THE FLYING EYES (s/t) LP/CD
Shortly before the end of 2009, I got this brilliant album from the guys at Trip In Time Records. Well, actually, this album is a compilation consisting of their two EP's 'Bad Blood' and 'Winter', but I can well imagine that most of the Cosmic Lava readers as well as for myself, haven't heard one of this releases before. Therefore, it has been an excellent idea from Trip In Time/World In Sound to make them accessible to the general public. Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, THE FLYING EYES' heavy psychedelic rock is deeply ingrained in the late 1960's. Of course, one is immediately reminded of The Doors, Damnation of Adam Blessing, Steppenwolf or The 13th Floor Elevators, but nevertheless THE FLYING EYES have managed to keep their own identity. One of the reasons for this is the band's striking talent to write exciting and profound songs. An added strength is the dark and vigorous voice of Will Kelly. His timbre is comparable to Jim Morrison during the 'Morrison Hotel'/'L.A. Woman' period, but he doesn't sound like any rip off. Will Kelly's voice is significantly more complex, which leads to the fact that he isn't always close to Morrison's style. Furthermore, it should not go unnoticed that the remaining three guys are doing a flawless job, too.
The album's opener 'Lay With Me' proves impressively that THE FLYING EYES are able to captivate the listener. They create an atmospheric, melancholic ambience that slowly creeps under your skin. The good old blues is always present, but the band is open minded for further influences. 'Bad Blood' starts with a funky guitar riff before it turns into a heavy psychedelic monster, while 'Don't Point Your God At Me' is a good combination of hardrock, blues and acid rock. Once again, Will Kelly shows that he's a gifted singer. Damn, I love his voice. 'She Comes To Me' is much quieter and surprises with an additional organ and cello. Another great song is 'Red Sheets' with some killer guitar playing by Adam Bufano. It's way cool including some powerful hooks. Finally, I would like to say a few words about 'Around The Bend', which for me is one of the most intense songs on this album. It's saturated with deep emotions and perfectly embodies the mood of a lonely winter evening. All in all, this is a round, often melancholically swinging album with compositions made up of artistic beauty. A must-buy for fans of heavy, acid-tinged blues rock cooked with melodic, psychedelic pop.
(KK)