Living Music To Allen Ginsberg

8/10 Vern Customer review, 5th May 2014

This is an odd little number. A bunch of Italians setting the poems of Ginsberg to tribal, psychedelic music. Why should this work, how could it work. Well around a minute and a half into the opening track 'Howl' and you begin to see how the simple, repetitive beats are the perfect platform for the strong vocals which churn out Ginsberg's words with great emotion and power, it sounds great. The instrumentation is not a side piece however, in fact it's all beautifully crafted. The trumpet interludes on 'Howl' really make it stand out and sway. A favourite track of mine is 'Haiku' which has a spiritual chant type feel to it with its chorus vocals and harp type swooshes before launching into its strumming guitar and crooning lead vocal. 'Lysergic Acid' reminds me of the Canterbury scene and of Kevin Ayers and Caravan with its overall folk style and its psychedelic tinge. 'Mandala' is more abruptly psychedelic with swooning sitar and ghostly backing vocals, it's a really nice track, as is the whole album, really worth investigating.