Reviews of The World, The Flesh…

Esplendoroso regreso discográfico de los suecos The Movements tras los problemas de salud de su vocalista, el cual, hay que decirlo, demuestra en este disco un ánimo exultante y una vitalidad totalmente contagiosa. En lo que respecta al disco, comprobamos como poco a poco han ido ampliando sus miras tras varios LPs y singles. Sin nunca abandonar el garage rock que siempre les ha definido vienen sumando más influencias, matices y sonidos llegando a un estilo híbrido donde las melodías son la base principal, logrando una energía imparable que inevitablemente invoca el entusiasmo en el oyente. Pero además nos encontramos con pasajes instrumentales muy interesantes y algunos temas algo más melancólicos y truculentos en la mejor tradición de las baladas garageras de los 60. En lo general han aumentado la dureza de su sonido, con una presencia más clara de la guitarra, y creo que eso viene muy bien a su estilo.

La banda está formada por David Henriksson a la voz, Daniel Eriksson al bajo, Thomas Sundberg a la bateria, percusiones y coros, Gustaf Gimstedt al órgano, pianos, sintes y coros, y por último a Christian Johansson a la guitarra, sinte, saxofón y coros. Además hay varios músicos colaborando a los vientos y varios instrumentos de cuerda.

El disco se abre con “How long is too long”, un buen ejemplo de lo que te vas a encontrar en este nuevo trabajo: una composición veloz que incita al movimiento incansable, con un gran vocalista arropado por una banda en estado de gracia, la guitarra destaca con gran estridencia y la sección ritmica suelta humo. Sigue “Underdog”, que es uno de mis preferidos, con una melodía vocal y unos coros que ponen los pelos de punta. Si tenemos que buscar el garage contemporáneo de más calidad yo creo que temas como éste apuntan por donde anda la cosa, sin abandonar la tradición (por ejemplo ese riff de órgano que quita el hipo) y a la vez buscando un sonido moderno. “Aproximately 24 hours” sigue en la misma onda de canción veloz y contundente, con unos coros maravillosos y el órgano envolviendo todo en una atmósfera colorista. “Misunderstood” baja un poco la intensidad, es mucho más pop, aunque de alto tonelaje. “The fun ain’t for free” es uno de los platos fuertes del disco, un medio tiempo muy apoyado en los teclados y los punteos de guitarra que me parece una mezcla de The Who y Sex Museum. La melodía vocal es sencillamente magistral. Al final hay una pequeña jam psicodélica. Con “Tranquilizing new” volvemos al garage rock y los guitarrazos, con un Christian Johansson haciendo un trabajo fenomenal en combinación con el saxofón y los sintes a todo trapo. Un pedazo de tema, sin duda. “Save me” es un tema bastante más pausado y tendente a las baladas garageras de los 60, con el añadido de unos arreglos de violines, cello y viola que dan al tema un aire trágico. “I Am You” es bastante más lisérgico que el resto del disco, con una combinación de sonidos sintéticos y eléctricos muy interesante. “No such thing” es un tema garagero algo más estandar, pero “Grains of oats” es un pildorazo de pura electricidad y melodías de altos vuelos, una pequeña obra de arte que se marcan como si cualquier cosa. Cierra el disco “Going to your House”, con la misma velocidad e intensidad con que abrieron el disco, consiguiendo unas cotas de frenético dramatismo que pondrían los pelos de punta a cualquiera. Es el broche de oro para un disco que te recomendamos sin reservas seas o no fan del garage, The Movements está en la cima de las bandas europeas en este momento y este disco es la prueba definitiva.

Magnificent Swedish record return of the Movements after the problems of health of its vocalista, which, is necessary to say it, demonstrates in this disc a exultante spirit and a totally contagious vitality. With regard to the disc, we verified at least to little have been extending its sights after several LPs and singles. Without never leaving the garage rock that always it has defined to them they come adding more influences, shades and sounds arriving at a hybrid style where the melodies are the main base, obtaining an unstoppable energy that inevitably

