| Ergo Phizmiz — The Peacock |
Ergo Phizmiz — The Peacock
Ξ↑Ξ Typicky britská výstřednost a šarm. To nikdy nebude každému po chuti, ale pokud hledáte něco mimo vyšlapané cesty, pak je to neobvyklá zahrada rozkoší. Alt–pop peacock displays all kinds of bizarre feathers.
Ξ↑Ξ Newest solo album from prolific sound artist Ergo Phizmiz. This continues in the vein of his Eleven Songs release from 2 years ago. Eclectic, very British strange–folk pop songs. No plunderphonics here, and some uncoventional instruments, and shambling lo–fi–ness, but as far as this guy’s music, it’s still pretty straightforward. Which means it’s pretty wacky and offbeat compared to most other music. RIYL Syd Barrett, Incredible String Band, R. Stevie Moore etc.
Location: Hollywood, CA, Dorset, Bridport
Album release: July 31, 2014
Record Label: Care in the Community Recordings
Duration: 37:03
Tracks:
01 The Peacock 3:30
02 The Tinker Song 2:36
03 Smiles of a Summer Night 3:20
04 Mandrake 3:12
05 Open Artery Surgery 4:42
06 Consequences 3:28
07 Hyenas in the Hallway 3:58
08 All Fall Down 3:25
09 The Light Behind You 6:16
10 The Flying House 3:06
Review
By Paul Scott–Bates; Posted on June 25, 2014; Score: 8.5/10
Ξ↑Ξ Walking encyclopaedia, Ergo Phizmiz releases his third album. Louder Than War’s Paul Scott–Bates reviews.
Ξ↑Ξ I have a pair of Ethletic trainers in the wardrobe. They’re red. I’m convinced I can hear the voices of The Kinks, Ringo Starr and Divine Comedy coming from inside. Maybe it’s just my brains. Maybe Ergo Phizmiz has taken up residency.
Ξ↑Ξ To be fair, The Peacock sounds like it could have been recorded in a shoe box. Ξ↑Ξ To be fair again, that’s not an insult, just an observation. The sound of Ergo’s guitar is almost monotone, and his voice is flat, sometimes slightly muffled and often with the backing of himself in another tone. It’s all very clever stuff. He’s been described as a musical genius in some quarters, and whilst that’s quite a bold statement it is understandable.
Ξ↑Ξ The album opener and title track sets the tone with a Middle Ages feel. An ode to the life of the peacock with some rather superb rhyming couplets from the man who seems to have swallowed a thesaurus. “Every single bloody question, becomes a very strange suggestion”.
Ξ↑Ξ The whole album is a more laid back affair to previous releases, this time round relying on those brilliant lyrics and beautiful strumming. The Tinker Song however, is upbeat as percussion is played on the inside of the aforementioned shoebox lid.
Ξ↑Ξ Open Artery Surgery sounds like it could be a Divine Comedy outtake, in fact the voice of Phizmiz even has similarities to Neil Hannon himself. The form of the song is also from that repertoire which is no bad thing and it surely an influence.
Ξ↑Ξ Repetitive semi–clockwork backing to the wonderfully titled Hyenas In The Hallway could be lifted from any number of ’60s alternative folk/pop efforts mixed with some Goldfrapp circa Felt Mountain.
Ξ↑Ξ All Fall Down is infectious and album closer The Flying House even has an acoustic rockabilly feel.
Ξ↑Ξ It’s a clever and entertaining album with warrants several listens, I am living proof, and each time it gets better and better as previously unheard snippets are noticed for the first time. :: http://louderthanwar.com/
Review
Ian Fildes, Thursday, 31 July 2014; Score: 8
Ξ↑Ξ Composer, Enigma, Polymath, Eccentric and musical riddler, Ergo Phizmiz doesn’t often lend his considerable talents to pop and rock music (this year’s exploits alone include a movie soundtrack, a chamber–opera, and a ’30s Hollywood song cycle), but over the course of two previous albums, whenever he has, the results have been fascinating, challenging, beguiling and deeply impressive. His albums have been made up of homemade toy box mini symphonies, vast and open–armed in scope, style and wit, and packed with a naturally English quirk, and knowing stylistic left–turns. Many have made understandable comparisons with Viv Stanshall and the fabled late ’60s Canterbury scene.
