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COLOURS AND LIGHTS
Tracklist: Running Around (4.55); Colours and Lights (2.14); Top of the Mountain (6.46); Her Mystery (5.10); Under the Moonlight (3.28); She Passes By (5.53); Freeway (4.15); Flowers on My Grave (5.49); Tarantula
(2.27); Kites (5.40); Such a Slow Way Home (2.28); Will You Think of Me (3.02)
Instant Flight are a London based band whose music has evolved from the British Psychedelic movement of the 1960's. While they have previously issued an EP, which was highly acclaimed, "Colours and
Lights" represents their first full length release, and on hearing the album it is immediately apparent that the band have captured not just the sound of the 60's but it's spirit as well. However do not
be fooled into thinking for one moment that this is just a rehash of what's gone before - what we have here is a sensitively crafted, superbly played but ultimately modern sounding work presenting 60's style
psychedelia at it's very best.
The album features the four full time band members, Marco Magnani (guitars and vocals), Lucie Rejchrtova (keyboards, accordion and backing vocals), Andrew Browning (bass) and James Ovens (drums)
as well as a guest appearance from the legendary Arthur Brown, which is something of a coup for such a relatively unknown band.
The first track, 'Running Around', sets the scene nicely with Doorsy style Hammond organ sounds coming over strongly from the start, a theme that seems to run throughout the album. The mood is upbeat yet easy going
and the crisp vocals backed by tight guitar work and strong rhythm section create a very favourable impression from the outset.
The title track, 'Colours and Lights', begins with harpsichord style keyboards leading into the soft, laid back vocal line which puts on in mind of The Beatles. Good use is made of acoustic guitar throughout creating
a soft dreamy mood to the piece.
This is followed by 'Top of the Mountain', a track that utilises stronger keyboard sounds and a much harder hitting rhythm section. This creates a darker, slightly mystical edge to the music and gives a
slightly eastern flavour to the track generally.
'Her Mystery' kicks off with a powerful organ sequence but quickly this gives way to a strong rising sequence that leads to the more restrained vocal line. Once again there is a strong Beatles feel to this
number, and it works very well indeed.
'Under the Moonlight' has a much more upbeat and mainstream mood, but is none the worse for the fact, and after hearing the first chorus it quickly proved itself to be quite a catchy song. Great electric guitar
work here and good orchestration keep up the strong psychedelic connection.
The tone is taken right down with the very restrained opening to 'She Passes By'.
This is a more melancholic number and despite the fact it does pick up somewhat after the rather slow start, personally I found it not quite to my taste.
Any reservations quickly evaporated with the much rockier swinging rhythms of 'Freeway'. The powerful opening sequence which powers through the song would appear to be derived from the old Shocking Blue number,
"Venus", and it fits the mood of the song perfectly. Once again the keyboards come across very strongly, and there are some excellent lead guitar breaks, but the final point of interest has to be the
final vocal touches from Arthur Brown which provide added interest to what is already a great number.
'Flowers on My Grave' has a slight Pink Floyd overtone at times. There is also a slightly more monotone style to the vocal delivery which provides an interesting contrast to the rest of the album.
The only purely instrumental number on the album comes next with 'Tarantula'. This piece has a harsher feel with driving keyboards and guitar powering through the number backed up by powerful bass runs and
strong drumming. The nature of the track is a perhaps a little quirky at times, and there is a slightly anarchic almost unsettling quality to it at times, but nevertheless it works very well.
Next we come to 'Kites', a song that was a big hit for Simon Dupree and the Big Sound back in 1967. The vocals throughout are provided by Arthur Brown, who adds his own enigmatic touches to a recording that
quite frankly is hard to fault. The spirit of the original is certainly still here, but the sound is very modern - all in all a very creditable reworking of a classic track.
If any song on the album really sums up the spirit of the 60's it has to be 'Such a Slow Way Home'. This a a very upbeat number that really motors along and leaves the listener on a very positive high.
Really excellent!
The final track is the slightly more subdued 'Will You Think of Me',
which I believe has Lucie Rejchrtova on vocals (although I am willing to be corrected on this point). Although the singing is not as strong as that of Marco Magnani on much of the rest of the album, there is nevertheless an innocent quality to the sound of her voice that adds a certain appeal and creates the right mood for the closing piece.
I have lost count of the number of times I have already played this album and I have to say I am
extremely impressed by the whole affair to the extent that I sincerely hope that there will be more to follow before too long. This is an album that it is a genuine pleasure to keep coming back to and anyone with more than a passing interest in the 60's music scene would be well advised to get hold of a copy. Highly Recommended!
Simon 5th June 2005
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