Review Summary: A fun album oozing with energy and colors with plenty of tracks to add to a playlist for your next intergalactic journey.
As someone who wasn't particularly into psychedelic rock before, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets became a constant in my life six years ago. After first hearing “Gurzle” from their second album, High Visceral Pt. 2, I was hooked. The magical combination of fuzzy, driving blues overlaid by progressive noodly leads immediately smacked my eardrums and let me know that I was in for a good time. Then Jack’s dreamy, reverb-laden voice relaxes the track for a moment before propelling the listener into outer space. Yes, literal outer space. And to be quite honest, this perfect culmination of sounds has been quite consistent throughout their six album run but, I must ask your grandfather’s favorite question, “why fix it if it ain’t broke?”
Fronzoli is off to the races the very moment you press the ‘play’ button. Those familiar noodly guitars kickstart “Nootmare (K.I.L.L.I.n.G) [Meow]” and bounce you around before Jack excitedly enters the track with lyrics that resemble a chatGPT regurgitated run-on sentence mentioning a bowler hat, seagulls, and polymorphic casinos. We learn and we adapt. “(I’m A Kadaver) Alakazam'' starts similarly with some ‘loop-the-loop’s and more fast-paced noodling guitars but next thing you know, you are air-cannoned into outer space only to plummet back to the earth with some thumpin’ bass to usher in the first verse. Your head is bobbing along right before that fuzzy, fun-filled chorus drops and you can’t help but smile. Oh, and for some reason, you know those lines, “Sorry 'bout your dog, Mrs. Robinson. I guess chihuahuas look like chicken to a crocodile” will be stuck in your head for days to come right before ascending into the stratosphere, again. Here, amongst the stars, “Dilemma Us From Evil” and “Cpt. Gravity Mouse Welcome” play as the perfect soundtrack for your gravity-ridden freefall. The latter is an adorably addictive track that pays great homage to Bowie while living within its own universe. This only helps to add more flavor to the experience without making everything sound the same and, truly, free-falling has never felt so good. Vibes checked.
Following an 8 second clip, gravity returns and you are now being pulled back to earth and free-falling, only for real this time. These next three songs bring all of that insane energy back with “All Aboard the S.S. Sinker”, ramping the pace back up to remind you that this thing we call “life” is all about the peaks and valleys and, right now, you sure are peaking (even though you are, technically, descending). Is this still making sense? If not, “Hot! Heat! Wow! Hot!” is a definite banger and overall “highlight” (pun intended). Jack’s vocals have grown throughout the band’s discography and this track flexes them out nicely. As you crash land back on earth, “Sierra Nevada” serves up some nicely sliced stoner-rock vibes to compliment this wild trip you’ve landed yourself on. All you see is desert and weird lizard alien things but you’re just happy to be alive with both of your feet touching the ground. And “Illusions of Grandeur” turns out to be a wonderful song to wander the desert to as a candy-coated acoustic sing along after only a few listens. Don’t worry though, this sweet and dreamy little number doesn’t overstay its welcome, clocking in less than two minutes before you are elevated again. “Pillhouse (Papa Moonshine)” does exactly what it states within the first five seconds and “present[s] jazz for people who don’t like jazz”. Familiar noodly, fuzzy guitars open up the track before an explosive chorus that’s sure to bounce your head as you hum along. However, that familiarity is perhaps the only glaring issue with this release, as the song feels quite similar to “Acid Dent” from their last album, Night Gnomes, which, in my personal opinion, is their weakest release yet.
Still, the Crumpets have been on a steady rise and continue to release solid music, even if their last few releases have felt comfortable without many risks presented. Again, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Remember your grandfather’s favorite question. But it would be delightful to see them venture out into some new astral pastures with a few new tricks and surprises up their sleeves. Either way, it’s a fun album oozing with energy and colors with plenty of tracks to add to a playlist for your next intergalactic journey. Godspeed, Captain Gravity Mouse.
