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Moraine

Groundswell

Review by Gary Hill

The mix of sounds here is pretty amazing. From heaviness like Giant Squid and King Crimson to jazzy sounds, psychedelia and even classical music, this is diverse. It also works extremely well. I’m not a huge fan of Rock In Opposition – and this definitely is close to that – but I like this. It’s a really great album.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2014  Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
Mustardseed

Slow moving, this is like a jazzy form of psychedelic sludge. It gets more powered up and louder as it moves forward.

Skein
This reminds me a lot of the jazzier side of King Crimson. There is some great soaring guitar soloing as this piece develops. There are some pretty crazy shifts and changes as this works through. Still, it somehow feels connected and logical. There are more pure jazz sections and others that land more in line with that Crimson reference.
Fountain of Euthanasia
I love the energetic tapestry that opens this. Then it shifts to some airy, mellower, soaring music. This just keeps evolving from there. Parts of it are more jazz-like. Parts of it are closer to Rock in Opposition. Parts feel classical. It never feels disconnected or too far “out there,” though.
Gnashville
I love the awesome rocking rhythm section on this. It brings almost an Americana or even country element to the table. Yet, it is also very heavy. This is almost like Led Zeppelin does Rock In Opposition at times. It works out toward more pure classical and jazzy territories at times. Some noisy RIO takes it in places, too. This powerhouse works through a number of changes, like everything here.
In That Distant Place
Mellower and more melodic, this provides a little respite. Still, it’s not so mellow to be really restful. It’s just softer in comparison to what’s come before. It’s an adventurous jam, though and it does get louder and more rocking later. It gets rather crazed at times, too. Early King Crimson is a valid reference at points.
Synecdoche
There is a driving rhythm section and some rather crazed space music at the start of this. It works to some noisy RIO styled music from there. This gets jazzier for a time, but also works to some fuzz-driven psychedelic jamming.
The Earth Is an Atom
This comes in mellower and more tentative and builds out gradually from there. As everything here, this is constantly in flux. It gets into some severely soaring jamming later. The guitar really screams out in passion and power.
Waylaid
I love the killer jazzy groove on this number. It really works through some cool changes and has a great vibe. It works out after a time to some mellow, sparse, classically tinged music. It gets pretty weird as it continues, moving towards space music. This works to some rather Crimson-like soaring jamming after a while. A harder rocking jam eventually ensues from there.
Spiritual Gatecrasher
Starting in mellower, near classical tones, this stays that way for a time. Then some extremely heavy music merges with that. It almost feels like Giant Squid merged with a chamber orchestra. It shifts direction from there into some world music. It keeps evolving from there. Parts are more purely symphonic. Other sections are more tied to the world music. Yet, there are other sections that rock a lot more.
The Okanogan Lobe
A rocking, driving jam opens this. That works through for a while, but then it works to more mellow, melodic music. It ends and we get a new RIO-like jam from there. Then the harder rocking sound returns as this continues. It becomes a very jazzy rocking groove. A number of shifts and changes emerge, but it maintains a more rocking sound.
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