From the outside, it has to be said the cover isn’t much to look at – turn it off and the theme continues, but it seems really quite thick. The reason is that this is a 6 panel digipak, with each panel being a superb photo, and then there is a booklet containing all the lyrics and even more photos, and then five postcards as well – some of which are repeating images in the digipak and others related to it. Quite a package to be sent from Kuala Lumpur. Yes, Speakzodiac are one of the very few bands who have ever contacted me from Malaysia, although there are very hints of their home country in the music they play. To be honest if I had been asked I would have guessed these guys were American, so Westernised is the sound.
We have five songs, three of which are close to or breaking the ten minute barrier, so we have a total album length of 42 minutes. I received the album last year, but was somewhat surprised to see that it was released as long ago as 2016, and a quick search of the web didn’t lead me to many reviews. All material was written by guitarist/singer PA Hafiz, and at the time of the album release he was joined by Muzaffir Johar (drums), Ahmed Yahya (bass) and Faris Khairi (keyboards) but on visiting their Facebook page it appears it may now be just PA and Muzaffir. This is music which has taken the British scene of the late Sixties, with heavy doses of psychedelic music which then bleeds into the more garage scene of Americana, and creates something which sounds as if it exists solely for the live environment. Guitars may be distorted, with feedback playing an important part, notes can be sung or sneered, and it can be clean or dirty, and the emphasis is often on the latter. But at the heart of this are some great little melodic numbers, with an approach that takes elements of Jonathan Richman, Yardbirds, Ramones and Blue Cheer and make it something quite different indeed.
If these guys were hailing from the UK or USA I am sure we would have heard a lot about them by now, as when they explode out as on “Red Mourning Glass (Sleep In Sounds)” they really do become something quite special. Their music is easily available through all the normal digital platforms, while the effort they have put into the CD package is remarkable, so why not give them a try?
Rating: 7/10
