Six Organs of Admittance - Ascent (CD, Vinyl LP)

Not so keen on the more electric psych-shredding style Chasny often adopts on this new album, I much preferred the dark spooky psych-folk of earlier albums such as ‘Dark Noontide’ than the sound of endless wailing wah-rrrraaahhh guitar. Some of the folksier subtleties that chime prettily between this arrogant loudhailer posturing are very pretty to me but often end up being drowned out in a teeth-clenching maelstrom of indulgent muso wank. If the rest of the musicians on here ripped rock a new asshole at the same time it would be suitable maybe?

‘They Called You Near’ is more the style I'm accustomed to, the vocal delivery is slightly Alexander Tucker / Michael Gira in Its ominous pitch and the guitar playing is superb, electrifying and dense, full of wild intermingling drones and trails of fuzz then a gorgeous acoustic coda comes in. It’s a masterpiece that combines acoustic and electric playing most sympathetically. ‘Solar Ascent is another smashing track, all meandering electric melancholy and sad-hued bass thrums. Back in full-band mode for ‘A Thousand Birds’ and you get a more mountainous dusty rock that seems a bit pedestrian to me and the vocals come across a tad comically. It would make a great Stoner track if the rhythm section wasn’t so turgid and uninspired, going through the motions like them bloody Wooden Shjips do half the time. It’s not hypnotic, it’s fucking b-o-r-i-n-g!! So, some great (more subtle) bits for my ears personally and possibly a good 6 Organs album overall, but much of it ain’t doing it for me.