Monday 28 June 2021

ODG148 : Machine Mass / Plays Hendrix

 


Cover art by Elisabeth Waltregny



ODG148 : Machine Mass / Plays Hendrix

IN THE SPRING OF 2017 MACHINE MASS MORPHED INTO A POWER TRIO (MICHEL DELVILLE on guitar, TONY BIANCO on drums, ANTOINE GUENET on keyboards) TO RECORD A TRIBUTE TO JIMI HENDRIX !

THE CD VERSION OF THIS ALBUM WAS RELEASED BY MOONJUNE RECORDS TO CELEBRATE JIMI’S MUSIC ON THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE JHE’S FIRST RELEASE ARE YOU EXPERIENCED.

Augmented by the addition of the otherworldly talents of young maestro keyboardist, Antoine Guenet (The Wrong Object; Sh.TG.N; Univers Zero), fellow sonic adventurers -- and Machine Mass founders -- guitarist Michel Delville (The Wrong Object; douBt; Alex Maguire Sextet) and drummer Anthony Bianco (douBt; Elton Dean; Dave Liebman) combine forces to steam through a set which provides a refreshing retake of some of the most influential psychedelic rock classics from the '60's that changed the face of music! While the songs reference frameworks familiar to most classic rock aficionados, the comparisons end there: the trio follows flight plans which are uniquely their own, achieving moments stunningly fresh, instinctive, profound and moving. The addition of piano and keyboards to the tracks provides a welcome approach, imploring reharmonizations as well as complete revisions many hipsters, both young and old, will revel in! 

In typical Machine Mass fashion, the music thumbs its nose at convention and is unapologetically uninhibited in its delivery. The group pushes boundaries on all front, producing a record that is as fascinating from a tonal / textural perspective as it is from the 'harmonic rethink' and the mass of corporate liberties taken within the song structures, respectively. 

Machine Mass' "Plays Hendrix" is an engrossing, brilliantly conceived retake on some of rock's most adventurous classic moments; a quintessential album for fans of rock, psychedelic and progressive, alike. 

THINK HENDRIX-MEETS-COLTRANE-MEETS-MILES-MEETS-ZAPPA WITH PLENTY OF THE BAND’S OWN DNA

MICHEL DELVILLE guitar, Roland GR09, loops, stylophone (#8), electronics, samples

TONY BIANCO drums, percussion

ANTOINE GUENET keyboards, synth, acoustic piano

"i must admit now that i collect hendrix covers. his material is SO strong that there are many, and very few really ones. this is one of the best ever. these tracks are hot, and strange, and beautiful, and strong, yet essentially faithful in a colorful way. magical workings!Piste favorite : Fire." CH

"Interesting and fascinating album - a definite original new take on Hendrix. It would be great to have a second set , with long stretched out versions, all longer than 10 minutes. Piste favorite : Burning Of The Midnight Lamp."  Nick Bradley

"This is definitely the least Hendrix-by-numbers tribute I ever heard. The Belgian-American trio came up with something very special. The ingredients may come from all corners of Rock's big cuisine but the result has clearly written Jazz on it. Which means, that it can take some time to recognize the songs ;-} Fascinationg stuff! Piste favorite : Little Wing."  Carsten Pieper

Originally released on MoonJune on the 1st of June 2017.

Digital release on the 28th of June 2021.

Track listing:

1: Third Stone from the Sun
2: Purple Haze
3: Little Wing
4: Spanish Castle Magic
5: Fire
6: Voodoo Chile
7: Burning of the Midnight Lamp
8: You Got Me Floatin'
9: The Wind Cries Mary


And on Bandcamp:

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