Exposé Online banner

Exposé Online

Not just outside the box, but denying the existence of boxes.
Covering music from the fringes since 1993.

Reviews

Brainstorm — Brainstorm Two, Earth Zero
(*, 1995, CD)

by Jim Chokey, Published 2001-12-01

Brainstorm Two, Earth Zero Cover art

No, this isn’t the 70s Krautrock band. This Brainstorm is a contemporary quintet (guitar, keys, bass, vocals, drums) from Melbourne, Australia. This album, the group’s second, originally appeared in 1995 as a cassette-only release; it has since been remastered and reissued on CD. The eleven tracks, written between 1988 and 1994, can generally be characterized as space rock. Early Hawkwind is the obvious point of comparison, although there’s much here that also evokes the psychedelic miasma of Syd Barrett and early Floyd. Brainstorm also makes a few nods to an 80s alternative aesthetic — at least in some of the earlier songs, like “No One Knows” and the corny CD-opener “Freeway.” The first ten songs, all of which are under five minutes, utilize conventional song structures and show tightly focused songwriting, no multi-part suites, improvised instrumental freakouts, repetitive droning passages, or anything like that here. The spaciness in these tracks is achieved through futuristic lyrics, atmospheric keyboards, dreamy passages interweaving electric and acoustic guitar, and vocal harmonies à la the Moody Blues and Pink Floyd. The 20-minute closing composition, “Armageddon,” allows for a bit more instrumental play and structural development, but in truth, the band hits its finest form on the shorter songs, especially “Stasis,” “Back Home on Terra,” and “Triplanetary,” which very well-crafted examples of retro space-psych. Highly recommended to Hawkwind fans.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 23, 1995 releases

Related artist(s): Brainstorm

More info
http://brainstormaustralia.bandcamp.com/album/brainstorm-two-earth-zero

 

What's new

These are the most recent changes made to artists, releases, and articles.