The Other Window s/t (Released Spring 2006)

Review by Andy G, Dead Earnest 2006

Unashamed, direct, straight down the line, cast iron, rock solid, bona-fide space-rock - if you're a fan of the style, you can't fail with this. With 4 tracks between eight and sixteen minutes, plus a couple of driving four minute songs, this is one superbly written, arranged and produced space-rock/acid-rock gem. The long tracks have lots of instrumental space with tons of scorching guitar leads above rock solid, pumping bass, superbly recorded drums and the vast canvas of sound courtesy of the early Hawkwind-like space synth fills, swoops and backdrops. Something of a missing link between Litmus and Ozrics, this is extended space-rock at a premium, as the whole band just play their a blinding performance on tracks that are way more substantial and structured than mere studio jam sessions, the sort of tracks that you'll play and play and play. It's not one of those albums that has you thinking of Hawkwind every few minutes, but they are an undeniable influence. In addition to that thought, you have the red hot guitar work plus some astonishing electric bass action worthy of classic seventies Amon Duul II, again, another influence in there too. The sixteen minute 'Beyond Science Fiction' opens the album on one propulsive wave of cyclonic space-rock with guitar work throughout that will have you in cosmic rock heaven as the mostly instrumental track, builds, drives, takes off and goes into orbit. The eleven minute 'Time Is An Ocean' is equally fine but slightly less storm-force, while the eight minutes of 'Nebula" are slower still, and truly out of this world, with some gorgeous, fluid, flowing, expressive, heart-felt guitar soloing above the cruising and solid rhythm section as the keyboardist delivers synth choirs to put the icing on the cake, on what is a spellbinding piece of instrumental heaven, again, the bass work and drums perfectly recorded as the track just soars continuously over its running time. The album ends on nearly ten minutes of 'The Illusion Of Wisdom', starting with swirling space synths, distant guitar, tinkling percussion and a deep bass drone as the whole thing starts to lift. Then you hear this fantastic dirty, grungy electric bass as drums crunch in, the guitar fires up on staccato riffs and then the whole band fire up and launch the track with rocket-like intensity as this stunning concoction of driving space-rock takes to the skies, with some incendiary electric guitar work leading the way. The song portion begins, the mellotron-like choirs are added and suddenly you're plunged into '74-era Hawkwind with an absolute vengeance as this sensational piece of playing and arranging just drives onwards and upwards to breathtaking degree, this huge sound taking up an immense amount of the airwaves and filling your head with rock - space-rock. The vocals have a distinct Nash The Slash feel to them as the track reminds you a bit of a space-rock answer to something off his remarkable 'Children Of The Night' CD, in many ways a marriage of Hakwkwind & Nash The Slash that noone's dared come close to trying before, wittingly or otherwise, but here just remarkable. For the final couple of minutes the pace, but not the strength, decelerates, and around eight and a half minutes, the bass just makes you jaw-dropped as it comes right upfront to join this electrifying, echoed, fuzz-guitar lead and the effect is mesmerizing as the whole space-rock machine fires up one last time before crashing to earth in a blazing fireball of sound - stunning!! In addition to all this, the 2 four minute songs are every bit as essential to the album's flow, each a driving, wild-rocking slice of space-rock that are so addictive, they could almost be singles, so heavy and forceful, so substantial and just fantastic songs. So, if you want something to light up your space-rock life and be a thing of great wonderment that you'll enjoy for ages to come, you can't go wrong with this tasty little morcel.

(review written by Andrew Garibaldi).

The Other Window - Transition (Released March 2007)

Review by CD Services

Brand-new and the follow-up to the fantastic Hawkwind-like self-titled debut album, and this too must be destined to be a sure-fire Space-Rock top seller at CDS! The title track opens the album in instrumental ethereal cosmic space territory with two minutes of distant deep choral effects and thick synth layered textures. 'Time Thieves' initially seems to be heading for more of the same until a deep pulsating bass line fuels-up the space-rock tanks and then crashing guitars press on the throttle, the engines burst into life and we're into a pile-driving take-off that'll rattle any window within a 5 mile radius! In comes a guitar lead that reminded me instantly of Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come: 'Journey' album and the track prepares us for moving to hyper-drive as it starts to motor along through the universe. When the first vocal on the album arrives - it's in true Hawk style and sets everything up for a sonic trip to die for. 'Asteroid' fades in with a pulsating bass-line and distant electronics, then the band take off on a riffing passage of real space-rock proportions and vocal to match. 'Black Hole' runs on a lilting bass line with thrashing guitars, and as even more guitars are added layer upon layer, the track builds to a frantic, chaotic climax with that bass line crunching it's way through the mayhem like an out-of-control Sherman tank. 'Final Warning' roars in on the back of another pulsating bass line for a Hawk influenced rocker with guitars and keyboards forging ahead on a melodic course to the stars together with suitably spaced-out vocal. The superb guitar riff creates that big, hi-energy hypnotic type of groove that is sure to entice you into getting that that old air guitar out of the cupboard, dusting it off and getting down to some serious head-banging. 'Transcendance' starts out with lead bass and plodding percussion in an atmospheric instrumental passage that develops into a full on slice of guitar led space-rock to bring the cosmic journey to a close. Your captain for this space-rock trip is undoubtedly the crunching, melodic bass, which seems to take a predominant roll in most of the tracks on the album and leads the way with authority and a true sense of rhythm. Even after just one listen to our promo copy of 'Transition' we could tell that this is indeed a fine second album from a band that delivered such an amazingly well self-produced debut album to us just in the early part of 2006. As with the first album, this too has lots of instrumental space for the scorching guitars, keyboards, rock solid bass and drums to expand, contract and flow in dynamic excellence.
01. Transition (2:30)
02. Time Thieves (11.25)
03. Asteroid (8:15)
04. Black Hole (6:13)
05. Final Warning / Conspiracy (9:44)
06. Transcendance (11:21)