“It’s been some time since we last heard from Mattias Gustavsson, and his project apart from his work in Dungen. Four years to be precise, if you’re into that. He sent this out: Hey Hey Hello Hello! Last year I almost died and as revenge we have made a new mini album with Life on Earth! Check it out!
The “mini album”, a/k/a an EP, is entitled The Perfect Spot, and he wants you to have it, here!”
’11 could have wrapped up as the Year of the Butterfly in certain circles. Topping off a flurry of activity, The Luck of Eden Hall spread their wings wider with The Butterfly Revolutions, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, back-to-back sweetness that goes down as smooth as cream…and floats right to the top-shelf. Stir in a batch of singles with an appearance on Keep Off the Grassand you have a full box of ‘rock and rollisms‘ yearning for you stick your fingers in. LOEH’s Gregory Curvey gives the skinny on their own butterfly effect; making psych sweetness filler and fat-free.
ma:Richard Hamilton said, “Pop Art is: popular, transient, expendable, low-cost, mass-produced, young, witty, sexy, gimmicky, glamorous, and Big Business.” True? Does that apply to ‘pop’ music?
Gregory Curvey: Low cost? It’s all relative, but I would agree with that for about 99%. There are a handful of pop songs that definitely transcend his description, but yeah, it’s mostly treated as a vehicle for catchy hooks. Bad or good.
ma: You hear a lot of bitching about the ‘music business’ being to blame for the state of pop music today, etc, etc…Don’t people get what they want, really?
GC: I don’t know. People eat what they’re fed. Right FOX? I suppose the machine had figured out how to spoon feed people what they wanted the people to purchase…or they polled different selected groups and focused in on the lowest common denominator…or the stations played the corporate stuff so they could continue to get perks and backstage passes from big corporate artists…but there have always been really great stand out tracks in every genre of music, yes? Or art for that matter. An artist produces a masterpiece, if they’re lucky, and then keeps trying to top it or at least live up to it. If an artist’s work (and it is work, folks) becomes something the masses want….it shouldn’t necessarily be condemned.
ma: Do you consider LOEH a ‘pop’ band? What’s your basis for ‘pop?’ And, psych for that matter?
GC:Popped Psychedelic Rock and Rollisms are what The Luck of Eden Hall creates. Pop? Yes, because I was weaned on the stuff and can’t seem to shake it. Psychedelic because it’s look, feel, sound and imagery still stir my soul. Pop is anything with a hook, I guess. Psych? I’m very honored when The Luck of Eden Hall is described as psych and I’m happy to see another psych movement happening. Though I do hope it doesn’t become a limited, extra reverberated, wafer thin slice of psychedelia. It should be about expansion, yes? Read more of this post
Thanks again to DJ Dizz of Soul Food for keeping me company for a few weeks. And for the continuing education…
But now, it’s all mine again. And I’m gonna get my prog on among other things.
U.K., Neuschwanstein, Nektar, Gentle Giant, a possible journey to the center of the eye and some other goodies, plus your valisPick of the Week, some new tracks from the mighty The Fierce And The Dead {3,2,1…}, Phil Manzanera, The Creation, brand new Vibravoidand Electric Moon, Hills, Lumerians, smokin’ new Moon Duo and a whole bunch more that I live in fear of having to jettison as the clock ticks…
Finally. Let’s put ’10 to bed … Brother Ben from WRIR was gracious enough to step in for me on New Year’s Eve and lay down an amazing set of tunes for your digestion. I’m sorry I missed it … but now we have it to see us through ’11 … enjoy.
More sonic bliss from Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals … I don’t think I’m the only one who feels that no matter what this Welsh Midas touches turns to gold. The full platter is due next February 14th on Turnstile, but in the meantime this will have to hold us over until Rhys brings all the love. This one will have some serious teeth …
"This show is 110% … one of the most consistently awesome programs we have come across."
The Sunrise Ocean Bender sets sail every Monday morning, 1 – 3 a.m. on WRIR lp 97.3 FM, to find something for your ears, and something for your head … From psych to prog to pop and whatever tributary we can find on the way … and right back around again. There might be a map, but the destination is up for grabs. If it all goes right, we may just get lost. Meet me at the muster station … it might be a long week.
Thanks again to DJ Dizz of 
Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sunrise {podcast}
