Adam Sarmiento from Alchemist Records (http://www.alchemistrecords.com/) asked me to review the debut album of one of the artists they feature (and to post two of his tracks for your enjoyment):ILLUS OCEAN's music is a very entertaining mix of different styles from weird country rock to experimental psychedelic pop – homemade lo-fi garage music at its best.
ILLUS doesn't take himself too seriously and so listening to his debut album is pretty good fun. There surely is a slight DAVID BOWIE influenc (ca. Hunky Dory) on tracks like "Oh Well" (my personal favourite), but the band that inevitably crossed my mind is THE FLAMING LIPS.
A very strong debut!
"This astonishing debut record introduces a gifted songwriter and versatile musician whose work ranges freely among genres while sounding precisely like no one more than himself. These songs, from the candy counter pop of 'Gumdrop' to the surreal honky-tonk rocker 'Redneck Vampires on LSD', might leave a listener dancing, humming along, deeply moved, laughing, scratching their head in bewilderment or all of the above. Illus Ocean is a true original who clearly nods to his influences -- Bowie, Robert Smith, and Kurt Cobain all loom large, not to mention the darker and stranger side of any number of country singers in honky-tonks across Illus' home state of Texas -- on an album that nevertheless sounds strikingly fresh and new." (Promo-info by Alchemist Records)
You may purchase "Meskin in the Attic" through most major digital distributers or here:
The two tracks for download are:
1. Ground Zero (The booklet info says: Ground Zero was the result of amy nagging me to write her a love song....so there it is....)
and
2. Gumdrop (is about all the fun I had in my early years on lsd. a bit of lament in there....)
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