invokes the enthusiasm in the listener. But in addition we were with very interesting instrumental passages and some more melancholic and truculent subjects something in the best tradition of the garageras ballads of the 60. In the general they have increased the hardness of its sound, with one more a clearer presence of the guitar, and I believe that comes very well to its style. The band is formed by David Henriksson to the voice, Daniel Eriksson to the low one, Thomas Sundberg to the battery, percussions and choirs, Gustaf Gimstedt to the organ, pianos, sintes and choirs, and finally to Christian Johansson to the guitar, sinte, saxofón and choirs. In addition there are several musicians collaborating to winds and several stringed instruments. The disc abre with “How long is too long”, a good example than you are going away to find in this new work: a quick composition that it urges the untiring movement, with a great vocalista wrapped by a band in grace state, the guitar emphasizes with great stridency and the rhythmic section loosen smoke. It follows “Underdog”, that is one of my favourites, with a vocal melody and choirs that put the end hairs. If we must look for the contemporary garage of more quality I I believe that subjects as this one aims by where it walks the thing, without leaving the tradition simultaneously (for example that riff of organ that clears hipo) and looking for a modern sound. “Aproximately 24 hours” follows in the same wave of quick and forceful song, with wonderful choirs and the organ surrounding everything in a colouristic atmosphere. “Misunderstood” low a little the intensity, is much more MGP, although of high tonnage. “The fun ain’ for t free” is one of strong plates of the disc, a half time very supported in the keyboards and the punteos of guitar that seems to me a mixture of The Who and Sex Museum. The vocal melody is simply skillful. In the end there is small jam psychedelic. With “Tranquilizing new” we return to the garage rock and the guitarrazos, with a Christian Johansson doing a phenomenal work in combination with saxofón and sintes to all rag. A piece of subject, without a doubt. “I Knows” is a subject rather slower and directed toward the garageras ballads of the 60, with the addition of adjustments of violins, hoop and viola that give to the subject a tragic air. “I a.m. You” is rather more lysergic than the rest of the disc, with a combination of synthetic and electrical sounds very interesting. “Such thing” is not a garagero subject something standarder, but “Grains of oats” is pildorazo of pure electricity and melodies of high flights, a small work of art that are marked as if any thing. To closes the disc “Going your House”, with the same speed and intensity whereupon they abrieron to the disc, obtaining levels of frenetic dramatic quality that would put the hairs of end to anyone. It is the finishing touch for a disc that we recommended to you without reserves you are or they do not fan of the garage, The Movements is in the top of the European bands at this moment and this disc is the definitive test. –

http://www.mentesdeacido.net/discos/m/re-movements2.html

CD, Alleycat Records, 2009 BETYG: 9/10

Göteborgs The Movements är tillbaks med sin uppföljare till 2006 års debut “Grains Of Oats”. Och jag ska inte hålla tillbaks med det faktum att det var kärlek vid första avlyssningen. Det är, precis som den pressinformation som finns för skivan beskriver, en mörkare och hårdare ljudbild än tidigare och det funkar alldeles utmärkt. Bitvis varmt omfamnande och bitvis pulshöjande och dansant garagerock. Inledande “How long is too long” inbjuder en till en fyrtioen och en halv minuts minst sagt angenäm upplevelse som gör sig bra efter en dags slitande på jobbet likväl som på förfesten, festen och efterfesten. Hela skivan, från första spåret till sista, är en helt fenomenal trasmatta The Movements tillsammans med producenten Björn Olsson har vävt. Det är en fin känsla som lägger sig som en dimma över hela alstret utan att bli tramsigt och det finns en helhet som knyter ihop säcken. Något som verkar vara svårt, för väldigt många skivor som har toppar lite här och där

men dalar som inte håller allt samman. Allt detta förstärkt med underbara stråkar och en blåssektion som heter duga från Göteborgs Symfoniorkester. Det här är faktist en skiva som garanterat är med och snuddar på förstaplatsen till 2009 års bästa!

Jocke Nilsson http://www.boredtodeath.se/

The Movements “The World, The Flesh And The Devil”, Alleycat Records 2009 Ritorno su Alleycat per i rocciosi garagers svedesi, che vantano per questa uscita la produzione di Björn Olsson, chitarrista dei Soundtrack Of Our Lives e ex Union Carbide Productions. Il quintetto di Goteborg questa volta sembra scegliere coordinate sonore piu’ psichedeliche, tenendo ferma la solida base garage. Innanzitutto balza all’orecchio il suono dell’album, solido, potente, “roccioso” appunto, con dei bassi da muovere le fondamenta. Gli episodi inanellati dai vichinghi sono serrati, infarciti di cori, seconde voci, urla “primitive” e tastiere a mescolare tutto in un maelstrom selvaggio ma sempre melodico (ved ad es. “Misunderstood”). I Movements sembrano avere messo completamente a fuoco cio’ che vogliono fare, e suonano come una band matura e concreta, che con questo album “The World, The Flesh And The Devil” vuole ribadire i suoi intenti. Le infatuazioni e le influenze esterne (Doors e 13th Floor Elevators su tutti) sono filtrate attraverso la sensibilita’ del gruppo e la testimonianza del lavoro fatto emerge su tracce come “The Fun Ain’t For Free”. C’e’ poi il lato “groove” del disco che appoggia sul grandissimo lavoro fatto dalle tastiere, e illumina questo “The World, The Flesh And The Devil” di una luce “ballabile” e quasi “proggy” (“Tranquilizing View”, “I Am You” con i suoi fiati). Le dilatazioni lisergiche arrivano dalla meta’ del disco, come una sostanza che “sale” e accompagna fino alla fine del viaggio. Una produzione raccomandata agli appassionati del Sixties sound piu’ completo e “spettacolare”, quello del periodo 68-70. Ottimo lavoro.

