Review:

on 2012-11-26 kuriousoranj Said:

I gave Simian Crease's most recent album 'Tiger' a listen and was intrigued by how well it balances traditional rock with more experimental sound structures. All of it done by one guy (Mike Miles) and apparently in his bedroom. The underground sound is fully-realized and, at times, surprisingly adventurous. So I decided to give this album a spin, as well... and I'm definitely hooked. You have got to listen to 'U.R.M.M. (Unicorns, Rainbows & Misty Mornings)'. It's an alt-artrock mini-masterpiece. 40-plus minutes of fantastic creatures, frail sensibility and failed romance... all with a hopeful, happy ending.

It starts with a call to arms in 'Dragon In D'. If Robert Pollard wanted to do King Crimson, he might sound a lot like this. Disjointed guitar riffs slant and curl and then snap into place over a rubbery rhythm part, all sewn together with whip cracks and mouth music. Followed by the shuffling, hand clapper 'Prickly Little Unicorn' and a unique instrumental, disturbingly titled 'Swan Tar Tar', the album really kicks off with a rush.

But it's not until the gorgeous 'A Pile Of Dead Leaves At The End Of The Rainbow' that you realize this album is truly special. Acoustic guitars strummed with squeaky brilliance give an air of stark beauty, as the singer attempts to serenade a missing lover he has returned home for, only to find a pile of dead leaves in her place. This song is sweet and simple, the solo played with lament and longing. And, even though you might wonder why he left home in the first place, when you hear the singer conclude, '...if you don't come back, baby/I'll lay my body on the ground/Under a pile of dead leaves/At the end of the rainbow...', you can't help but to feel badly for him.

Book-ended by the creepy, whistle-laden 'Down In My Dungeon' and reprise is arguably the best song on the set, 'A Love Song Called 'Jewels (In The Moonlight)''. Dirty acoustic faux-blues get swept up into space in this Bowie-esque zinger. Miles' voice finally opens up and we get to hear some range. And that voice might just be Simian Crease's secret weapon. Not perfect by any means, but expressive and varied, pitchy and affected in all the right places. It very much fits Miles' unique sound and arty musical motif. He is definitely experimental, songs are rarely structured to formula or without some sort of Baroque touch, but his vocals tend to adapt like a chameleon to it's surroundings, seamless in such a way that the surroundings always seem oddly familiar.

'No Two Are Alike', even with it's spare acoustic arrangement and vocals, boasts an understated and unusual harmony solo, while the singer reminds us, 'If you can change colors/Or you're stuck with stripes/Well, it's the spice of life/No two are alike...' Honestly, this song might pass by unnoticed the first time around but don't let it. The lyrics are insightful and the song seeps in like a powerful potion, laced with lo-fi magic. This brings us to the freaky, art rock head-scratcher 'Creatures, Real Or Imagined' with it's unsettling refrain 'I'm going to take this one home as a pet...' and the 10-minute epic 'Bird In A Blanket (I. Fear - II. Beating Wings - III. Flying)', where the album finally commits to a dark turn in mood and tone. Almost as if a blanket is being pulled over us, allowing fantasies conjured in previous songs to spiral and unravel into paranoia and nightmare, until we are finally awakened by the fluttering wings of a hummingbird and the voice of a girl saying, 'good morning'. It was all just a dream.

Every fantasy needs a happy ending and this album has a great one in 'Hummingbird'. Another killer alt-rock arrangement by this Simian Crease guy, the multi-layered solo is one of the highlights of the album. Like the solo on 'Vultures' (from the afformentioned 'Tiger'), it hints at, if not nods to, the great Brian May. And the song is catchy as hell. With tight, snappy riffing and a sweetened tone to his voice, Miles tells us, '...if you fly away/ Won't let another take your place/'Cause I know that you'll be back for one more taste.'

It's truly great underground stuff, a real find. And rest assured, now that I know the guy has 9 albums posted, I'll be back for more than just a taste...

Rating: 10/10