Proverus Rec.
The Pillbugs -2cd- (US,1998)***°
The earliest tracks of this double album album go beyond the (neo-) sixties psych styles, and includes late 60's, early 70's influences. Also this release contains arrangements close to perfection.
The first 7 tracks sounds as one track with a lot of changes and ideas.
The first track "Thou doth warm me (like the sun)" sounds like a Beatle-esque track from around the White album era, but with more psychedelic effects.
Further on the tracks become more late 60's early 70's in style. "Black sombrero" even is a flamenco prog rock track with electric guitar and organ solo's. "Undecided" with distorted voice and backing vocals rocks even much more, with fine hard (prog) rock guitars. "We are the orange sky people" which follows is somewhat in the back-in-the-60's style, but at the same time is produced much more modernly, with various prog touches and instrumentation and orchestral bits. All fantastic.
"Comburda" after that, has strong contrasting arrangements, again in late 60's styles. Last two tracks of these seven are more driven by a beautiful warm sound, with nice and crafty late 60's arrangements, sounding incredibly fresh.
After that it will give a further continuity often in an improved Beatle-esque style, without any weak moments. Not all tracks are as arranged, some of them are even more common.
Although in general all tracks are highly enjoyable on this double CD, I still would have preferred a shorter album with all the heavily arranged tracks together.
The group itself plays on the CD together more than 20 instruments. It's especially in the refined arrangements that we can hear them. This leaves us with 7 more talented session musicians (playing cello, sax, violins, double bass, pedal steel guitar, or trumpet). The first disk contains 19 tracks, disk two 13. Together these 32 pieces provide a rewarding listen.
