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55,337 posts since 7/17/2002
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Posted on 6/21/2008 at 1:48:46 PM
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Colour Haze - AllReview by John Pegoraro (StonerRock.com) Elektrohasch Records Release date: June 2008 The problem with writing an instant classic is that the follow-up always tends to disappoint. Such was the case with Colour Haze's 2004 self-titled album and 2006's Tempel. Because the latter didn't have a song as iconic and immediate as “Peace, Brothers and Sisters,” it was – by this critic at least – viewed as a bit of a letdown. Revisiting Tempel shows that it has a lot more to offer than originally presumed, but with the arrival of the German three-piece's latest, All, Tempel seems forever destined to be considered a lesser effort. Sure, All also lacks a “Peace, Brothers and Sisters” (face it, that type of genius is a once in a lifetime deal) but the difference is that All doesn't need one, or isn't hindered by the lack thereof. Seven albums in, the band (Stefan Koglek – guitars/vocals, Philipp Rasthofer – bass, Manfred Merwald – drums) has settled comfortably in its role as the preeminent psychedelic stoner rock jam band, and the ten song All is a testament to their creativity and fluidity. Much like 2003's Los Sounds de Krauts, 2004's Periscope, and the aforementioned Colour Haze, the band weaves an intricate tapestry of sound on All. Songs start with a simple seed of an idea and branch upwards and outwards, growing in whatever direction the music deems fit. But that's no surprise to those who've been following the band. Their approach has always been jazz-like in structure – freewheeling improvisation that still maintains a sense of structure. On All, they add to their natural eclecticism with additional instruments, such as the organ on “Lights” and the sitar on “One.” What's also new on All is Koglek's occasional use of falsetto. It may take getting used to at first, but it does work (in other words, “Moon” does not come off as a second rate “Emotional Rescue”). Throughout the album, the playing by all three principle members is outstanding. It's obvious they're in tune with each other – the guitar, bass, and drums intertwine, building on each other and branching off in distinct directions yet still remaining cohesive. A number like the title track (the longest on All) is a feast for any discerning music fan. There's so much going on, it's almost impossible to take it all in at once. Add this up and you have not only the most experimental album of the band's career, but also their most expressive. The ten songs on All cover a lot of ground and not one falters or missteps. This is some of their greatest work. Highly recommended.
URL: http://www.colourhaze.de/
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I`m never going to work another day in my life
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3,549 posts since 5/11/2002
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Posted on 5/24/2008 at 12:52:39 PM
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Colour Haze – All (preview master)
Review by Scrit
Elektrohasch Records
Release date: middle of June 2008
Listen up brothers and sisters… It's epic.
It’s dense like Los Sounds de Krauts.
It has long jams like the S/T and Periscope.
It has mid-tempo and slower, beautiful mind journeys like Tempel.
There are sitars and moog that weave in and out of each other when they’re not carrying their own separate meaning. The free-form jazz influence is in full effect on All.
I knew at my first full listen through that this was a grower and to me that’s the best kind. Not because I didn’t ‘get it’ on the first listen (the proof of brilliance is in your face), but because there’s so much texture and skill happening on All, it’s going to require maaaaany listens to wrap my mind around all of it.
I swear to God I do not know how this band continues to outdo themselves in a way like this on every record. Slamming drums at once with silent percussive suggestion at the other. Hendrixian guitar playing. Locked and throbbing bass. All combined and stirred and baked to perfection resulting in a band that, for what they do, has no equal, is at the top of their game (all the time it would seem).
The surging positive vibes and love are partly what set apart Colour Haze. The message in the music is right there, unabashedly encouraging people to come together, love, share, understand. And it’s never ever hippy-dippy, flower-power, Age of Aquarius in its finish. It’s all power, finesse, truth, brings ‘the rock’, delivers ‘the roll’, and darker-message-rock-fans can get into them too.
I look forward to Jowcol chimming in on this one- with his song-by-song breakdown and wonderful prose. He seems to know how to define this band in unique detail. Neigh, on SR.com he’s written the book on the ‘Haze.
I don’t know when this is officially out exactly. But there’s a whole lot of anticipation around All, as with every Colour Haze album, and I wanted to help set your minds at ease…
You
Are
In
For
It…
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419 posts since 5/13/2003
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Posted on 5/24/2008 at 2:12:39 PM
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: ) : ) : ) CD is scheduled to arrive from the factory on thursday... send out starts immediately then (at first to ATH of course - will take about 4 weeks though...) (I'll be on Duna Jam from June 3rd to 15th anyway...)
URL: http://www.elektrohasch.de
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1,031 posts since 9/15/2005
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Posted on 5/24/2008 at 11:07:51 PM
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Sounds like this one is poised to make my top 10 this year.
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5,174 posts since 5/13/2007
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Posted on 5/24/2008 at 11:47:06 PM
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I've been losing sleep over the release of this record. Okay, maybe not to that extent, but it has been something I've really, really looked forward to. Colour Haze will probably be that ONE band that I'll tell EVERYONE about for as long as I live. I'm guessing it will sort of be like how my bud's dad constantly tells me about The Beatles.
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Look, from now on when you take a chip, just take one dip and end it.
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3,549 posts since 5/11/2002
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Posted on 5/25/2008 at 1:08:16 PM
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Yeah this album is really something. They've come far from shorter desert rock blasts to long compositions, still rife with psychedelia, gorgeous melody, whether its acoustic and quiet or chunky and thick like that soup they advertise for lumberjacks and football players with huge appetites. Dig?
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6,732 posts since 4/11/2002
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Posted on 5/26/2008 at 4:45:18 PM
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The only one I have is "Periscope", but I'm more into it every time I listen to it. Like earlier today.