Ξ↑Ξ While 2012’s excellently bizarre 11 Songs shied away from conceptual pretence, The Peacock hangs together as a much more rounded and related affair, with definite pastoral leanings in its lyrical and sonic concerns throughout. The title track evokes some kind of odd folk, while the likes of ‘The Tinker Song’ and ‘Open Artery Surgery‘ are like pleasant DIY bedroom garage rock made with toy instruments and stabs at innocence; packed full of charm and melody. ‘Smiles of a Summer Night’ is a sparsely orchestrated jerk of a tango that is part Tom Waits, part Luke Haines, but actually entirely Ergo. The lovely ‘Hyenas in the Hallway’ is all swirling toy instruments, with a whistling solo, but with a great poetic lyric and disarmingly melodic thrust. Here his pastoral inferences and gritty realism occasionally reach Ray Davies levels of pathos, longing and melody.
Ξ↑Ξ Ergo Phizmiz operates on the far reaches of what constitutes popular music; and as ever, this is something worthy of celebration. However, his talents as a composer, arranger and pop visionary are exactly what popular music needs right now. His status as an unheralded anti–pop genius is maintained by this incredible record. :: http://www.americana-uk.com/
Website: http://www.ergophizmiz.net/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ergophizmiz
Last.fm: http://www.last.fm/music/Ergo+Phizmiz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ergo-Phizmiz/129955313698951
Also:
Kier Wiater Carnihan: http://prince.musicnewshq.com/news/ergo-phizmiz-the-peacock-the-monitors
:: http://prince.musicnewshq.com/news/ergo-phizmiz-the-peacock-the-monitors
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| Ergo Phizmiz — The Peacock |
Ξ↑Ξ Typicky britská výstřednost a šarm. To nikdy nebude každému po chuti, ale pokud hledáte něco mimo vyšlapané cesty, pak je to neobvyklá zahrada rozkoší. Alt–pop peacock displays all kinds of bizarre feathers.
Ξ↑Ξ Newest solo album from prolific sound artist Ergo Phizmiz. This continues in the vein of his Eleven Songs release from 2 years ago. Eclectic, very British strange–folk pop songs. No plunderphonics here, and some uncoventional instruments, and shambling lo–fi–ness, but as far as this guy’s music, it’s still pretty straightforward. Which means it’s pretty wacky and offbeat compared to most other music. RIYL Syd Barrett, Incredible String Band, R. Stevie Moore etc.
Location: Hollywood, CA, Dorset, Bridport
Album release: July 31, 2014
Record Label: Care in the Community Recordings
Duration: 37:03
Tracks:
01 The Peacock 3:30
02 The Tinker Song 2:36
03 Smiles of a Summer Night 3:20
04 Mandrake 3:12
05 Open Artery Surgery 4:42
06 Consequences 3:28
07 Hyenas in the Hallway 3:58
08 All Fall Down 3:25
09 The Light Behind You 6:16
10 The Flying House 3:06
Review
By Paul Scott–Bates; Posted on June 25, 2014; Score: 8.5/10
Ξ↑Ξ Walking encyclopaedia, Ergo Phizmiz releases his third album. Louder Than War’s Paul Scott–Bates reviews.
Ξ↑Ξ I have a pair of Ethletic trainers in the wardrobe. They’re red. I’m convinced I can hear the voices of The Kinks, Ringo Starr and Divine Comedy coming from inside. Maybe it’s just my brains. Maybe Ergo Phizmiz has taken up residency.
