When a band starts to lose it they rarely get it back.
With ‘Little Lucid Moments’, Motorpsycho have done just that. The Norwegian outfit’s twelfth album is their most compelling release since 2000’s ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ and a genuine return to form.
Bent Sæther and Hans Magnus Ryan (Snah) have taken on Kenneth Kapstad as a full time drummer to replace the mercurial brilliance of Hakon Gebhardt whose involvement as a drummer waned as he became ever more interested in playing his banjo.
I loved Gebhardt’s drumming and was consequently disappointed by Bent’s attempts in his stead on the 2006 double album Black Hole/Blank canvas, but Kapstad has brought back a certain vigour reminiscent of the swirling Stoner Psychedelia of mid to late nineties M’psycho. Indeed, it’s a nice little snare intro which brings in the 21 minute opener; a Suite in four parts, written principally by Sæther and bearing the same name as the album.
It is a track immediately full of energy and hooks despite changes of tempo and style, but as is often the case with this band’s honed and seemingly improvised hard rock stylings, the full effect might take a while to filter through. A track of such length requires and deserves repeated listens. The album was mastered by Jazz and Classical producer Bob Katz and the depth in composition and execution of this opener fully demonstrates the well rounded nature of this versatile trio. The coda is a sublime piano based section as the organised tumult explodes to a finish.
The second track, ‘Year Zero (a damage report)’, is a more measured piece at around eleven minutes. Put some pasta on. Written by guitarist, Snah, it builds with brooding emotion and typically escalating guitar before everything drops out to introduce his much improved lilting vocal. His songs tend to have been the more thought provoking in recent years. It develops slowly, rising and falling intriguingly through to a massively affecting finale borne on the wave of Ryan’s titanic guitar work.
‘She Left on the Sun Ship’ is a sumptuous stomp which has Bent’s trademark slightly distorted bass complimented by shredded guitars and a winsome refrain. This develops assuredly for seven minutes before dissipating into a relaxing split channel guitar duel which keeps getting more interesting, adding more elements for the remaining seven minutes.
‘The Alchemyst’ starts with an eerie synth reminiscent of a John Carpenter film. This is a paradoxical song full of bits which shouldn’t go together with such success. The main passage demonstrates why this band has been likened to Sonic Youth on occasion while the West Coast American vocal style maintains the Motorpsycho feel. The finale elucidates motifs from earlier in the piece and gives you a satisfactory sense of completion.
Top track: ‘Year Zero (a damage report)’
Released 14/04/08 on Rune Grammophone
