I followed my normal practice and listened to this album before carrying out research and then listening to it some more. On first listen, I had “The Weirding” down as 70s style Prog. Reading the sleeve notes, the San Diego-based band happily acknowledge this quietly epic and at times strange work as The New Wave of Psychedelic Prog, describing it thus: “The main themes are death, introspection and contemplating what lies beyond. It’s about pondering the rapidly deteriorating state of the world today and trying to find an escape”. As you can imagine, given the style and the subject matter, over 78 minutes are devoted to producing this aura.
And therein lay the “problem”. After the first 78 minutes, I needed to listen to it again … and again … and again. I guess that’s a recommendation. Mindful that I could do other things with the 78 minute chunks that I was happily devoting to listening to this album, I decided to get this review written. Every time I listen to it, I hear new things, which again has to be a strength. This dreamy and wide-ranging affair comprising eight self-standing monoliths starts off in the tones of Tangerine Dream, early Porcupine Tree and even East of Eden. By the title track, the second one on the album, we’re into measured, intellectual and thoughtful Prog. For all the band is American, the influences sound British – there’s a definite comparison here with Pink Floyd, later work by the Beatles and early Porcupine Tree. Closer to home, some of the technical structures of Cynic are to be found here too. But let’s give Astra the credit for the way they create such a calm, yet dark atmosphere. The bass line is deep while the cymbals roll to give the sound of the waves. Largely instrumental, the track “The Weirding” is doomy but as smooth as silk. Animation is replaced by the act of gazing at stars. There’s a willowy sub layer on this and other tracks, which I have to say was the old thing I felt uncomfortable about. The plaintive and discordant orchestral sound whistling away in the background was discomforting and unpleasant on this and “The Dawning of Ophiucus” in particular, but I suppose this is part of being experimental, and let’s face it, nightmares have equal status to dreams. It certainly achieved that effect. Being out of tune even features in the bleak lyrics, so I guess I could conclude that Astra are making their point. Meanwhile electronic soundwaves worthy of Steven Wilson run through the slick and mellow guitar work. “Silent Sleep” continued in a Floydian other worldly way. To the constant slow beat, it’s gloomy mellotron-led soul searching. Overwhelming sadness permeates this track.
Whilst every piece has character, the focal point would appear to be the fifth track “Ouroboros”, a 17 minute instrumental epic. It starts out as if it were the theme music for some American drama set in lazy, sunny climates and works its way through an avant-garde section. There’s a lot of sensitive guitar proggerie as you’d expect from an album of this kind. It’s great. The guitar output flows placidly and ethereally. The band allow themselves plenty of time and space to explore new worlds. The following track “Broken Glass” is an apparently simple song with an edge, in the way that the Beatles managed in their developed years. It’s like a Prog version of a folk song with a Mediterranean guitar. “Beyond to Slight the Maze” is pure Pink Floyd. The vocal delivery is distant, the instrumental output plods on. The technique is immaculate.
“The Weirding” weaves a slow path and some may consider it to be sludgy and hard-going. Personally I found it an interesting, refreshing and strange album. I could listen to it a hundred times and each time find something new. Its Progressive roots are unquestioned, yet it’s original. What I particularly liked about it is that it bounded between the sophisticated and the simple, but above all it wasn’t self-indulgent and had a natural progression about it. I’m sure it will appeal to lovers of Pink Floyd and fans of Porcupine Tree but its qualities are such that, given the chance, many others will find themselves being magnetised by its charms, in the way that I have been.
http://www.astratheband.com
http://www.myspace.com/astrasound
http://www.riseaboverecords.com
