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: : REVIEW : :
Church of Hed is a serious side project by Quarkspace drummer Paul Williams. Paul
utilizes other Quarkspace family members to produce yet another interesting if not
schizophrenic at times excursion into the world of space music.
This is not a rock and roll CD. In fact track
three, Rock & Roll Song, pretty much points out this collection of musical space
truckers feelings about rock and roll and the associated music industry. Warning,
the song has some obvious off color lyrics that would probably be best not heard by
young children.
Like I said when I reviewed several Quarkspace CD’s earlier this year, it is very
easy and at the same time extremely difficult to put a label on what Church of Hed
music IS. The listener is surrounded by frenzied rhythms, intricate electronic
percussion, passionate drums all wrapped in a sparkling electronics beat. A beat
that has relentless tempos propelling the tuneage into that astral plain the guys
and gals of Quarkspace and now Church of Hed just love.
It is really hard to separate Church of Hed from Quarkspace. I suppose if you like
one, you’ll like the other. Of course the opposite is also true.
Church of Hed however tends to be more toward the “spacey” heavy synthesizer sound
than Quarkspace. Ah but what journey to the Crab Nebula would be complete without
such a sweeping synthesizer sound generating a pulsating interplay of slippery
sequences and cloud bank textures.
I’m struck by the power of each song, by the depth of musical ingenuity these guys
layer as the song progresses. Regardless of the songs tempo each one builds and
builds, layer upon layer until the listener is completely captured by a wall of
wonderful sound.
You can’t help but be caught up in the nimble fingered keyboards that belt out super
yummy riffs and hypnotizing cycles slamming into your head with an alarming
velocity.
The listener will find the electronics quite dazzling and full of a versatile
substance not often found even in more ‘mainstream’ music. Devious, almost occult
bass lines dig and burrow through the music providing the music with a solid link to
Mother Earth.
A few songs do have some sung parts and Lynette Shelley from The Red Masque adds
much to the mix where she is used. Lyrics that wax poetic about the future and space
age concerns. Church of Hed creates a series of blurring electronic swirls of
shimmering electronics that simply oozes and becomes imbedded with the voices, much
like a swarm of angry deep space insects.
All in all, you have true space music full of catchy melodies along with fiery riffs
that conspire perfectly with the intense driving rhythms producing quirky harmonics
ultimately ending in very appealing tuneage.
Some of these songs abstain from the more frenzied side of Quarkspace or even other
“space music”. These songs devote their sonic expression to electronic laments
allowing the awe factor to run high among the more pensive passages.
Again, as I said in my Quarkspace review, do not be afraid, test the waters slowly,
but I guarantee that if you like Quarkspace, or this type of music at all, you will
absolutely love Church of Hed. For more info go to
www.churchofhed.com and enjoy the trip.
Rating: 7.0 of 10
Reviewed By: Stephen
Ellis
Visit the artist website:
www.churchofhed.com
Check out the Church of Hed MP3
available on our
MP3 page
:: DISCOGRAPHY ::
Church of Hed - 2002 |
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