Oakland, California's Mondo Drag returns with their third album of psychedelic progressive rock, titled Through the Hourglass, featuring six new songs (well, five if you count the two-part opening suite) filled with stunning guitar and keyboard explorations, melodic vocals, and an often hard rocking yet trippy vibe. The members of Mondo Drag are John Gamino (vocals, keyboards), Nolan Girard (keyboards, guitar), Jimmy Perez (drums, percussion), Connor Riley (bass, vocals), and Jake Sheley (guitar). Fans of Pink Floyd's glory days (think Meddle through The Wall) will be in for a treat here on Through the Hourglass. Opening two-part suite "Burning Daylight" features some dreamy vocals floating over the top of dramatic riffs and soaring solos, with the blend of electric piano, synths, and organ giving it that lovely '70s feel. The big epic "Passages" is a haunting instrumental, dripping with spooky Moog effects and searing lead guitar...it's hard not to think of this piece as a distant cousin to Pink Floyd's classic "Echoes". The title track is more Pink Floyd love, an outstanding song with loads of Hammond organ, electric piano ("Riders on the Storm" anyone?) and blistering lead guitar...this is great stuff. "Death in Spring" could have been a leftover from Wish You Were Here or Animals, right down to the spacey synth tones, and "Run" floats and drifts in trippy space rock fashion, sure to appeal to fans of Porcupine Tree's earlier albums, complete with tasty guitar solos and wonderful vocals.
Mondo Drag's previous two albums are strong, but Through the Hourgrass might be their best. This is wonderful '70s-styled progressive rock, space rock, and psych, and an easy contender for one of the best albums of its kind this year.
Track Listing
1) Burning Daylight Pt. 1 (4:06)
2) Burning Daylight Pt. 2 (4:39)
3) Passages (11:02)
4) Through the Hourglass (6:21)
5) Death in Spring (6:10)
6) Run (6:54)
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