VARIOUS ARTISTS – THE PSYCHEDELIC SOUNDS OF THE SONIC CATHEDRAL « New music, features, reviews, news and free mp3s

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“It’s way too early to tell where this is going. I have so many stems of Becoming Real, so I don’t know how it’s going to evolve.”

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Minus The Bear

OMNI

(Dangerbird)

Seattle’s Minus The Bear have always been one of those bands whose fans absolutely adore them, but who’ve never grown into an act that sells many records.

Tony Da Gatorra vs Gruff Rhys

The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness

(Turnstile)

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Melpomeni

8 Tragedies, 2 Love Songs & A Breakdown

(Lighthouse)

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Midlake

The Leadmill , Sheffield

With a band boasting seven live members you by rights expect to experience something above the norm. Sadly, tonight Midlake offers nothing but the norm.

Album Review

Various Artists

The Psychedlic Sounds Of The Sonic Cathedral

[Sonic Cathedral]

8/10

A play on the similarly titled 13^th Floor Elevators album, this is Sonic Cathedral’s tribute to both the band and its highly influential frontman, Roky Erickson. Aptly featuring a selection of thirteen artists, the record opens with a live track from fellow Austin psych rockers, The Black Angels, backing by Erickson himself, his harsh bark sharply contrasting the winding, insectile guitar limbs of ‘Roller Coaster’. Meanwhile, Dead Meadow positively nail ‘Kingdom of Heaven’, wrenching vocals and all, tapping into the sinister, stomach-churning vibe of the track and drawing out the murky blues-weighted pace. Sarabeth Tucek’s eerily sweet take on ‘Splash 1 (Now I’m Home)’ strays the furthest from its original but is also one of the most poignant covers on the compilation, effectively expressing what a diverse body of artists have been influenced by Erickson’s music.

By Polly Rappaport