SIANspheric
There’s Always Someplace You’d Rather Be
Sonic Unyon
Major Tom, here’s my problem. The work begins promisingly with 2:57 of scraping feedback entitled “Introduction,” but from there becomes a fairly diverting although derivative trip down post-My Bloody Valentine lane. No, it is not mean-spirited or unimaginative to invoke the name of Kevin Shields; he is the one who developed the trajectory that SIANspheric competently AND faithfully follow. There are other shadowy figures pulling the strings as well: Godflesh, Loop, Spacemen 3 (unavoidable), Spiritualized, and early Ride.
So now that we have established that they have an excellent pedigree, what am I moaning about? Well, there’s nothing new going on here. There’s Always Someplace You’d Rather Be is a nifty musical collage (or perhaps diorama) of shoegazing, space rock and sundry lesser known offshoots. And though there is the temptation to explode across the page with hyperbole grenades like “the sound of shattering crystal cathedrals” or “voices like choirs of melting angels,” I don’t, because I’m ten years too late. Ride broke up, My Bloody Valentine is AWOL, and the Verve is good time oatmeal rock n’ roll now. SIANspheric have already dug themselves into an aesthetic hole; it would do them well to take cues from the Kranky posse and use their reference points to branch off into new topographic sounds.
Maybe they will. After all, “Nothing Stands” and “I’m Feeling Better” hint at a fuller understanding of beauty than ANY of the current rock boy band brigade display. But I feel uncomfortable about giving grades for effort, and I’m too busy falling in love with new albums by Prolapse, Alan Vega, Jarboe, Plush, Hovercraft, and Vondur to give much time to music that does not immediately demand my undying devotion. I sincerely hope that SIANspheric will prove me sooooooooo wrong- and soon. Sonic Unyon, P.O. Box 57347, Jackson Station, Hamilton, ON Canada
