Review by Jason Barnard
Chicago psych veterans The Luck of Eden Hall go into battle again with their sumptuous double LP set on heavyweight coloured vinyl. Their album Butterfly Revolutions presents hook laden guitar rocking psychedelia with deeper undertones.
Already a favourite from their 2011 EP, “Chrysalide” shows Gregory Curvey, Mark Lofgren and Carlos Mendoza playing their hearts out on this anthemic call to arms.
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“Shampoo” rocks out with a nineties grunge sound with a psychedelic allegory, whilst “Silly Girl” is more reflective indie but no less memorable.
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“Queen Anne’s Lace” has been knocking around the recesses of my mind for the past few weeks. It’s a lysergic ballad not unlike Arthur Lee, I Love it.
Flipping the vinyl to volume 2 shows a band brimming full of ideas. “North Hampton Woods” acoustica gives the listener to catch their breath. Written by Mark Lofgren, Mark is the Colin Moulding to Curvey’s Andy Partridge. He may not be as prolific but underestimate his songwriting prowess at your peril.
“Henrietta Lacks A Smile” starts with stripped back piano, building up with mellotron sounding strings with a ghostly finish. Completing the 24 tracks is “A Drop in the Ocean” that finds the group at their trippiest: echoing vocals, Hendrix guitar, syncopated drums and a head swirling subject matter.
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Overall, how does it feel to be a drop in Butterfly Revolutions? Like a holiday for the mind into the amazing world of The Luck of Eden Hall: updated psych for the modern era, always interesting, beautifully produced and most importantly great tunes:
