Is it really 4 years since I reviewed “The Horse and Other Weird Tales” by Finns Jess and the Ancient Ones? Of course time stands for Jess and chums – somewhere around 1967 in a haze of patchouli, flowers and electric kool aid. Exactly how it should be for these groovy guys.
So, four years and a global pandemic later, is everything as rosy in the secret garden?
Well yes but things have got a little darker. The guitar that ushers in first track “Burning of the Velvet Fires” sounds like a 70’s police siren and the track has an air of the Doors about it that makes it feel more like Altamont in 1969 rather than Haight Ashbury two years prior.
This is the darkness at the end of the eternal summer of the previous albums – bit like the burning bear scene in Midsommar (you know what I mean if you’ve seen it). The Hammond organ still swirls and Jess’s voice still soars and bursts forth but on this opener it is like Carrie’s hand as the credits roll.
The subject matter seems a little darker too – I mean don’t get me wrong they always liked to mix in a little of the macabre with the groove but now we have “Born to Kill,” “Talking Board,” “Love Zombi” and track number two “World Paranormal”.
My dark horned lord this one had me swirling round in a dreamy white dress drenched in the blood of a sacrifice (well maybe just in my head). A gutsy, bluesy, psychedelic stomper with a killer chorus and a blistering vocal performance. The world belter is not used often these days. This is one.
Starting with a clip from the Exorcist that does not contain socks cucking is a change – but it is time to say hi to Captain Howdy via the “Talking Board”. After the unrelenting groove of “World Paranormal” this is a bit more of a pedestrian occult rocker – the Hammond riff is OK but doesn’t really lift the track. I would probably go back to Monopoly. The Empress gets her groove back with “Love Zombi” though with a bassline that grabbed hold of my hips and sent me into a frenzy and Abraham tinkles his ivories to hammer the message home. Very, very soulful – it feels like Jess is transitioning from Grace Slick into Janis Joplin in some acid fuelled Jon Landis directed scene. Again – another killer chorus. Suddenly we are “Summer Tripping Man” – stomping, rocking, thumbs in belt loops. 2 and a half minutes of bluesy, heads down slightly Glam Rock goodness.
“I’ve been riding your mind for quite some time” starts “Born To Kill” over a riff that is the bastard cousin of Paranoid and then the Lovecraftian hellmouth opens and smoke and strobe lights start heralding a dirty groove rock hybrid with more than a hint of Monster Magnet.
“What’s On Your Mind?” is a straight up rocker with added strings underpinning it’s ominous dark riffs.
For an album that features a dark tornado of destruction on its cover “Strange Earth Illusion” is the perfect portentous ending . Complete with Vincent Price this covern-us and cavernous occult rocker slits the throat of Vertigo and dances in the slowly clotting red rain. Yeah baby – this is the groovy shit right here!
Jess and the Ancient Ones have opened a dark portal to the other side and it is filled with purple acid, cult slayings and peyote but it still left me grinning like a Moonie and swaying like a madman.
(8.5/10 Matt Mason)
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