PAPER MÂCHÉ DREAM BALLOON

After the mediocre "Oddments" and the great "I'm In Your Mind Fuzz" from 2014, the band are back in 2015 with two more albums first with "Quarters!" then late in the year they released this record "Paper Mache Dream Balloon". Twelve songs over 34 minutes of light and poppy material that quickly won me over to my surprise. I just love the mood of this one and while it's far from Canterbury it has that same influence on me and I like that positive influence. Besides the usual instruments we get some flute, harmonica, violin, clarinet and sitar.

The sticker on the cd is a quote from The Guardian saying "psych-soul-surf-fuzz-garage-spacerock-jazz-diy-shamans". To me it's more simple than that but man that three song run right in the middle of the album of "Trapdoor", "Cold Cadaver" and "The Bitter Boogie" is fantastic and those are my top three. Interesting they start off with four tracks in the same mood and style and it really sets the tone for the album. I like this. Catchy and at times upbeat at times chilled as we get "Sense", "Bone", "Dirt" and the title track to end that run. Then my three favourites including the too catchy "Trapdoor" which could have fit nicely on "I'm In Your Mind Fuzz" with the chorus repeating that word but always ending with the word "trap".

The record ends sort of hit and miss for me with those final five numbers but in my world this is a 4 star record and one that can change my mood bringing in some light which I like.