Motorpsycho
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4.5
superb

Review

by menawati USER (94 Reviews)
October 6th, 2014 | 34 replies


Release Date: 1998 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Tighter than a duck’s anus.

So prolific and varied is the output of Norwegian power trio Motorpsycho that it can be hard to know where to jump in when browsing through their considerable discography. Their material has run the gamut from grungy indie and heavy psychedelia right the way through to symphonic jazz. This album, their 7th, sonically straddles the whole range of their previous output up to its release and is chock full of gutsy hooks, churning psychedelic rhythms and shimmering space rock all delivered with a brash confidence and joyful exuberance.

The magnificent opening double header of ‘Psychonaut’ and ‘Ozone’ get things underway on here with aplomb. ‘Psychonaut’ begs to be played as loud as possible, a pummeling hammer of a song with a repeating bluesy riff bludgeoning you into dazed submission, ramping up and over into an unhinged barrage of mad twangs and frantic saxophone. The pulverizing effect on the senses is such that the opening bars of ‘Ozone’ are almost a welcome relief by comparison as the guys chant “that’s just the way we are, our heads in the ozone and our minds in Shangri-La“ before letting rip with a crunchy riff that would make Pete Townsend proud. This is a hip-thrusting hard rock song firmly rooted in the ‘70s, chock-full with irresistible grooves, electrifying lead guitar fills and thumping percussion. The more retrospective side of Motorpsycho is represented on here in the form of some wonderfully shimmering alt-psych numbers, notably ‘Vortex Surfer’ with its serene suspended chord strums, guileless vocals and towering choruses. The band aren’t afraid to veer towards commercialism on occasion and the unabashedly sentimental ‘Hey, Jane’ screams ‘hit-single’ at you as it glides along on a pumping bass rhythm embellished by glorious pop-psych melodies and twanging sitar. However, the bulk of the material on here is shamelessly unconventional in approach and the resulting variations in style serve to maintain the listener’s interest, assuming that you are partial to a dose of eclectic heavy psychedelia in the first place.

The panache and sheer nonchalance evident in Motorpsycho’s delivery are essential elements on this album. These guys are so together in their performance and so poised in their application that they manage to carry even the lesser material in a convincing manner, which contributes greatly to the consistency over a lengthy running time. The band would go on to incorporate jazz and progressive rock into their repertoire on future releases but this particular album stands as a bookend to their hard rock period and triumphantly condenses all of the styles they had toyed with up to its release. If you are looking for an entry point in Motorpsycho’s hefty discog and are put off by the later jazz elements this is certainly the place to go.



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user ratings (93)
4.2
excellent


Comments:Add a Comment 
menawati
October 6th 2014


16739 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Ozone - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeqPHH5cBn8

Hey Jane - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISz175LsgFQ

Psychonaut - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBz0yOzUPWM

ExplosiveOranges
October 6th 2014


4408 Comments


*sees summary* Mindpos.

Jots
Emeritus
October 6th 2014


7586 Comments


duck anuses are tight indeed. I'm sold

all kidding aside, bestiality jokes are a no-no Menaw.

ExplosiveOranges
October 6th 2014


4408 Comments


Also: an autistic strim of a song

wut

SharkTooth
October 6th 2014


14937 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

yay, a Motorpsycho review, I need to check the rest of their discog

menawati
October 6th 2014


16739 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

strimming is something some autistic people do they repeat the same thing over and over, hmm maybe should

remove it dont want to upset anyone (wasnt meant badly), damn its stimming not strimming anyway I'll just

remove it

ExplosiveOranges
October 6th 2014


4408 Comments


Nah man, I doubt you were trying to use it in bad taste. I just didn't really understand what you meant by it, lol. Anyways, this actually looks pretty cool, and your review is also sweet, so it's all good.

menawati
October 6th 2014


16739 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

thanks, it's def worth a go, bit of a love/hate band, the one they released this year called 'behind the sun' is great

TheSpaceMan
October 7th 2014


13614 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

another great review, love the attention you give these guys

SharkTooth
October 7th 2014


14937 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

"bit of a love/hate band"

I have never met anyone who hated Motorpsycho, just people who haven't heard of them

menawati
October 7th 2014


16739 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

yeh maybe thats true, i know some people are put off by the name though through association with motorhead

Mad.
October 7th 2014


4917 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Fuck yes, anything Motorpsycho is good in my book, can't wait to hear this one if it stands up to their most recent 4 LPs, which I'm sure it will. That summary (plus the review) is pure gold.



"shimmering space rock"



Yesyesyesyesyeysyesyeysyes

TheCrocodile
March 9th 2015


2925 Comments


On my first listen. This is fucking amamazing

Totengott
March 19th 2015


4252 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Good lord, this is amazing.

menawati
March 19th 2015


16739 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

sure is

TheSpaceMan
March 19th 2015


13614 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

band is amazing

SharkTooth
March 20th 2015


14937 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

so true

Riviere
April 11th 2015


994 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

My favorite of theirs. These guys have one of the most diverse discogs out there.

StickFeit
July 2nd 2015


2317 Comments


Damn. was ordering a All Them Witches LP... but then I came across this..

Mad.
July 3rd 2015


4917 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Both bands are awesome but I gotta say Motorpsycho definitely have the edge



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