Review Summary: A striking sophomore album for one of the most unique rock 'n' roll bands around today.
DMT is the abbreviation of the hallucinogenic drug Dimethyltryptamine. Its effects are similar to LSD and magic mushrooms in that you experience a distorted view of reality, colours and objects that may last up to about 2 hours depending on the strength and quantity of DMT taken. Once subject to the DMT’s influence, the trip is unstoppable. The characteristics and effects (and namesake) of DMT happen to be relative to the sophomore album, “Desire’s Magic Theatre” of London’s psychedelic rock quintet, Purson.
All the songs travel along at an unrushed pace that evokes a relaxing trip when you listen to the album in full but it seems like Purson have drifted towards the airy, spacey atmospheres on their sophomore album rather than riff driven tracks which drove the debut to triumph. ‘I Know’ is a gentle track that is largely acoustic and vocal driven and the keyboards in particular during ‘The Window Cleaner’ express a dreamy attitude that makes for a great lazy, sunny afternoon track. However, Purson still know how to create catchy riffs as ‘Electric Landlady’ features some dizzying riffs that go hand in hand with the otherworldly lyricism. But it’s not just the guitars that can create great hooks; Sam Robinson manages to create some downward-spiralling carney keyboard hooks that pierce the hazy, bass driven ‘Dead Dodo Down’. It’s moments like these that make Purson such an untouchable and unique band.
While each member holds their own on “Desire’s Magic Theatre”, it’s Rosalie Cunningham that is the central character in this play. Her vocal performance is captivating throughout the album from mellow, lethargic tracks like ‘I Know’ to the animated and expressive songs such as the wicked ‘Mr Howard’. Equally, her guitar seems to have a voice of its own that consistently matches the mood of her vocal tones. In ‘The Sky Parade’ she adopts a calming tone that sounds even more compassionate by the slow acoustics and tender harmonics she plays.
A large part of the fluency that Purson emit in their music is down to the vaudevillian camaraderie between band members. Sewed into the tapestry of Rosalie’s drug inspired lyrics in album closer, ‘The Bitter Suite’ are fluttering flutes, iridescent keyboards and jazzy guitars but each woven together in matching tempos to create one beautiful piece of art.
Coming 3 years after the success of their debut album “The Circle And The Blue Door” arrives Purson’s coming of age album that still remains as drenched in rock n roll as its predecessor. The best way to describe “Desire’s Magic Theatre” would be to call it a sonically layered and vibrant coloured bunch of psychedelic rock songs. Even better still would simply be to describe it as: classic Purson. Who else can use weird lyrics like “if her cosmic boiler is on the blink, her psychic spanner is out before you can think” and it make complete sense? This band has a striking way of resurrecting a bygone era in the modern world but with innovative intentions.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around this new record and appreciate your review here.
