Album Details

• Artist: Golden Death Music
• Album: Ephemera Blues
• Label: Helmet Room
• Year of Release: 2007
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2007-12-06

If this is just my sampling of things, so be it; but I must mention the lack of quality psychadelia these days. Whether or not I'm checking the proper corners of the great musical storage space is inconsequential, all that matters is that Columbus, Ohio's Golden Death Music prove a near exception to it. Very near indeed.

   Being a one-man project, GDM immediately appeals to me for I believe a stronger artistic imprint is left when an album's worth of music can be attributed to one individual; when, if his visions are grand enough, no one can step on them in any way. Michael Ramey is that one man, and his visions are reminiscent, to my ears, of some of the earliest of Pink Floyd records, smoothed over even more with shades of Radiohead and Hood. Ephemera Blues plays like a mostly-peaceful LSD trip, all groove-matic acoustic guitar swirls and patterns, electronic noodling, foreboding bass riding high in the mix and emotive vocalizings. Michael's vocals are nothing too impressive, but add to the music without taking much of anything away besides a little steam. Favorite tracks: 'Walking Nightmare', 'Morning Sun, Mourning Sun', 'Lost in Violence' and 'Ephemera Blues'. 

Ephemera Blues will leave no sour taste while perhaps giving you something to soothe your hippie soul with, but as for relevance, originality and impact, it falls just a touch short. I can't really explain why this is, the entire record fits like a glove, but it's very moody and after awhile the repetitive, hypnotic nature of the music grinds more than flows. Still, fans of low-key psychadelia or mid-era Radiohead might want to seek this one out. 

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