Review: The Orange Revival - Futurecent

Fuzz Club have already unleashed some real bangers on the public of late, including the awesome Sonic Jesus and 10,0000 Russos albums, and this rich seam of talent has been mined some more with the release of The Orange Revival's 'Futurecent' album and the new Radar Men From The Moon (more of which later).

Sweden's The Orange Revival hit the ground running with their 'Black Smoke Rising' debut LP in 2011, and a couple of blistering sets at the Austin Psych Fest saw them fast becoming one of 'the' bands to watch. 'Futurecent', mastered by Pete Kember of Spaceman 3 and Spectrum, should secure their place at psych's high table with it's authentic, hazy 60s vibe, fuzzy guitars and nods to some of the greats of the scene.

It all kicks off with 'Saturation' and it's Stooges riff and structure. The guitars soar hazily and the vocals, ever so slightly muted, combine to produce a dreamy yet assertive vibe. The drums keep constant time, allowing the guitar to roam and the spacey synth effects add to the atmosphere. 'Lying In The Sun' sees the vocals mixed further down and again the guitar leads events. It is all added to by some ace organ work which combines with guitar and vocals to give a real sixties feel to the track. 'Speed', as the title would imply, is a more uptempo number. The drums beat out a regular tattoo and the whole track has a peacock-like arrogance and it is almost impossible not to nod your head. There are touches of The Doors' 'Roadhouse Blues' to be found in the track, and one wonders whether this is the material that Morrison et al would be playing were they around now. The Doors' influence can also be heard on 'Setting Sun', a more drone driven number that again evokes the sixties via The Jesus And Mary Chain.

'Carolyn' is a more melancholy affair, a lovelorn paean to the titular lady. The vocals, maybe not in timbre but in phrasing, have an Andrew Eldritch feel about them, but thankfully the music is less goth and more reverb drenched, fuzzy 60s garage. The guitars are masterful on this track and embue it with a meandering, hazy glory - fantastic stuff! '1999' sees a return to the pomp and splendour of the first tracks; the tempo is raised significantly and the guitars drive the track forward over a Stoogian rhythm. 'All I Need' closes the album and is the longest track at just shy of 9 minutes. It is the perfect closer to the album....it is possibly the least structured and seems to act as a cathartic outpouring; the guitars soar, with glimpses of feedback, over another rock solid drum beat but it feels more 'free' than the preceding tracks, it's the one time when the band let loose. The organ and little snatches of harmonica again add some sixties authenticity but the feedback, reverb and the vocals are reminiscent of the Jesus and Mary Chain at their peak.

This is an album of magisterial proportions; the fact that the band use vintage equipment shines through in it's authenticity and sixties realism and Kember's mastering brings it all bang up to date. The Orange Revival have produced an album of quality and craft. In November they can be caught live in London at the Fuzz Club Festival - I, for one, can't wait! - and the album can be bought via the Fuzz Club Shop. Much kudos to Fuzz Club...the breadth of talent they are releasing is staggering and The Orange Revival is a worthy addition to the roster.