The Movements “The World, The Flesh And The Devil”, Alleycat Records 2009 Back up to the rocky Alleycat garagers Swedes, who have for the production of this output Björn Olsson, guitarist Soundtrack Of Our Lives and former Union Carbide Productions. The quintet of Gothenburg this time seems to point to coordinate sound more ‘psychedelic, holding the solid foundation garage. First jumps ear the sound of the album, solid, powerful, “rocky” just with the bass to move the foundation. The episodes are ringed by the Vikings tight, peppered with songs, vocals, screams “primitive” and keyboards mix it all into a maelstrom wild but always melodic (see eg. “Misunderstood”). Movements I seem to have completely put into focus what ‘they want to do and sound like a band mature and practical, that with this album “The World, The Flesh And The Devil” wants to reiterate its intent. The infatuations and external influences (13th Floor Elevators and Doors all) are filtered through the sensibilities’ of the group and the testimony of the work done shows on tracks like “The Fun Is For Free.” There ‘then the side groove of the disc rests on the great work done by the keyboards, and illuminates this “The World, The Flesh And The Devil” a light “dance” and almost “proggy” (“tranquilizing View” “I Am You” with its horns). The expansion lysergic come from the middle ‘of the disc, as a substance that “salt” and goes until the end of the journey. A production recommended to fans of the Sixties sound more ‘complete and “spectacular” than the period 68-70. Nice work. http://www.retrophobic.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=679&Itemid=2

THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL – The Movements (Alleycat) Don’t you hate those pithy, two-sentence, oh-so-hip sub-headings they put at the top of every music review in Rolling Stone magazine? As if readers of that increasingly vacuous

fashion rag trading as an iconic music and culture magazine need a USA Today-style prompter to invest a moment of their sad lives to scan the usually redundant crap that follows.

If we stooped to such levels – and the thought has occurred that we need to be even more lowbrow to compete with spurious shite l – then the summary for this CD would read:

Little-known retro psych band from Sweden and little brothers of The Soundtrack Of Our Lives go spacerock.

Which undersells this by a large number of degrees. In a fair and just world The Movements should be huge – and not just in their homeland. But they’re a 60′s-derived psych band (for want of a better tag) who play occasionally long, usually complex songs in a time when people want every wish fulfilled in a matter of seconds, not minutes. They’re playing to a public that want their music reduced to a commodity, so they can throw it away and move onto the next thrill. This is an album for the rest of us.

The Movements have, er, moved since their first album, the Doors-on-acid “Grains of Oats” (2006), and where that one was firmly planted in the ’60s, “The World…” absorbs some a potpourri of ’70s sounds. There’s still a big reliance on Gustaf Gimstedt’s swirling keyboards but the palette’s been broadened to pull synths, brass and a string quartet (“Going to Your House”) into the mix.

Fears that change equates to pretentiousness are blown away by the strength of “Underdog”, “Approximately 24 Hours”, “How Long Is Too Long” and the mid-tempo pop “Tranquilizing View”. If the 5min42sec “I Am You” takes The Movements into prog rock territory, they don’t show any ill-effects.

This is an album recorded amid adversity with singer David Henrickson (successfully) fighting off cancer during its writing. If “The World…” is a bit darker than “Grains” you can understand why.

The Soundtrack Of Our Lives’ Bjorn Olsson produced it and that should be another pointer to quality.

If you’re looking for a new-ish band with classic soul and garage influences on which to lavish attention, look no further. – The Barman

http://www.i94bar.com/reviews/themovements.php

THE WORLD, THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL – The Movements (Alleycat)

Being responsible for having written one of the best Farfisa lines, in Cry For You, this is a band that I was really anxious for any new releases. And it turns out that the wait was well worth it. These demented Swedes have come up with a mother of an album, and with Björn Olsson’s help, they sound better than ever. The Movements’ trademark prog infused Garage Punk is stronger and louder than ever. In a sonic assault, fuzz guitars, keys from outer space and blood curling screams fight with their Scandinavian sense of melody, creating a strong wall of sound. Every little sonic spot is filled with little aural details that blow your mind, and all kinds of sonic trickery is used making guitars sound like synths, synths sound like guitars and vocals sound like aliens. This is an all killer no filler album, meant to be heard loud and often. Until the next one. http://www.fuzzoverdose.com/webzine/reviewsdetails.aspx?review=32