The Flavor Crystals are among the champions of the new wave psych from the United States of America and which includes, among others, Magic Castles, Myrrors, Mystic Braves.
Led by guitarist and singer Josh Richardson, also author of all the songs (if we exclude ‘Diamond Mine’ , a song by David Kilgour of the Clean and betrays a taste for the lo-fi and all Dunedin Sound), the band arrives the publication of the fourth LP in the studio after the previous work, simply titled ‘Three’ , he rightly got a good response and great acclaim from audiences and critics. To act as the guarantor of the rest was the guru Anton Newcombe, who took the Flavor Crystals under his wing: the band then went on tour with Brian Jonestown Massacre, when the record came out for The Committee To Keep Music Evil, which then it would always be one of the many creations of assets and more and more ‘relevant’ Newcombe.
After three years the Flavor Crystals are back and confirm this with out the good proposed earlier if possible improving itself further and in particular for what concerns a more mature approach to the so-called ‘song form’.Josh Richardson is indeed a songwriter shrewd and intelligent and with a keen sensitivity, while the band has now acquired its own sound identity well defined. Recorded in the Old Blackberry Way of Minneapolis, Minnesota, ‘The Shiver of the Flavor Crystals’ is a record that can only please the aficionados of the band and generally to all fans of psychedelic music.
Listening to this disc drops us into a particular size. Almost surreal. I am reminded of a scene described in the film ‘The Legend of the Pianist on the Ocean’ by Giuseppe Tornatore. It seems to the listener to walk barefoot and trying not to make noise in the corridors of an old brothel do not bother others who at that precise moment are sweeping or maybe you are just doing embrace. What then for the writer is a bit ‘the same thing. The disc never reaches the level of the noise those that could be considered somewhat of excesses, and rather than trying to hit and displace and to surprise at first glance, it is proposed then slowly enter into the ears of the listener to reach the heart and soul and then convey a sense of infinity and cosmic peace.
Do not miss also excursions to the wonderful world of sound and psychedelia, such as in the case of ‘Wednesday Bloody Wednesday’ or ‘Bridge of Noise’ and ‘Bumble Birds’, practically the mantra recited softly.‘Mirror In My Mind’ is a real trip where stand a couple of excellent collaborations, namely that of Ricky Maymi, one of the most eclectic musicians outstanding and here plays the drums, and that of Stephen Lawrie Telescopes of the synthesizer. More pronounced in some cases the component shoegaze: ‘Billy Dee Williams’ Parking Spot’ for example has the connotations of the genre. A concert of guitars screeching like the brakes of a car on the asphalt bagntato serve as the backdrop to a singing suffused and atmosphere, almost ‘numb’, while the battery obsessively repeats the same time.
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Among the most interesting releases of recent times, ‘The Shiver of the Flavor Crystals’ is a hard discrete, but how could it be a cat, a domestic cat, and that makes us rediscover those principles that are important for achieving a size freer of the human race: the trust and confidence in relating to themselves and therefore with others. Even where the tones are more melancholy prevails nonetheless a certain serenity background. This disc is great for those who need to pull the oars and rest for a while ‘, for those who want to return to believe in anything, simply for those who now want to switch off and dream a little’ to open eyes . Better if together. The loneliness of the rest never did anyone any good.
The Fat Angel Sings 