HOLY RIVER FAMILY BAND

I had a little fun with the debut, with the band's name and such but man by the end of my week with that one I gave it 3.5 stars even though it's not really my kind of music. I mean opening and closing with repetitive and mellow ethnic stuff kept me from the 4 stars but so impressed with their compositions that were all instrumental. That brings us to "Welcome To Riverhouse" album number two and an ambitious double album at that with around 110 minutes of music. Same topic but a complete change as they have gone to shorter vocal songs this time although we also get three tracks over ten minutes.

Despite changing to what seems like an epic failure with the short vocal songs this has surpassed the debut easily in my estimation. Sure it's a double album and as such we're going to get some misses which we do but man such a moving recording for me and the lyrics are so interesting. The vocals are handled by two of the guys and both have character in fact that opener always makes me think of David Sylvian but more the in the way he delivers his vocals not the tone so much.

I have a top six with the top three of those being killer tunes. So lets start with the bottom three and "Dogma(Here Lies The Essence)" probably more for the electric guitar but I like the backing vocals along with the lead. The other two include the over 11 minute "Many Moons" and the longest track at almost 16 minutes "Psalm" which reminds me of POPOL VUH a little but this is more like a drugged out haze with those vocals mumbling and sound. Check them out around 4 1/2 minutes. Some cool vocal arrangements later oh and there's a brief outburst of guitar around 12 minutes reminding me of Rypdal.

Top three include "Peyote Visions" yes I have tried. This is where the vocals bring Sylvian to mind and this is my favourite. Instrumentally this is very good, impressive. "After Chacruna" is dark to begin as native styled percussion arrives, organ and chanting eventually. All sounds amazing over the 10 minutes. Then lastly "Suffocation/ Meditation" at 8 minutes rounds out my to three. Nice bass early as strummed ethnic sounds and beats arrive followed by organ. Really good! Spoken words and I like the drumming that follows. Interesting lyrics once again.

I had no idea how many side projects the members of SPACIOUS MIND were involved in and if any of them are as good as this I need to investigate. Highly recommended, this one is special.

They are a trio and they released three studio album from 1996 to 2002. Maybe Raga is a good reference with these ethnic instruments like oud, zurner, saz, jew's harp, tablas and hurdy gurdy. And obviously from the title of the album and the band's name this has a pretend spiritual base. Now the opener and closer are the two tracks that really reference their beliefs and are the worst two pieces and include over 40 minutes of music, so right there this isn't getting 4 stars.

Having said that I really enjoyed that second song "Eztetl" at 12 1/2 minutes. It just has more of a "rock" vibe than the opener and closer and so is much more closer to what I'm into. More uptempo, more guitar and I like the synths here. The violin actually gets nasty on this one late and the drumming is more intense. "Green Corn Dance" is a distant second as far as favourite songs go and by far the shortest at under 4 minutes. Still I like those punchy drums, spacey synths and upfront bass early on. This increases in power too. Good song!

I almost feel like I'm being too hard on this one but honestly that opener and closer are just so long, repetitive and mellow, just not my scene. But it might be yours. Closer to 3.5 stars.