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Regular-Looking Creep.
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1,095 posts since 1/3/2007
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Posted on 5/26/2008 at 5:33:00 PM
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so when can we buy this or pre order it..?
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317 posts since 4/13/2005
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Posted on 5/26/2008 at 6:55:07 PM
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great band, epic after epic. they keep producing the goods and then some. not heard this yet, but am 100 % sure i'm gonna love it.
make that 200%.
anyone into stoner or psych who hasn't heard this band yet is either 1 year old (in which case it is understandable, maybe?), or has to be put in jail. for not hearing colour haze is a great crime.
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32,524 posts since 1/22/2001
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Posted on 5/28/2008 at 5:48:56 AM
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I feel funny in my special place!
This album can't get here soon enough.
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"It`s like a game show in my head except I`m the only contestant." - N
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3,152 posts since 11/26/2007
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Posted on 5/28/2008 at 8:46:11 AM
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even the sr.com-ian phrase 'Hendrixian guitar playing' is not enough to temper my considerable interest
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Vote McCain or I`ll punch you in the face
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2,871 posts since 12/15/1999
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Posted on 5/28/2008 at 12:01:44 PM
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Wow, that sounded kind of negative.
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I`ve weathered the storms, and today is cloudless.
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77 posts since 3/26/2003
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Posted on 5/28/2008 at 2:53:32 PM
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Kudos to Scrit for doing such a great job in capturing the spirit of the album. I agree completely.
As some of you may know, my life has been a mess the last few months, and I've not been able to write as many reviews as I'd like. Still, a new album from Colour Haze is like Christmas-- whenever it comes. I'm going to post the introduction now, and a more detailed track by track analysis over the next couple of days.
Short review: This album has it ALL. If you like Colour Haze, get your life in order now, because you are going to be to blissed out to get anything done when it arrives!
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Colour Haze’s “All” lives up to its name. It seems to capture practically “All” of Colour Haze’s reach and breadth in one single amazing disc. Each album they have released has been, to me, a cause of celebration. But this one is a revelation—never before have they ever packed so much range into an album, and such a superb blend of studio precision and free flowing abandon. This album adds even more psychedelia (was that possible?) to the mix, along with the most effective set of shorter songs they’ve ever released.
(For those of you who aren’t familiar with CH— imagine if “Kind of Blue” era Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Ravi Shankar, Johann Sebastian Bach and the brain trust from a trance band like 70s Tangerine Dream decided to make a stoner/psychedelic band. Add three really great musicians. Mani, the drummer, has an incredible range of shadings and fills, and a sense of beat that goes beyond the plodding 4/4 that drags down so much music in this genre. Phillipp has to be one of my very favorite bass players. Always hypnotic, never boring, applying the skill of a zen master, he knows when to feed the rhythm and when to create some really deep melody lines that create a great counterpoint with the lead guitar. Stefan Koglek has a wonderful guitar tone that finds the bridge between the purple fuzz of Hendrix and the immaculate precision of a David Gilmour. )
How does this album stack up with their previous ones?
In Tempel (and to some degree the S/T before) there was a movement where the songs were approaching the same length. This album hearkens back to the s t y l e of Los Sounds and Ewige Blumenkraft where the lengths are more varied.
This album has much more studio experimenting—samples, loops, organ, sitar, vocal effects, etc, but done tastefully.
I’ve noticed a most pronounced 16 beat groove in this album— I’ve noted it before on some of their cuts, but its more pronounced here. Combined with the liberal use of the sitar, it makes for a much stronger “eastern” feel.
For all of the studio wizardry, there are a lot of “free” and organic moments here. A lot of the guitar leads seem more spontaneous.
This is definitely an aural smorgasboard-- not just the 65 minute runtime, but the variety of sound and structure.
Here are the tracks and running times.
1. Silent 7:22
2. Moon 4:56
3. Turns 4:07
4. Lights 8:25
5. If 3:30
6. Stars 3:23
7. All 14:49
8. Fall 9:55
9. One 4:38
10. Remains 4:09
I'll be posting the reviews for each track, along with lyrics, in the next couple of days.
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6,725 posts since 1/11/2005
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Posted on 5/28/2008 at 5:27:47 PM
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I can't wait! Best band alive.
Ralph, Periscope is a good album, but you've got to get the last three immediately!!
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http://queenelephantine.clfrecords.com
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442 posts since 5/30/2002
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Posted on 5/28/2008 at 5:52:55 PM
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Can't wait! 2008 is shaping up to be a quality year what with the new Solace, Sons of Otis, Dozer, Ufomammut albums and now this!
Got Tempel on vinyl recently: my word does that sound good!
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You have to be your own policeman...
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44 posts since 2/25/2003
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Posted on 5/30/2008 at 8:31:34 AM
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Seems that there is a hidden message regarding the order of tracks and their titles:
Silent
Moon
Turns
Lights
If
Stars
All
Fall
One
Remains
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5,174 posts since 5/13/2007
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Posted on 5/30/2008 at 3:02:12 PM
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Look, from now on when you take a chip, just take one dip and end it.
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419 posts since 5/13/2003
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Posted on 5/31/2008 at 4:29:44 AM
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CDs arrived on wednesday. already two huge parcels send out to ATH... ordering through my site is also possibel of course!
URL: http://www.elektrohasch.de
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89 posts since 4/11/2003
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Posted on 5/31/2008 at 4:45:52 PM
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No vinyl this time with popup gatefold? Well, I am still really looking forward to it.
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419 posts since 5/13/2003
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Posted on 5/31/2008 at 7:15:24 PM
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of course there is also a double LP coming... in a month... no pop-up this time though, was enough cutting and glueing back then ; )
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