SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS – FRONZOLI

PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS
FRONZOLI
WHAT REALITY? RECORDS

Fronzoli, the latest release by psych-rock band Psychedelic Porn Crumpets is another ambitious record from the Australian band. Though it has some great moments, it lags behind previous releases in terms of being compelling or exciting.

When the instrumentation is not overcrowded, the album rocks. Although “All Aboard The S.S Sinker” is far from perfect, the instrumentation has more room to breathe without losing the frantic and wild energy of the song. The main highlight is the dazzling, psychedelic, and trippy guitar solo in the middle that is quite reminiscent of “American Woman” by The Guess Who.

There is no denying that this record is highly creative. However, this often gets in the way of the overall listening experience and fails to deliver something interesting or enjoyable. “Mr and Mrs Misanthrope” and “Dilemma Us From Evil” are rare exceptions. Everything comes together perfectly and smoothly, with the former easily being the best song from the album and the latter having some electrifying shredding.

Fronzoli, would benefit from a more coherent structure. The flow is messy, too many conflicting ideas are at work, and the instrumentation can be very overpowering. “Nootmare (K.I.L.L.I.N.G) [Meow!]” has an insane riff but has nothing else really going for it. The constant change of pace ruins the flow and ends up feeling more “forced” than “organic.” “(I’m a Kadaver) Alakazam” and “Pillhouse (Papa Moonshine)” are in a similar boat. Both have a few moments of greatness, but they lack cohesion, and the overload of different styles in each track rarely flows together. It would have helped if these tracks had a better structure and stronger unity among the different styles and ideas working together, while still maintaining the chaotic and intense sound.

Fronzoli  comes nowhere close to the band’s best material. Each song has a few spectacular things, but most still need more work and fine-tuning. Older albums from the band, like Shyga! The Sunlight Mound and High Visceral {Part One} offer heavy psych-rock with a much better result.

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