Review - The Last People On Earth 'Electric Angel'
Oh my. I'm in all kinds of trouble. I've just been listening to The Last People On Earth's 'Electric Angel' LP and I don't think I'm ever going to recover. Now, this album was released on Tea House Records, based up in Lincolnshire. This may seem trivial, but when you consider the fact that Lincs just gave us an earthquake, I think I might know why. They were probably pressing this very LP, and the tremors nearly knocked England over into the sea.
So what's the fuss? Well, Electric Angel is one of the best LPs I've ever heard. Period. It's an incredibly far-sighted cosmic psychedelic prog LP that's got more ideas-per-song than your average band does in a lifetime. Somehow, this brilliant group manage to make the notion of a concept album a fine idea indeed. This band has produced an album to soundtrack your life, your birth, your death... this could be the start of something very beautiful indeed.
The press release says that this bunch of acid soaked misfits are like 'a budget version of the Flaming Lips live experience' when out on the town causing trouble with their equipment... and listening to Electric Angel, it's easy to see how that fits. That said, there's nothing budget about the sounds. It's rich, melodious, textured and absolutely stunning in every single way. If there was a heap machine, praise would be flooding out it all over this damn fine group.
From the apocalyptic broken-spoken intro about the earth imploding, the band kick into a groove that lies somewhere between the Super Furries at their best and Pink Floyd before they went beige. This LP contains acid-fried guitar solos, vocoders, woozy drums, moogs, hammond organs, and sublime detached vocals coming down from the good times and subsequent troubles. This is the greatest LP that never got a release in 1972.
'Mother and Father', all music-hall ELO prog-pop, needs to be the soundtrack to summer 2008. No question. It knocks most modern releases into a cocked hat fulla lysergic. 'School' is a thumping funky psych rocker that jus' begs you to get down and tune-the-fug-IN!
Now, some of you may be sat there with your reservations. "Yeah man, but a modern band tackling the sounds of the sixties and seventies... man... jus' look at Kula Shaker". Lissen up. This ain't no fey fringe bunch playin at it. The Last People On Earth are the real deal. They've created an LP so authentic, so out-there, so fresh, that anything short of World Domination would be a crime worthy of death.
If you dig early-Floyd, if you watch Old Grey Whistle Test episodes and think 'that track would be amazing without the yodeling', if you adore psychedelic flights of fancy, if you love songs dripping with wild ideas and craftsmanship... this is the album for you. It's out June 2nd... and I know that's a long way off... but mark your diaries... the LP of the summer will be hitting the shelves. (Mof Gimmers)
I may be late on reading this, but you're right. This is a wonderful album. I'm having a hard time trying to find a vinyl of it though.
Posted by: Kragar | 11/28/2008 at 11:28 PM
It's not available on vinyl, as far as Mr Fist is aware.
Astounding LP though
Fist.
Posted by: Fist | 11/29/2008 at 12:06 AM
Ah, that explains it. Not enough albums are available on vinyl anymore. Guess I'll just have to settle for a cd. Thanks.
Posted by: Kragar | 12/09/2008 at 03:42 AM