Earthmonkey: Alms of Morpheus

"Peat Bog's formative years were largely spent casting about the English countryside with The Convoy; a conflagration of acid crazed, medieval brigands (see also "hippies"), who traveled en masse via an armada of beaten old trucks & buses, making their homes in teepees and living as freely as possible. While tuning in and dropping out with this loose collective, Bog began to ingest not only psychedelic drugs, but also psychedelic music. From The Mothers of Invention to Chrome, Bog was a head for it all" (http://www.blrrecords.com/prod/2100/alms_of_morpheus.html, 2011).

This is wild and challenging psychedelic/electronic instrumental music that is very original and yes mind – blowing. Peat brings synthesizers, keyboards, guitars, didgeridoo's, drums, harmonicas and all manner of instruments together to form some other – worldly music that will delight the senses, if you listen to it without pre-conceived notions. It is a massive, two CD effort, full of long instrumental pieces that need time to develop and to be appreciated. Headphones are probably the best way to enjoy this music to its fullest, but it is loud enough to fill a room or probably a concert hall at times. If you like movie soundtrack music or maybe psychedelic electronic music this will be something that you will thoroughly appreciate.

The opener, "Scene not Heard", kicks things off well, "I'm Just a Naked Man Screaming Here", with its beat box trip hop rhythm, vocals sounds and heavy guitar blaze, with synths that sounds like locomotives running in the background is another interesting piece. "It's Down", with its didgeridoo mixed with keyboards, synths and Middle Eastern sounds is another highlight. Beautiful female vocal sounds also help lift this song. "Glespie's Rheum" opens like it comes from a space movie soundtrack with cool synths followed by interesting guitar work. "Bounce" is another interesting mix of synths, drums and guitar, all set to a bouncy electronic beat, with a cool heavy closing. "New Cheese" has some cool ocean sound effects.

Disc Two opens with bass and synths on "Night Blossom", one of the best tracks on this CD. It has a more jazzier style and feel to it. "Virtual Insight Machine" is another very cool inner space odyssey, complete with reminders of Genesis' "the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" on some of the keyboard and sound effects sections. "Alms of Morpheus" is an epic, over 20 minute song full of electronic rhythms, drums, spoken word and buzzing guitars.

With over two hours of music on the two CDs, this is a CD set which needs time to truly be appreciated.

Track Listing:
Side One

1. "Scene not Heard"
2. "Sweet Lightning Juice"
3. "I'm Just a Naked Man Screaming Here"
4. "Break it Down"
5. "It's Down"
6. "Glespie's Rheum"
7. "Mudskip Moonstomp"
8. "Bounce"
9. "New Cheese"
10. "Raging Cyclepath"

Disc Two

1. "Night Blossom"
2. "Mothership"
3. "Virtual Insight Machine"
4. "Larva Lamp"
5. "Alms of Morpheus"
6. "Phat People"
7. "Hed Phood"
8. "Hed Phood 4 Phat People"
9. "Wade Your Magic Pond"

Added: May 19th 2011
Reviewer: Mark Johnson
Score:
Related Link: Beta Lactam Ring
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Language: english

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