US band THE SEVENTH RING OF SATURN have been around for a few years by now, although so far they have only released one full length studio album, namely their self-titled debut which dates back to 2007. A production not extremely easy to get your hands on these days I suspect. A lucky few who attended the Fruits De Mer Records all day festival in London in the summer of 2013 did get a copy each though, in a special cd-r version made specifically for that event.
This version of the album contain 8 tracks, clocking in at just over 44 minutes in total, and features lesser or greater edits of the original versions of the songs plus a bonus track.
As this disc unfolds we’re treated to a band exploring a fairly wide territory, where the key aspect is that all of the style varieties are fairly retro-oriented escapades. The majority of the compositions can safely be tucked away as 60’s inspired compositions of the pop/rock variety, with distinct beat and perhaps even The Beatles influences, somewhat naive in sound, with an emphasis on compelling melodies. Unlike the fab four the lead vocals as well as vocal harmonies have something of a sleepy, almost detached character to them however, and as far as phases are concerned we’re dealing with a band more familiar with the later, psychedelic oriented escapades of the Liverpudlians rather than their earlier and more easily accessible material.
We’re also treated to a slight variation of this stylistic expression in the short, compact song Sour Milk Sea, this piece one that share many similar traits but with a darker tonal range and a much more distinct blues-oriented sound to it.
More radically different are The Cassini Division, basically an 8 minute long psychedelic and cosmic freakout construction fairly dramatic in expression, and the even longer The Milky Way, which might be described as the longer, ambient alternative in the less coherent, improvised sounding department with it’s slower and more careful surging, droning and fluctuating instrument patterns. Complete with a frail flute motif that comes and goes. These constellations aren’t exactly my cup of psychedelic beverage, but those who enjoy material of that kind will find a lot to be intrigued about there.
Further expanding the scope of this album, and my favorite pick by far as well, is the instrumental Yedikule. Darker and grittier in sound, initially with a dark toned riff supporting a distinctly psychedelic guitar solo and then developing into a less coherent dual layered psych-dripping guitar solo run with a distinct improvisational tinge to it, reassembling in more or less the opening arrangement again prior to the end. A truly engaging piece of music to my ears, and a clear album highlight for me as previously mentioned.
Still, as the more chaotic, seemingly unstructured improvisational constructions makes out just under half of the playtime of this edition of the album, a taste for material of that kind will most likely be needed. If you also have a taste for 60’s oriented psychedelic pop/rock with tendencies that can be traced back to good, old The Beatles, this is an album that you probably should try to get your hands on. And of this 2013 edition is out of reach, as it will be for most, there’s always the 2007 original version that can possibly be tracked down.
My rating: 75/100
