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Reviews

Terra Firma — Earthbound
(Def Ear 98001-9, 1999, CD)

by Henry Schneider, Published 1999-11-01

Earthbound Cover art Climbing out the morass of thrash bands and Pearl Jam clones ascends a new Seattle area group with its feet rooted in Terra Firma and its head in the cosmos. Forget your preconceived notions of space rock (Hawkwind, Ozrics, et. al.). Terra Firma has redefined the genre combining elements from grunge, goth, psychedelia, and sci-fi/space rock in a revitalizing pangalactic gargleblaster. Earthbound is space rock with a razor edge, more attuned to the world of Bladerunner than interplanetary flight. Terra Firma borrows freely from Bladerunner and includes samples from the movie's climax in "Electric Sheep" as well as references in other songs. The Legendary Pink Dots sci-fi masterpiece Andromeda Suite is another point of departure for Terra Firma, just listen to "Strange Hallways." Then there is the Jefferson Airplane's drug anthem, "White Rabbit," which Terra Firma takes into territory where the Airplane feared to tread. Other similarities are the Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" in "Darker Days," Fields of the Nephilim's "Celebrate" in "Earthbound Traveler," and "Also Sprach Zarathustra" in "Odyssey." At times darkly violent and others beautifully ambient, Earthbound delivers more than expected. Earthbound could easily be one of this year's best new releases! But beware, Earthbound is addictive and you may find yourself unable to stop listening. Highly recommended.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 18, 1999 releases

Related artist(s): Terra Firma

 

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