UK artists ICARUS PEEL and MORDECAI SMYTH are both attached to the same label, namely the fledgling psychedelic rock oriented entity Mega Dodo Records. “Barnburner EP” is a collection featuring three tracks from each of them, and was released in the spring of 2014.
Just what the rationale or concept behind this production was I really do not know, but the way it played out it’s tempting to speculate. It may be by chance or accident, or it may be by plan and design, but each artist have delivered three somewhat different songs to this EP: One more or less typical 60’s oriented psychedelic pop song, one more heavily psychedelic oriented creation, and at last a more or less typical 60’s psychedelic pop tune of the love song variety.
Personally, and this is a matter of subjective taste I guess, I found Icarus Peel to be the victorious part in the fight theme presented on the album cover. The bubbly organ and careful guitar details of Aunty Powders Her Nose, complete with spacey sound effects, is a surprising and charming take on 60’s psychedelic pop, Almost Murder Ballad a chaotic, psychedelic dripping and dark creation that comes with something of a bad acid trip mood to it, and while his hymn to fellow artist (and partner?) Crystal Jacqueline lyrically walks on a thin line between a lot of different pitfalls I found that by and large they were avoided by an innocent, naive charm, the kind the hippie movement had before it lost it’s innocence you might say.
Mordecai Smyth’s contributions comes across as material more grounded, closer to the common man if you like, material with more of a down to earth mood and atmosphere. Out in the Stars a pleasant, slow paced case of careful psychedelic effects and bubbly organ in a 60’s psychedelic pop song, Plastic People a darker, more acidic folk-oriented affair with Mellotron and flute both given ample room to produce or enhance atmospheres alongside guitars, intriguing but not a creation I think is of an elevated quality, and much the same can be said about the lighter tones and moods explored on Drifted Away, again with Mellotron used as a mood enhancer. A pleasant and charming tune.
As someone who is a bit removed from the key audience of such a production I still find this to be a worthwhile one however, and while the arguably more flamboyant and dramatic material of Icarus Peel catches my fancy most here, I’d imagine that the situation may well be the opposite for those with a strong and true affection for psychedelic rock as it was made back in the 1960’s, and those typically fascinated by music of this kind and style should most likely find this EP to be one worth spending some time giving a listen to. The label have it on their bandcamp site – and if it does appeal you will have the possibility to buy it there as well obviously – either on a limited edition vinyl, or as a digital download.
My rating: 70/100
