4th July 2012 06:00:00
Syd Arthur - On An On
There is a level of skill and virtuosity on display here that is impressive for such a young group of lads. It’s just a shame they have chosen to deal in a rather aimless style of laidback psychedelia - an acquired taste even in the heyday of their Canterbury prog predecessors Caravan and Soft Machine.
The songs would be pleasant enough in isolation but, over the course of a whole album, they just merge into one another to produce a collage of pretty but unremarkable background music that would be just about passable were it not for the album’s nadir: nine minute closer 'Paradise Lost'. It has a nice fuzzy intro but soon descends in to an interminable bout of jazz funk experimental noodling that would grate at three minutes but at triple that length becomes utterly unbearable. Syd Arthur should find an audience in the depths of prog rock community but would be hard pressed to expand beyond that with this dull offering.
The songs would be pleasant enough in isolation but, over the course of a whole album, they just merge into one another to produce a collage of pretty but unremarkable background music that would be just about passable were it not for the album’s nadir: nine minute closer 'Paradise Lost'. It has a nice fuzzy intro but soon descends in to an interminable bout of jazz funk experimental noodling that would grate at three minutes but at triple that length becomes utterly unbearable. Syd Arthur should find an audience in the depths of prog rock community but would be hard pressed to expand beyond that with this dull offering.
About Greg Belton
Despite being a seasoned gig goer for more years than I care to remember, I’m a fairly recent convert to writing about music. My tastes have undergone seismic shifts over the years and now take in punk, indie, goth, metal, Americana and anything else with a nice tune. A not too secret penchant for the work of Nick Cave will probably be reflected in the amount of his music I own. All plaudits greatly welcome - all criticism can be filed directly in the bin.
Despite being a seasoned gig goer for more years than I care to remember, I’m a fairly recent convert to writing about music. My tastes have undergone seismic shifts over the years and now take in punk, indie, goth, metal, Americana and anything else with a nice tune. A not too secret penchant for the work of Nick Cave will probably be reflected in the amount of his music I own. All plaudits greatly welcome - all criticism can be filed directly in the bin.
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