Monday 9 January 2017

ALBUM REVIEW: Frozen Planet...1969 - "Electric Smokehouse"

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 11/01/2017
Label: Pepper Shaker Records |
Headspin Records



The chemistry between the players – Paul Attard on guitar, Lachlan Paine on bass and Frank Attard on drums – can be heard in each one of these cuts. In fact, it’s not only heard, its felt, and that’s what makes this record sound so great. The music is alive, it moves, it gels, and best of all, it’s both heavy and psychedelic.


“Electric Smokehouse” CD//DD//LP track listing:

 1). Ascendant
2). Supersaturation
3). Shores of Oblivion
4). Sonic Egg Factory
5). Pretty Brown Fuse

The Review:

Sometimes, when I hear a guitar solo, I just want to make funny faces and play along on my awesome air guitar. You know, just freak the fuck out. If you and I share this penchant for weirdness, then take my word and check out Frozen Planet….1969. This power-jam-trio calls Australia their home but a listen to the music has me thinking that these dudes have some connection to aliens and what not. Whatever it is, these Aussies know something about the outer reaches of the solar system that we don’t, and they’re here to educate us.

As the story goes, this album is entirely improvised. There was no pre-determined mission, no colossal ideas about when the crescendo would hit, nor was there any thought put into the length of the songs. The only thought that was put into this music was in the moment, and you know what, that moment was pretty sweet.

The chemistry between the players – Paul Attard on guitar, Lachlan Paine on bass and Frank Attard on drums – can be heard in each one of these cuts. In fact, it’s not only heard, its felt, and that’s what makes this record sound so great. The music is alive, it moves, it gels, and best of all, it’s both heavy and psychedelic. Knowing that these three guys from down under just shook these tunes from their sleeve has me thinking that they’re pretty talented individuals with a keen sense of what being a band is all about.

As is inherent to jam rock, though, Frozen Planet….1969 doesn’t necessarily plant any ear worms. There are no hooks. Just jams, jams, and more jams. So despite drummer-Attard’s jazz hands, the stoned funk of Paine, or the zany guitar acrobatics of guitar-Attard, you won’t be humming the tunes once you’ve pulled out your earphones and make your way to the office coffeemaker. But that’s ok, because what you will be doing is counting down the minutes until the next time you’re able to let loose with those funny faces and play along to “Electric Smokehouse” on your awesome air guitar.

“Electric Smokehouse” is available here and in Europe here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook