KONTIKI SUITE - "ON SUNSET LAKE" (SUGARBUSH SB035), finally this fantastic album is out on vinyl. In some ways a companion album to our fantastic GREEK THEATRE Lps, as it delves into the same trippy waters as those, recalling along the way more than a hefty dose of THE BYRDS NOTORIOUS BYRD BROTHERS 1968 album. "On Sunset Lake is a pleasing concoction no mistake - equal parts
cosmic Americana, west coast psychedelia, and pastoral Englishness, this
is a style we've seen a lot of this year from English bands. Alfa 9 and
the See See have already both delivered very fine albums in this idiom
in recent memory, but Kontiki Suite have upped the ante considerably on
both of them, through a combination of impeccable songwriting and
arranging and particularly lush production - potentially the nicest
sounding album I've heard this year, including major label releases.
Gems abound, but my favorites are "See You In The Morning" which mixes
the twelve string jangle of early Byrds with their more easy-going
psychedelic country rock shamblings of the late sixties even better than
the Byrds themselves managed and "Hollywood" which sounds like
Candidate produced by Jonathan Wilson.
And where a lot of otherwise excellent albums tend to taper off at the
end, Kontiki Suite have saved the best for last with "Music Man" a lush
piece of canyon rock with subtle mellotron touches, and "Magic Carpet
Ride" which is aptly named, feeling just like one with it's hypnotic
psychedelic coda." (Review by Nathan Ford)
£21.99 (with FREE worldwide shipping!)
