Where to even start a review; on an album that takes a full 90 minutes to listen to/ which has 53 tracks each one a surprisingly different, inventive, short burst of imaginative songwriting? Songs typically around 1:30, with a few exceptions. The fact that the title track "Galactic Rotation" (clocking in at around 3mins) is one of the most epic tracks here, speaks volumes about this record. Make no mistake, this is Brain Mountain's Opus. A Sprawling Double LP on one CD. A Full CD length of Data and minutes. Where have you been all my life Golactic Rotation? Your like the Pink Floyd Album I really wanted to hear when i was listening to Animals, on Vinyl.... sounded sweet. Would you actually believe that in 90 mins Brain Mountain has invented 50 (or so) different genres, or is it all just one weird mega-song thats separated by each dramatic shift in Mountain's process? He's an alternate persona in his music, but he admits to it and often times breaks this with almost uncomfortable intimacy, and lyrics so simple they transcend ordinary symbolism and reach for raw thought. I feel something quite universal about this sound as it cuts to the core of human emotion, and jumps all over the place in a sonic sense as well as in the emotions Brain Mountain explores. Not to mention the level of creative control apparent in Brain Mountain's production, which makes a home studio sound come eerily close to sounding like a pro studio. Yes, yes, yes. Track after Track after Track of the some of the best material Brain Mountain has recorded. His voice is unmistakable, and the transitions are mind-blowing and sporatic. Double entendres, hidden messages abound, each track is embedded with replayability, but with the sheer volume of tracks and ideas on this album theres no need to rush, there are plenty of tracks to go around now and plenty leftover for later. One song will sound like The Eagles then the next, Will Smith... At other points in Galactic Rotation are classic folk style guitar with creepy slightly auto-tune vocals. Brain sings about everything from "Is their a meaning to our lives, or just a scientific reason?", and "some call it god, but I say sun, Some people think the universe is one, I can tell you, thats the truth" to completely silly non sequiters like
"go down to your town hall and put yourself on the steps and take out your big ol bag of weed and smoke it to your face. And If the fuzz shall come and say 'you'll have to come with us' just say 'man i'm just trying to live, and offer them a puff.'"
Sometimes its walls of superfuzz electric guitar, sometimes its "World News" which, better than any experimental track i have ever heard, characterizes the world news media as an incoherent and spiritually vacant clusterfuck. Once again in terms of musical exploration and general genre-defyment Brain Mountain Delivers an Incredible 90 minute Masterpiece, to the point where this is no longer music this is someone's soul. ∞.∞
Brain Mountain - Galactic Rotation
Brain Mountain - Something Else We Can Work On
Brain Mountain - Flat Ground
Brain Mountain - Enlightenment
Brain Mountain - The Operator
Brain Mountain - Transmissions Get Lost
reviewed by Mohamed El-Darwish RADIATOR COLLECTIVE 2012
