Intelligent psychedelic power-pop evoking a range from â66-â68 Beatles to early â70s Eno to Joe Meek-inspired outer space jaunts to prog rock of the most elves-and-fairies variety.

19 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Psychedelic, POP: Power Pop



Details:
Sacramento singer/songwriter Anton Barbeau's stock-in-trade is "intelligent, fractured pop" in the vein of The Beatles, XTC, Julian Cope and Robyn Hitchcock. He has been delivering his witty, idiosyncratic lyrics in his insistent tenor (and impeccable falsetto) since the early â90s, with numerous full-length releases of clever, off-kilter pop to his credit.

In 2003, between recording ventures with indie psych-rock luminaries The Bevis Frond and The Loud Family, Barbeau set out consciously to make a "psychedelic" record. Two and a half years later, the result was his tenth outing, and arguably his finest work to date: "In The Village Of The Apple Sun."

Though parallels can be drawn between "Village" and the experimental nature of his previous release "Guladong," what sets "Village" apart from it and the remainder of Barbeauâs discography is a definite otherworldliness in lyrics, sound and vibe. Here mysticism, existentialism and futurism take front and center, draped in sonic tapestries evoking everything from â66-â68 Beatles to early â70s Eno to Joe Meek-inspired outer space jaunts to almostâdare we sayâprog rock of the most elves-andfairies variety.

Certainly rockers abound: there is the opener (and obvious single) "This Is Why They Call Me Guru 7," a driving, Beatlesque number with spaced-out swirling noises and sixties-ish guitar hooks; the uplifting jangle-pop "On A Bicycle Built For Bicycle 9," with its descending raga-like vocal refrain contrasting and complementing ascending violin lines; the apocalyptic fortune-telling "When I Was 46 In The Year 13," and of course the dynamic assault of the Oxford-inspired title track itself, with obligatory backwards guitar solo courtesy of the Lucky Bishopsâ Alan Strawbridge.

The first-rate craftsmanship of the songs themselves notwithstanding, fans of classic psychedelia will not be disappointed by the arrangement, production, contrasting moods and variety of timbres Village offers. The surreal ballad "The Eye on My Hand" features a warbly lead guitar that sounds as if played by the reanimated corpse of John Cipollina. Wurlitzer electric piano adds a mellow â70s feel to many tracks, while violins transport one to another plane like the Hurdy Gurdy Man on a Magical Mystery Tour of India. Through much of the album, the drums often have an ethereal, disembodied character that sound like a restless ghost thrashing about on an upper floor. A banjo makes a lovely and convincing substitute for a sitar, accompanied by sleigh bells reminiscent of Smile era Beach Boys, while a synthesizer drones and a phase-shifted Anton sings "what if itâs true that the seeds of space carry mind information?" The whole shebang is augmented by plenty of sound effects, chopped-up edits and elements of musique concrete, a few tastefully recurring musical motifs, and a couple of good olde pub sing-alongs to boot!

Though Barbeau fully endorses the album as "psychedelic," he emphatically insists it isnât "retro." We at Four-Way can only scratch our heads and agree! It is indeed psychedelia for all seasons, ages and times, and we are as pleased and proud as punch to bring it to you.