Heavy Water Experiments self titled album is the first under a new moniker after a name change from Imogene. They specailize in making music that has a lot of light and a lot of shade which, along with their intricate arrangements make for interesting listening. Even though some of the tracks employ drone rythmns, none of the songs stay in one place for very long, they give you a musical rollercoaster ride and remain entertaining and engaging throughout. Acoustic guitars, electric piano, organ, electric guitar and overdriven four and eight string bass propel the music along and ths combination works very well with the bass taking priority over electric guitar so that the heavy sections of the songs really do punch in. The sound they make sits somewhere in the timeline where psychedelic music began to give in to prog rock, although it would be fair to say that the vibe is of the former with the sound of the latter, so it is not self indulgent at all, just very interesting.
'Goldenthroat', the first track, sets the tone of the album with a soft introduction followed by a blast of growling bass in a descending riff that then gives way to electric piano and hamormy vocals, which although light, just feel quite sinister as you know they will give way to the bludgeoning riff from the bass once again. 'Clairvoyance' rides along on the back of a cool and very memorable bass riff, which is gently echoed in the verses and then blasts in fiercely in the choruses. 'Oracles' is light and airy with a subtle and trancy middle eight and showcases the tightness of the band's arranging and also the clever interplay of the instruments. 'Octavian' is a raga rock excursion and although this sometimes seems to be the obligatory thing to do on a psych influenced album and can just be a poor excuse to twang a sitar and bash some tablas in the vain hope that that will do, HWE have used the opportunity to take it somewhere else and make it modern sounding instead of twee. 'Conflagration Song' almost sounds like an example of something from Happy Mondays, with it's 'Baggy' style rhythm, but it's overlaid with a stark and trancelike vocal and melody.
The rest of the songs on this album are just as distinctive and show strong songwriting skills, along with a cear idea of how to arrange each song for maximum impact. HWE have their own distinctive style and sound as though they're equipped to go a long way in the future.
Reviewed by Kevin Wallbank M100 & Honeymoon On Mars 02/15/09
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