Imitation Garden, The
General
| Apr 2013
Reviews
Lestrygonian
Reviewed 2013-04-29
Reviewed 2013-04-29
Electric Shepherd – The Imitation Garden
Local psych-rock trio, heirs apparent to the throne of Blue Cheer: their second release is a really impressive progression from their first, with ambitious, sprawling songs and stronger conceptual coherence. If Syd Barrett wrote songs for Deep Purple minus the organ, you’d have this—more mellow than the bluesy hard rock they hint at, more complex than your average jam band. Frontman Mark Nelsen professes a love for all things Jack White, so there’s a noticeable garage/classic rock element to it; rhythm section Sonny Pearce and Tommy [something] rumble along with subtlety and precision that rivals the immortal Butler/Ward pair. Great stuff all around. RIYL Pink Floyd, Budgie, Lumerians, 70s Pentagram, Amon Duul II
1. (1:32) Groovy tribal intro, drifting guitar leads
2. (6:59) hazy, plodding tune, starts out like a blurry Doors song, crescendos into searing, wah-wah wanking psych-rock.
3. (4:39)** Deep, dark and menacing, light verses build tension that resolves with a thick and HEAVY Sabbath-esque riff. PLAY ON CONTINUOUS, JUMPS ABRUPTLY INTO—
4. (4:58)** Part II, starts with a tasty bass solo with juicy effects, goes back into the song. Searing guitar leads, chilled-out jazz interlude, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
5. (1:47) another funky interlude, more angular and chaotic than the intro
6. (7:52) starts with acoustic guitar and waterfalls, drifts into a hazy psychedelic ballad with pretty guitar harmonies, gets slightly song-like with acoustic verses towards the end
7. (2:10) weird interlude, mostly guitar harmonics, strange sounds, clattering cymbals
8. (8:25) trippy jam with twangy guitars, builds into a reprise of the ballad on 6
9. (12:00)* epic rock jam, starts with gently grooving, menacing verses not unlike a Led Zeppelin intro; then it’s some BALLS OUT STONER ROCK, fits right alongside Kyuss and Radio Moscow.
10. (5:17) longer interlude, drums get super intense
11. (7:24) Blues Magoos cover, adrift on a somber, sinister 60s folk-rock vibe with cool tripped out keyboards
12. (10:24)** starts with ocean waves and hazy guitar, crescendos into dark hard-rockin’ psych
Local psych-rock trio, heirs apparent to the throne of Blue Cheer: their second release is a really impressive progression from their first, with ambitious, sprawling songs and stronger conceptual coherence. If Syd Barrett wrote songs for Deep Purple minus the organ, you’d have this—more mellow than the bluesy hard rock they hint at, more complex than your average jam band. Frontman Mark Nelsen professes a love for all things Jack White, so there’s a noticeable garage/classic rock element to it; rhythm section Sonny Pearce and Tommy [something] rumble along with subtlety and precision that rivals the immortal Butler/Ward pair. Great stuff all around. RIYL Pink Floyd, Budgie, Lumerians, 70s Pentagram, Amon Duul II
1. (1:32) Groovy tribal intro, drifting guitar leads
2. (6:59) hazy, plodding tune, starts out like a blurry Doors song, crescendos into searing, wah-wah wanking psych-rock.
3. (4:39)** Deep, dark and menacing, light verses build tension that resolves with a thick and HEAVY Sabbath-esque riff. PLAY ON CONTINUOUS, JUMPS ABRUPTLY INTO—
4. (4:58)** Part II, starts with a tasty bass solo with juicy effects, goes back into the song. Searing guitar leads, chilled-out jazz interlude, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
5. (1:47) another funky interlude, more angular and chaotic than the intro
6. (7:52) starts with acoustic guitar and waterfalls, drifts into a hazy psychedelic ballad with pretty guitar harmonies, gets slightly song-like with acoustic verses towards the end
7. (2:10) weird interlude, mostly guitar harmonics, strange sounds, clattering cymbals
8. (8:25) trippy jam with twangy guitars, builds into a reprise of the ballad on 6
9. (12:00)* epic rock jam, starts with gently grooving, menacing verses not unlike a Led Zeppelin intro; then it’s some BALLS OUT STONER ROCK, fits right alongside Kyuss and Radio Moscow.
10. (5:17) longer interlude, drums get super intense
11. (7:24) Blues Magoos cover, adrift on a somber, sinister 60s folk-rock vibe with cool tripped out keyboards
12. (10:24)** starts with ocean waves and hazy guitar, crescendos into dark hard-rockin’ psych
Recent airplay
The Imitation Gardens (Part Ii)
Music Casserole — Aug 03, 2013
Heaven Don't Need
Music Casserole — Jul 06, 2013
The Imitation Gardens (Part Ii), The Imitation Gardens (Part I)
Minding The Gap — Jun 19, 2013
In Search Of The Ocean
maximum entropy — Jun 05, 2013
The Imitation Gardens (Part Ii)
The Base of A Dream Is Empty — May 25, 2013
Sometimes I Think About
no way to say — May 20, 2013
Charting
2013-04-28 — 2013-06-30
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Jun 23 | 1 |
| Jun 9 | 1 |
| May 26 | 2 |
| May 19 | 3 |
| May 12 | 4 |
| May 5 | 5 |
Track listing
| 1. | Totem I | ||
| 2. | The Escapist | ||
| 3. | The Imitation Gardens (Part I) | ||
| 4. | The Imitation Gardens (Part Ii) | ||
| 5. | Totem Ii | ||
| 6. | Angels In The Grove | ||
| 7. | A Mechanical Flower | ||
| 8. | Into The Forest, Father / Angels Reprise | ||
| 9. | Heaven Don't Need | ||
| 10. | Totem Iv & V | ||
| 11. | Sometimes I Think About | ||
| 12. | In Search Of The Ocean |