Review:
'SOMATICS, THE'
'DYNAMO MERCURIAL (Download and CD)'
- Genre: 'Indie'
- Release Date: '28th August 2006'
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Our Rating:
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I do love the music of THE SOMATICS. They are self-willed, autonomous musicians creating a bold new psychedelia with muscle and dark intent. The improbable fact of their being just three people is as hard to believe in the recordings as it is live. It’s a big, roaring noise they make and the Grateful Dead inclinations to let it run on for epic lengths of time is nothing but a Good Thing. While other artists are self-reducing into two second ring tones The Somatics stand up and hold it together for 16 minutes plus on "The Lost Weekend" and nearly 11 minutes on "In Flight". Hooray for that, says I.
The 7 fine songs (each one a stand-lone gold-plated tune of a song) tear along for 53 minutes in total. And there isn’t a spare note anywhere. Richard Green's guitar mastery is the most distinctive part of the show. But, with such a sparse crew, bass and drums have to (and do) work miracles. Bruce Renshaw is one of the best of some very fine drummers currently pushing up standards on the Leeds scene. Stephanie Green's voice and bass guitar anchor the whole swirling thing with fearsome sinews. Deft keyboard parts are used imaginatively and effectively to fill out and enrich the luxuriously cavernous sound.
"Mercury Rising" is a strong start. After a tantalising shimmer and a rumbling nudging first verse , the whole album bursts into Technicolor brilliance at about 2 minutes 27 as if lightning had struck. A little more powerful reserve is briefly restored, an Apples in Stereo-like dream sequence is tinkled with and then those huge chords are back to introduce a stinging guitar solo as good as anything from Barry Melton. The Somatics do seem to know their stuff.
Gasping for breath as that thunders to a climax, "Elemental" picks things up with the best intro of the album. Rickenbacker purity and three part harmony singing remind us of how utterly groovy THE SOMATICS are.
"Rebound" starts as a sweet little indie song that could be late 60s Pink Floyd. But before things get too cosy knowingly large choruses and keyboards stream in to connect with a bigger outdoors and a far wider sweep.
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"The Lost Weekend" could be mistaken in its early bars for a folk club singer songwriter with guitar and flute. Gradually it acquires choir voices and drums and keyboards and it works into something a lot grander and Californian. The dreamy song has a hypnotic feel to it, and before long it’s fading into some kind of effect pedal mist on the edge of where we thought we were. There's a cooler set of sounds, with ice crystals and disorienting stereo panning and with a full ten minutes still to go everything has changed. There's a choice of standing still and have the world spin around your head, or launching off into space while the world stays somewhere down below. It's a psychedelic treat that bleeds, in all good time. into a completely new song that drives to the end with as much Jefferson Airplane as Steppenwolf.
"Remote" is notable for is structurally dangerous, messianic bass lines and its drifting washes of guitar. It has a terrific Keith Moon of a smash up towards the end. "In Flight" is the guitar freak out tune and a joy to do your nut in too. But it also has a chorus worthy of Crosby Sills Nash and Young. It’s like a posh holiday in a gilded resort for people (like me) who usually stay in back packer hotels and campsites.
"Ghosts" atones for all this escapist joyful madness with a magnificently romantic melody and a lasciviously tingling guitar line. In the musical superstore of pleasure, this is the luxury top shelf.
www.the-somatics.com
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author: Sam Saunders
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READERS COMMENTS
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Am in total agreement, and have enjoyed the way you expressed your appreciation of what is such a fine band. Thanks for the review Sam, also thanks for the link/mail that wound me to be here in the first place!
They are one of those bands that have to be seen to be believed. They think nothing of 20min improvised solos, and Richard's guitar work is stunning, though the whole ensemble is absolutely amazing!!
You put it well, and don't shy from awarding full marks to this blistering trio!! TA!!
------------- Author: Mabs
16 July 2006
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THE SOMATICS
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