracks: Balthazar, The Comeback, Stanley, Core Memory Corrupt, Dead of Winter, Neotzar. Rating: 4.0