Swordfish Records have been an vital part of the Birmingham music scene for as long as we can remember as both a shop and an idiosyncratic boutique label supporting local talent. Following the excellent BLACKASH Black Witch EP, Swordfish Records have now released the debut album from Brum Prog/Psych sextet The Mothers Earth Experiment. The band seem to have come from nowhere and risen rapidly, following their debut EP in Sept 2015, their first live show was supporting Gong a month later…………….no doubt with heavy friends and serious connections there’s no scuzzing about playing at the bottom of the bill at The Wagon And Horses with a bunch of unknown local bands, as they have since played the Lunar Festival and opened for Syd Arthur, Purson, Acid Mothers Temple, Braids, Arthur Brown And Soft Machine ,to mention a few. Continuing on a upwards trajectory, their debut album hits the shops this weekend.
Self produced by a band blessed with a self determined vision and drive, The Mothers Earth Project have stated themselves “We feel artistic freedom has become feared within the music industry, and we aim to express what is close to us and raise awareness through our music and art.”, you have to award 10/10 for the sheer ambition of their debut album………however you need to deduct at least a million points for massive self indulgence. As well as being influenced by the thrilling and inventive side of classic Prog Rock they have also absorbed some of the more pretentious elements that blighted the genre back in the day. Crammed with a ton of ideas, The Mothers Earth Experiment debut could have really done with an experienced producer at the controls who would curb some of the excess and streamline the bands sound, stripping back some of the over complex arrangements that the band have not quite got the chops to pull off. You can’t fault the bands desire to experiment and push the envelope as far as possible and there is enough good stuff here that would have made a fantastic EP, however as an album The Mothers Earth Project debut LP is mainly for serious hardcore ProgHeads only. With time, The Mothers Earth Project have a truly mindblowing album in them, but unfortunately it’s not this one…………………….other opinions are available.
Out NOW on Swordfish Records on multi-coloured splatter vinyl, CD and as a download, The Mothers Earth Experiment debut album is available from all good record stores and the usual suspects on line.
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