Ξ↑Ξ To be fair, The Peacock sounds like it could have been recorded in a shoe box. Ξ↑Ξ To be fair again, that’s not an insult, just an observation. The sound of Ergo’s guitar is almost monotone, and his voice is flat, sometimes slightly muffled and often with the backing of himself in another tone. It’s all very clever stuff. He’s been described as a musical genius in some quarters, and whilst that’s quite a bold statement it is understandable.
Ξ↑Ξ The album opener and title track sets the tone with a Middle Ages feel. An ode to the life of the peacock with some rather superb rhyming couplets from the man who seems to have swallowed a thesaurus. “Every single bloody question, becomes a very strange suggestion”.
Ξ↑Ξ The whole album is a more laid back affair to previous releases, this time round relying on those brilliant lyrics and beautiful strumming. The Tinker Song however, is upbeat as percussion is played on the inside of the aforementioned shoebox lid.
Ξ↑Ξ Open Artery Surgery sounds like it could be a Divine Comedy outtake, in fact the voice of Phizmiz even has similarities to Neil Hannon himself. The form of the song is also from that repertoire which is no bad thing and it surely an influence.
Ξ↑Ξ Repetitive semi–clockwork backing to the wonderfully titled Hyenas In The Hallway could be lifted from any number of ’60s alternative folk/pop efforts mixed with some Goldfrapp circa Felt Mountain.
Ξ↑Ξ All Fall Down is infectious and album closer The Flying House even has an acoustic rockabilly feel.
Ξ↑Ξ It’s a clever and entertaining album with warrants several listens, I am living proof, and each time it gets better and better as previously unheard snippets are noticed for the first time. :: http://louderthanwar.com/
Review
Ian Fildes, Thursday, 31 July 2014; Score: 8
Ξ↑Ξ Composer, Enigma, Polymath, Eccentric and musical riddler, Ergo Phizmiz doesn’t often lend his considerable talents to pop and rock music (this year’s exploits alone include a movie soundtrack, a chamber–opera, and a ’30s Hollywood song cycle), but over the course of two previous albums, whenever he has, the results have been fascinating, challenging, beguiling and deeply impressive. His albums have been made up of homemade toy box mini symphonies, vast and open–armed in scope, style and wit, and packed with a naturally English quirk, and knowing stylistic left–turns. Many have made understandable comparisons with Viv Stanshall and the fabled late ’60s Canterbury scene.
Ξ↑Ξ While 2012’s excellently bizarre 11 Songs shied away from conceptual pretence, The Peacock hangs together as a much more rounded and related affair, with definite pastoral leanings in its lyrical and sonic concerns throughout. The title track evokes some kind of odd folk, while the likes of ‘The Tinker Song’ and ‘Open Artery Surgery‘ are like pleasant DIY bedroom garage rock made with toy instruments and stabs at innocence; packed full of charm and melody. ‘Smiles of a Summer Night’ is a sparsely orchestrated jerk of a tango that is part Tom Waits, part Luke Haines, but actually entirely Ergo. The lovely ‘Hyenas in the Hallway’ is all swirling toy instruments, with a whistling solo, but with a great poetic lyric and disarmingly melodic thrust. Here his pastoral inferences and gritty realism occasionally reach Ray Davies levels of pathos, longing and melody.
Ξ↑Ξ Ergo Phizmiz operates on the far reaches of what constitutes popular music; and as ever, this is something worthy of celebration. However, his talents as a composer, arranger and pop visionary are exactly what popular music needs right now. His status as an unheralded anti–pop genius is maintained by this incredible record. :: http://www.americana-uk.com/
Website: http://www.ergophizmiz.net/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ergophizmiz
Last.fm: http://www.last.fm/music/Ergo+Phizmiz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ergo-Phizmiz/129955313698951
Also:
Kier Wiater Carnihan: http://prince.musicnewshq.com/news/ergo-phizmiz-the-peacock-the-monitors
:: http://prince.musicnewshq.com/news/ergo-phizmiz-the-peacock-the-monitors
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