MUSIC: GROOM EPOCH – Solar Warden

Shane | 15 June 2018 | Reply

MUSIC: GROOM EPOCH – Solar Warden
Golden Robot Records
April 2018
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
7/10

Richard Ploog – once drummer for The Church, now writer, producer, director – embraces his former band’s esoteric, tripped out, lysergically stoned sound on this swirling, esoteric and other-worldly album.

Ploog has enlisted a couple of Died Pretties, a Lime Spider, a Go Between and more for this wildly druggy album which sounds ever-so-slightly like The ‘80s Church might have sounded in demos, before their world-winning production was applied.

By which I mean, the songs are great, the intent is all here, and an ‘80s record label budget and producer would have slicked it up to world-radio-friendly levels.

This is no dance album – there is a subversive paranoia to the music and lyrics, whilst the vibe is more stoned reflection rather than interactive involvement. I can’t say I do the right sort of drugs to fully immerse, but I know plenty who do.