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Ampledeed BYOB Review by Gary Hill The mix of sounds on this set is intriguing for sure. There are elements of very diverse music here. There are things that are incredibly strange, yet somehow compelling. You are likely to make out progressive rock, space music, jazz, folk, country and a lot more at various points here. This isn’t really like anything I’ve ever heard before. Sure, parts call to mind various things, but the overall picture is unique. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2016 Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review

Triple Cancer Moon Weird bits of processed electronic sound give way to a killer jam that has a great mix of psychedelia and progressive rock. The cut feels a bit like early Pink Floyd in some ways, but it’s also more jazz oriented. It has a modern prog sound in some ways, but is tied to things like Gentle Giant and other classic prog. This is a bit on the strange side, ever shifting and changing and very artistic. This is one of those things that changes so frequently that if you don’t like where it’s at, please just wait. There are some amazing instrumental and vocal passages here.

My Plane In some ways this has more of a bouncy kind of psychedelic vibe. There are things about this that make me think of bands like Jellyfish. It has some intriguing bits of country, folk and much more in the mix. Yet, it’s still a steadily shifting and changing piece of music, too.

You're a Libra... and She's a B***h The extended instrumental section at the start of this works between jazz, prog and a lot more. As the edited title suggests, this gets a parental advisory. It’s a killer cut that works really well. It’s on the one hand, challenging and very complex. Yet, somehow it’s oddly compelling and almost mainstream in some weird ways.

Garden Gnomes Although there is no big departure from the rest of the album, this dynamic and growing piece is one of the most effective here. It’s a great jam that works so well. Sure, it’s still a bit on the strange side (like the rest) but somehow it just really gels extremely well.

Monolithium The first segment of this is still very prog rock oriented. Yet, it’s also one of the more mainstream and accessible parts of the album. There are some incredible musical passages that ensue as this thing continues. It’s among the most mainstream prog pieces here, but it’s still a bit left of center in a lot of ways.

I Will Not Wait This piece takes us into more challenging territory again. It has some crazed jazz sounds a lot of other tasty strangeness in the mix. It’s complex. It’s dramatic. It’s also powerful.

On My Mind the Gap for Kids in the Hall of Fame By Fame Less than a minute and a half in length, this is a trippy instrumental that’s a bit dissonant. It’s sort of part psychedelia and part jazz.

Steve Lied This comes in jazz and trippy. This grows into another that’s a bit more mainstream. Of course, on this album mainstream is only so much so. This is a jazz meets psychedelic prog jam that’s quite tasty.

The Space Between Your Face There is space rock in the mix on this number. It has the other familiar conspirators, too. It’s a great jam with some effective movements and textures. The ending section leans toward tuned percussion. It’s cool.

The Greatest Gatsby In a huge change this comes in funky. It works out before the one minute mark into some spacey jazz elements. The cut eventually works to more of a powerhouse fusion jam from there. This extensive instrumental keeps changing and growing with different musical elements emerging, working through and getting replaced. It’s a killer piece of music. There are some vocals, but they are essentially more like instrumentation, not lyrical..

Muffin Man This cut works through all kinds of different sections. It’s both complex and particularly effective. It’s not a huge departure, but it is one of the pieces that somehow manages to stand taller than the bulk of them

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