HR102 - Sponge - Unreality Viewpoint - C46 — 1989
SIDE A:
(FLOW) FELT THE FISH SHAPES CAN PUZZLE (FOX) THE GREAT ATTRACTOR |
SIDE B:
INSIDE DOWN AND (MIRR) / ORB (SPIN) GO PSYCHO JAM OPEN GRAVE FOX |
REVIEW by Jerry Kranitz
Sponge were a Scottish dual guitar, bass, drums, organ, synth, vocals sextet similar to other UK Hawkwind inspired contemporaries like Krel. The tape title comes from the venue in Edinburgh where this live performance was recorded on February 14, 1989.
I’ve long known of Sponge but had only heard a few tracks until now. The set opens with a doomy noodling intro that recalls some of the freakier moments from Hawkwind’s Space Ritual. The band then segue into ‘Felt The Fish’, a cool grooving atmospheric rocker with trippy guitar, commanding, melodic bass riff, and solid percussion. Impressive musicianship! The vocals remind me of when Ron Tree was with Hawkwind. ‘Shapes Can Puzzle’ amps up the intensity level with shimmering liquid guitar chords, wah’d, acid licks, howling electronics, and pounding drums. ‘(Fox)’ follows with freeform freakout jamming. And ‘The Great Attractor’ starts with a Twilight Zone style guitar melody, mellotronic waves, and angular dual guitars that quickly build up to a swirling deep space jam. The sound quality is decent, but I wish I could make out the spoken word lyrics better.
Side B goes in different directions. ‘Inside Down’ sounds like a lo-fi King Crimson with punk vocals. ‘And (Mirr) / Orb’ is a muscular rocker, almost metallic, paired with an odd synth melody that makes for an interesting contrast. After a brief high-voltage instrumental workout, the band launch into the space-punk rocking ‘Go Psycho’. After a short noodling jam (titled ‘Jam’), which has a funky Reggae-ish vibe, Sponge finish the set with ‘Open Grave Fox’. It starts off grungy rocking, but eventually whips itself into a frenzied space-punk rocker. Good set!
Sponge were a Scottish dual guitar, bass, drums, organ, synth, vocals sextet similar to other UK Hawkwind inspired contemporaries like Krel. The tape title comes from the venue in Edinburgh where this live performance was recorded on February 14, 1989.
I’ve long known of Sponge but had only heard a few tracks until now. The set opens with a doomy noodling intro that recalls some of the freakier moments from Hawkwind’s Space Ritual. The band then segue into ‘Felt The Fish’, a cool grooving atmospheric rocker with trippy guitar, commanding, melodic bass riff, and solid percussion. Impressive musicianship! The vocals remind me of when Ron Tree was with Hawkwind. ‘Shapes Can Puzzle’ amps up the intensity level with shimmering liquid guitar chords, wah’d, acid licks, howling electronics, and pounding drums. ‘(Fox)’ follows with freeform freakout jamming. And ‘The Great Attractor’ starts with a Twilight Zone style guitar melody, mellotronic waves, and angular dual guitars that quickly build up to a swirling deep space jam. The sound quality is decent, but I wish I could make out the spoken word lyrics better.
Side B goes in different directions. ‘Inside Down’ sounds like a lo-fi King Crimson with punk vocals. ‘And (Mirr) / Orb’ is a muscular rocker, almost metallic, paired with an odd synth melody that makes for an interesting contrast. After a brief high-voltage instrumental workout, the band launch into the space-punk rocking ‘Go Psycho’. After a short noodling jam (titled ‘Jam’), which has a funky Reggae-ish vibe, Sponge finish the set with ‘Open Grave Fox’. It starts off grungy rocking, but eventually whips itself into a frenzied space-punk rocker. Good set!