ST 37 (The Insect Hospital) 2LP/CD
ST 37 are a well-known act in the Space Rock scene, and they got a legendary underground status today. This is their latest album, which has been released again on Italian Black Widow Records. ST-37 draw their influences not only from cult acts like Hawkwind, Guru Guru or Amon Düül II. With their cover-version of "Land of Treason" from the US-Punk band Germs, they show the listener that there's a connection between early Punk/Wave and Space Rock, and if you have listen closely enough to your old Hawkwind and Hawklords records, you know that this fact isn't really something new. Another main inspiration for this album are the Sci-Fi classics "Solaris" and "Metropolis", and the band has divided the album in two different parts, which are titled phases here.
Phase One ("Solaris") contains beside the before mentioned Germssong two additional cover versions. First one is "Seven Deadly Finns" from Brian Eno and "Cold Night for Alligators" from the one and only Roky Erickson to whom the complete album is dedicated. I better listen to the original, but then follows "The Insect Hospital", that belongs to one of my personal faves of the record. Like in the best Hawkwind period the track is driven from a strong and heavy bass-line, and together with some special sound fx it's like a rocket, that goes directly into the outter space.
Then comes Phase Two, which contains three long-winding varied instrumental tracks with hypnotic rythm patterns, and the dominating and pulsating bass is once again the driving force. "The Insect Hospital" is a timeless and spontaneous album, far away from any musical trends, and it's a big recommendation for every Space Rocker and for all those among you, who wants to get high from the pure listening experience without consuming any substances.
(KK)