Review: Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor - Desert Brain
Detroit psych trio Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor (Sean Morrow - guitar and vocals, Eric Oppitz - bass, organ and backing vocals, and Rick Sawoscinski - drums, percussion and backing vocals) release their new LP on 2nd June. 'Desert Brain' is "a concept record with ten tracks seamlessly blending together leaving little time for the listener to catch their breath". I asked the guys what the concept was and received the somewhat enigmatic reply "to narrow it down to a specific theme just wouldnt make sense, we want the listener to make that call". I like that...it enables the listener to create their own story or backdrop and not be constricted by 'a story' and there is enough going on in this album to weave a story as dense as 'War And Peace'.
To break the album down to its constituent parts would defeat its whole purpose; this album makes 'sense' if you listen to it as the band intended - it's not one from which to cherry pick certain tracks. There is a distinct flow to the album that does not seem false or forced...the tracks segue nicely into each other in a totally natural manner to form a fluid landscape of texture and moods. Musically, SoYSV have a nice line in shimmering neo-psych, with nods to The Black Angels and to the original sixties psychedelic pioneers, but it also takes in some of the more experimental krautrock, ala Can or Faust, and some out and out experimental sonic noodling. Listening to album a few times certain things became clear; this is a band who are not content to chuck out a few songs and call it an album....there has been a lot of thought gone into this release and it shines through, and this is a band who are musically savvy...there's not a misplaced note or chord change, the musicianship is top notch. Sawoscinski's drums sound huge throughout, Morrow's guitar moves from crystal clear to fuzzy and hazy and sometimes damn heavy, and the swirling keyboards of Oppitz add to the authenticity and atmosphere. What makes this release all the more impressive is that the band were responsible for every stage in it's production, from the recording and mixing to artwork, design and mind-blowing live visuals.
The band acknowledged that the "chaos, celebration, and tragedy" of the past fews have shaped this LP, both lyrically and musically, and that has resulted in a deeply immersive, ambitious and ultimately satisfying listen. As with a great deal of the music that I really dig, this is an album that deserves to be listened to, one that will reward the listener for some dedicated time spent with it. In this 'throw away' culture in which we live, it's somewhat reassuring to see a band recording for posterity, leaving behind a legacy for those that follow...and this LP ( hopefully not a legacy just yet, let's hope SoYSV have a good few albums to come ) will be a work of art that will stand the test of time and taste.
The LP is released on 2nd June via Mongolic Records, and will come in a groovy clear and splattered blue vinyl. The release also coincides with a European tour, kicking of in France on the 4th June (details can be found on the band's website. It is also well worth checking out the band's first 2 albums; 'Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor' and 'Spectra Spirit' (from which the video below was taken.)
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