Sunday, October 26, 2014

The Citradels - Nepenthe (2014)


Back to Australia and to a band that I've been very impressed by before as explained in the post on two of their albums, Droned and Rethroned and Our Lord's Secret Service. Well, the Melbourne lads are at it again with another full-length only a scant six months after the prior one. It continues the washed out, mildly droning psychedelic style I liked so much from each of those earlier releases. Moreover, they seems to try playing around with that sound and succeed in making an album with a unique flavor compared to the others in the process.

Nepenthe still has the 60s British still influence on it, and it doesn't help that I am an American and therefore the accents are easily conflated in my ear. However, I dare you to listening to the very dazed and catchy tune "Judas" and not agree. It successfully has exactly what I'd like of a psychedelic track: sedated meandering vocals, a fine guitar hook, loud drums and bass setting the rhythm. It isn't alone among the songs do deliver this either. The final track "ECT" somehow in a clumsy error on my part got set on repeat and I must've heard it five times over and was still enjoying it. Of course, Nepenthe is best heard from first to last, taking int all the odd bits of spoken words and the changes in mood, as with any well synchronized release really. And there's no excuse for you not to, as you already know this Aussies are up to snuff from the other albums, and this one is completely free digitally, unless you're a kindhearted soul that willing pitches them some dough.

Also, that religious and psychedelic album art, in its simplicity and photoshopped nature, does make me very happy to see. Like a collage of odd feelings that life animates while tradition bears down distorting it all. But that's just my take.

To be had here:
The Citradels - Nepenthe

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