Set the wayback machine for 1967 and buckle in...
Rex Boone | Los Angeles, CA United States | 02/04/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"...'cause we're in for the trip of a lifetime.
FSOL has reimagined the 60's and realigned the then with the now in what is far more than some kind of "tribute" album. It's a 1960's masterpiece dressed in 2002 clothing.
Of all the tracks on this sublime effort, Divinity shines the brightest. The sitars, guitars and ethereal vocals combine to form a magic portal back to a time when we were less jaded and anything was possible if we put our collective minds to it. Seriously, you can actually imagine this being played on the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour circa 1971.
It's a masterpiece."
This is NOT FSOL, but its great!
Mark | Canada | 06/01/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For all purposes, people need to know that this is NOT a Future Sound of London record. This is "Amorphous Androgynous", a side project of Cobain and Dougans that sounds entirely different. If you are expecting another FSOL album, you will be gravely disappointed.
Also, there seems to be at least 2 different versions of this album. The version I have is different, containing the following tracklist:
1. The Lovers
2. The Isness
3. The Mello Hippo Disco Show
4. Goodbye Sky (reprise)
5. Elysian Feels
6. Go Tell It To The Trees Egghead
7. Divinity
8. Guru Song
9. Osho
10. Her Tongue is Like a Jellyfish
11. Meadows
12. High Tide On the Sea of Flesh
13. The Galaxial Pharmaceutical
I can say that I have heard this version of "The Isness", and it isn't as good. "Goodbye Sky" is the only song you'll be missing out on if you don't get this version, and I think its part of the "Isness & Otherness" package anyway if you get that instead. Don't miss out on "The Lovers", which you will recognize from the "Papua New Guinea Translations" album by FSOL, but this is a much better version. The title track, "The Isness" is fairly decent as a slow, beatless kind of meditation too. It's a slight change, but those 2 are stronger than "Yes My Brother" and "Goodbye Sky".
Anyway, this is a really solid album if you look at it production wise. It's got great gentle grooves in it, awesome prog rock tunes like "Divinity" to balance things out, and some REALLY nutty tracks like "Her Tongue is Like A Jellyfish" to keep you wondering what is going on. Highlights are "Go Tell it to the Trees Egghead", an upbeat little jaunt that sounds like it was a jam session that blossomed into a song. The other is "The Galaxial Pharmaceutical", a huge prog rock tune (its 13 minutes long on my version, don't know about this one)that sounds like Jon Anderson wrote it. Also, "Elysian Feels" has a really neat vibe to it that's part sitar groove, part electronic madness, and part rock 'n roll. This is a solid album, from start to finish.
The difficulty will be getting used to the new sound, one far less dominated by electronics than before."