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Review Summary: Yawn of a new era. Upon Black Moth Super Rainbow’s first emergence on the music scene, that would be back in the distant 2003 or so, they almost immediately became indie psych darlings with their cutesy song-writing and mind-bending execution with grainy lo-fi production that added a certain warm charm to each and every song. But the times went on and their stylistic influence started draining, as well as (somehow) their song-writing chops. And with parching work comes parching popularity, or vice versa, either way, Black Moth Super Rainbow became a relic of the past. And while still releasing albums, nothing much of essence came out of their work for years.
It shouldn’t be difficult to see just what exact role does Panic Bloom play. None. Once it starts, it is immediately obvious just what kind of experience this is going to be, a timid one. The opening title track lazily drags on for four minutes riding off of the exact same beat for its entirety, not really having much to show for itself. The following “Baby’s in the Void” does provide a tad more than that in its slightly increasing volume and fuzzy intensity, but not to any particularly fruitful effect.
Oddly enough, the first cut to actually intrigue and provide any semblance of freshness is an interlude “One More Ear”, which has that chilling distant acoustic-ish under-produced effect to it that just feels pleasant and dreamy, making you feel like you’re on a rocky beach in spring, when it’s not hot yet, but just warm enough. And similar things could be said about the next track, “Bad ***in Times”, which, in spite of its name, sounds like the most relaxed, carefree times there could be.
However, all of that really only works as highlights because I had to overanalyse the songs and where they stand within the whole album. It’s 16 songs long. Right after that, unless you really listen closely and tell yourself “well, this song uses one more instrumental effect that isn’t on other songs, even if only for 5 seconds, so it must be a highlight” (could be said about the song “We Might Come Back", by the way), it’s essentially a straight line of drab and uninspired songs. For 16 songs you are bombarded with tranquilisers, carefully placed through indistinguishable songs with little to no merit, each following the exact same musical idea, never skipping a beat. Black Moth Super Rainbow didn’t drop the ball here; they dropped it a while ago; here they tried to pick it up again and dropped it in the canal, never to see it again.
| other reviews of this album |
Ageispolis (4.5)
Super lush synth-drenched psyche, like waking up from a hallucination caused by drinking highlighter...
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how unfortunate
them highlights:
We Might Come Back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f15iaFFJINo
One More Ear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD2vnxnJb44
Bad Fuckin Times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7TneXeF_ag
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That band name
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Great band. Dandelion Gum through Cobra Juicy are all 4.5s as far as I'm concerned. Having said that, if they haven't well and truly shaken up their formula by now, this could be as bad as you say it is
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I got one song in and realised I wasn't in the mood and switched to something else - will prob return to it...
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it's not just that they didn't shake up their formula, it's also that even within that formula they do disappointingly little.
also, I predict a Doof 1.5-2.0
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Dandelion Gum was a blast of fresh, exciting ideas. Eating Us offered a very slick, streamlined take on the same sound. Cobra Juicy was just experimental enough not to fall into the trap of diminishing returns. This new one really had to be something remarkable, a slap in the face. I'm sorry to hear it ain't : /
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it might also be that I am not the biggest fan of their preious work either. so you might feel like this is a great record. it's definitely more relaxed than their other works.
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We'll see. If this is just a quieter version of the same shtick, then I can't see it getting any higher than a generous 3.5. They need to mix things up or pack it up imo
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
I don't like your review at all but I agree with the sentiment that tom fec is stagnating - you try to drive home the point that everything is same-y and not evolving, especially within the context of the bmsr sound, but list an acoustic interlude that sounds like fec's proto-bmsr satanstompingcaterpillars work, so that doesn't really make sense with the grand message you're trying to impart here
this is basically just depressing bmsr with nothing really new sonically except way mellowed out
permanent hole and mr. no one are best tracks
| | | Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off
Back Moth Super Rainbow in the last paragraph
| | | Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off
Also this is a really good review uni
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
bottomless face and backwash are two other great ones
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"you try to drive home the point that everything is same-y and not evolving, especially within the context of the bmsr sound, but list an acoustic interlude that sounds like fec's proto-bmsr satanstompingcaterpillars work, so that doesn't really make sense with the grand message you're trying to impart here"
I think it does. An album doesn't have to consist of the exact same instrumental and song-writing structure all throughout to sound samey. I meant more that (and I did sort of mention it later) even if it is an acoustic interlude, it really doesn't make much difference in the long-run, where the album at large just ends up being plain trivial, by-the-numbers washed out sterility. I mentioned that you could probably find grand distinctions between the songs, but only if you dig deeper and overanalyse each and every moment, because in the end it barely makes a difference.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
you must not be a metal listener then?
the draw for most with albums / bands / genres with albums that don't really differentiate between songs is that it takes time for the distinctions to come alive and requires more investment in listening... an experience that's pretty dear to a lot of metal listeners idk bout you. not saying this album really requires that (I think the songs are actually pretty varied... fec in general just hasn't provided a new idea since 2012), but to use it as a detraction is pretty lazy imo. it just shows you probably gave this one or a few cursory listens and wrote this.
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I... I am...
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well, even in metal you usually come off (or at least I do) from the very first listening feeling like you've had a satisfying experience full of colour and vigour. here, on the other hand, you just feel like you've listened to a dishwasher for half an hour. I think I listened to this album enough times to see certain differences between the songs, but it still doesn't change the fact that going from one song to another I felt little-to-no investment, excitement or plain enthusiasm. the middle-of-the-road musicianship just left me cold and failed to create any semblence of intrigue or instantly recognisable original trait for each song, even though all of them had some sort of personal unique aspect. that's what is so repetitive on this album, that it just numbs itself down to a hault of bubblegum-y waterflow, where it doesn't matter that the rock under that water are each of different shape, they're still underwater.
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but I do admit that I was never a keen listener of the band, so intricacies of "where does it fit in their discography in the grander scheme of things" go mostly over my head.
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Lol metal as a genre sux
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shush, Drifter, adults are talking
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if you think metal is a good genre you 12
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