Citay have a lot in common with Akron/Family, or so it seems, as both bands mine a tripped-out fusion of Krautrock and West Coast for their sound.
Citay have a lot in common with Akron/Family, or so it seems, as both bands mine a tripped-out fusion of Krautrock and West Coast for their sound.
http://www.deadoceans.com http://www.konkurrent.nl
Ooofph, now if you like your meandering trippy prog, with more than an element of Love or the Byrds about it, then you are in for a proper treat.
Opener Careful with That Hat comes on like a blissful mix between Mr Spaceman and All Gates Are Open and doesn’t let up for all six minutes. Following that behemoth is Return From Silence, a brief, beautiful interlude with a guitar lick reminiscent of Rother’s solo work like Katzenmusik.
Everything goes on for a fair amount of time, which is just how I like it. No point in invoking the sounds of Karoli, Rother et al if you’re not going to give it some welly. Citay have a lot in common with Akron/Family, or so it seems, as both bands mine a tripped-out fusion of Krautrock and West Coast for their sound. This is best heard on the title track, which could be classed as a “joyful roundelay”, replete with ridiculous guitar runs and smooth, surreptitious backing vocal parts. Secret Breakfast is a beautiful meditation, drawing on arabesque acoustic guitar patterns, and underpinned by some rumbling percussion, Amon Düül2 style, (circa Wolf City). There’s a hint of the poppy, cod-mysticism so beloved of bands like Gong too. This, and the (Amon Düül2-tastic) instrumental Hunter (found later on in the LP track listing) are pretty tremendous in this regard.
Elsewhere Mirror Kisses is a beautiful love song, ready to float away into the ether at a moment’s notice. Fortunate Sun is a folksy romp, played at high tempo and drawing on that West Coast tradition of quiet, impeccable harmonics. With a suitably psychedelic tail-off, too. And last up is a brilliant version of Galaxie 500’s Tugboat, possibly the best rendition of this song (certainly up there with British Sea Power’s), brimful of hope, power and passion.
This is one of those albums that deserve a lot of attention. I suggest that you seek it out.