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Michael Moorcock & The Deep Fix

Live At The Terminal Cafe

Review by Gary Hill

Many know Michael Moorcock as a science-fiction writer. He's also a musician, though, In fact, he's been part of Hawkwind from time to time and done plenty of other musical projects. This live disc captures a show with his band The Deep Fix. If it weren't for some of his other work, this might not land under progressive rock. Don't get me wrong. Some of it clearly fits under space rock, which we put under prog. Some of it is more psychedelic, though, and that's just one other direction this follows. There is actually a wide range of sound here. We get country, blues, folk and more on show. It's all entertaining, though, and all intriguing.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) in Music Street Journal: 2019  Volume 6. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2019.

Track by Track Review
The Effects of Entropy
Dramatic and rather trippy space music opens this. The vocals come in spoken and classy. There is some definite psychedelia in the mix here. That becomes a more prominent reference as the intensity kicks upward.
Terminal Café
Here we're taken into a full-on country, bluegrass hoedown. That said, there are still psychedelic elements built into it. This is a bit odd, but also very catchy.
The Dream of Eden
A dreamy space rock groove is on hand here. The tune has a great rocking energy and solid hooks. The psychedelic elements along with hints of country music are part of this mix.
Sam Oakenhurst's Story
This is more of a rocker. It has plenty of that psychedelic edge to it. The mellower verses are not as space rock oriented as the choruses are. This has some soaring moments and some bits of echoey Americana, too. Again there are some hints of the country edge of things at times on this number.
St. James Infirmary
A stripped down section opens this with piano and voice. That mode, with a bit of harmonica at the end, carries the piece throughout. This is an old-school, stripped back piece. It's very much a blues song.
The Heat of the New Orleans Night
Trippy bluesy psychedelic textures create a spacey, at times sparse backdrop for a spoken vocal. This is an intriguing and charming piece of music that is quite artsy at its core. As it continues the music moves more into exploratory psychedelic zones. It gets quite complex before it's over.
Lou
This cut has a lot of folk rock in the mix. There is country here, as well. Overall, though, it's a cool psychedelic rocker that has plenty of space rock built into it. It's a compelling track that really climbs upward into more powerful zones as it evolves.
A Man Like Me
From the opening riff there is a lot of blues in the mix here. As it launches into the song proper that's even more apparent.
Mississippi Turn Around
Down-home country music is at the core of this cut. In some ways it feels a bit like a continuation of the previous number, at least in terms of styling. There is a blues edge to the number.
Blood
A folk rock meets jam band vibe is at the heart of this number. The cut has some hints of country music and definite space rock in the textures, too. It's another effective song on a set that's full of them.
Eden Revisited
More of a folk rock based piece, this works into some powered up jamming later that takes it in some interesting directions. It's a compelling and grounding way to end the set.
 
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