- Artist
- The Aliens
- Label
- EMI
- Release date
- 19th March 2007
- Genre
- Indie
Ex-Beta Banders discover their Smile on stunning psych-pop debut
The sad demise of the ever-frustrating, at times inspired Beta Band now has an unexpectedly happy ending. Back in 1997, their co-founder, Gordon Anderson, left within weeks of a record deal being signed, plagued by the mental illness that would remain with him for years.
Happily, after releasing the odd record as Lone Pigeon, Anderson has reconvened with old Beta Band muckers John MacLean and Robin Jones as The Aliens for a tantalising glimpse of what The Beta Band could have been. For Astronomy For Dogs has an upbeat feel, a quality of songwriting and most importantly, a coherence never quite nailed on any of their previous incarnation's three album's worth of material.
Of course, Astronomy For Dogs is at times experimental, dipping into garage rock, dance music and even piano and strings-tinged ballads, but its core is positively dripping in Sixties psychedelic rock. Wide-eyed, sun-drenched and ultimately optimistic, the pioneering pop explorations of Brian Wilson and Jonathan Richman are its forefathers via its lush arrangements, as well as its million and one ideas joshing for the spotlight: take Robot Man, for instance - an infectious space-funk bounce with a house piano breakdown that makes like Sly Stone playing a late Eighties Chicago warehouse party. Rox is the album's fulcrum - like a time-bending glimpse of Screamadelica-era Primal Scream inspired by The Beta Band's Dry The Rain. Even in its more downbeat, tender moments, The Aliens exist in a smokey, lysergic haze of swirly Californian harmonies and exotically woozy grooves.
On the basis of this fascinating debut, scrap that happy ending idea. Astronomy For Dogs confirms The Aliens' bright future is written in the stars.
Also try: Love - Forever Changes Primal Scream - Screamadelica The Beach Boys - Smiley Smile The Beatles - Revolver
