Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Fat Possum
June 21, 2011

What It Sounds Like:  Trippy indie-psychedelia with a dose of lo-fi.  In other words, drug music.

I’ll be completely honest.

I bought this record because of the cover art.  I mean, just look at it!  It looks like something out of another dimension.  Like a building that was left when the rest of this random world and its people have passed on, and now this aluminum shell sits in memory of its lost civilization, never to be seen by the human eye again.  Not to say that it was taken on Earth anyway.  Possibly a different version of earth…

It’s errie, man.  It’s haunting.  At the same time, it’s incredibly alluring.  Dead grass, blue sky, and a structure that may house the very fabric of the universe.  I see this structure in the Dark Tower, as a location at the end of one of the beams that one of the Guardians is watching over.

But artwork aside –  what in the world does this sound like?  How about some trippy indie-psychedelia with a dose of lo-fi?  I’m not going to frame it better than that – I think it’s the perfect descriptor.  Wait – did I already say that?  Maybe I did – it must be the drugs.

This whole thing sounds like it was recorded in a huge room with all  the mics placed too far away.  There’s a constant echo that throws it all back to the 70’s in some acid-infused trip.  Thought Ballune is an expression that we find three tracks in, and its comes just about the time these burnouts get out of their circle after passing around whatever was on those tablets that they just placed on their tongues – and the dancing begins.  It’s anything but steady, but it’s not supposed to be.  Jello and Juggernauts moves at a chilled enough pace that it’s certainly taking place at the height of whatever euphoria is being experienced.

Just look at these song titles.  How Can You Luv Me.  Little Blu House. Strangers Are Strange.  Ffunny Ffriends.  How can you even begin to argue?  This is the most substance influenced music I can think of.

The 1960’s had the vast likes of Deep Purple, Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly and freaking Strawberry Alarm Clock.

In 2011, we were given Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

Just listen to Nerve Damage, man.  You’re gone.

6.5/10

If you had to listen to two tracks:  Ffunny Ffriends / How Can You Luv Me