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Formed in the Winter of 2004, The Other Window consists of Alan North, Sarah south, Ian Arkley and Jed Griffiths. The first demo was recorded with drummer Nick McBrain, 3 tracks were recorded at The Whitehouse in Somerset
In the summer of 2005, The Other Window managed to record their debut album in 2 sessions at Kewsound studios in Somerset. Their first gig was to open the Greenbelt Festival in Cheltenham. A series of fortean events have dogged the band ever since. Some say this is due to their eerie music opening "doors"
The debut album "T H E . O T H E R . W I N D O W" contains six tracks, the longest being 'Beyond Science Fiction' which clocks in at 16.04 minutes. The song contains long improvised sections and was recorded in one take, like most of the album. Very few overdubs were used in the making of the album and it represents the live sound of the band extremely well. All the songs on the album were recorded and mixed in 2 ten hour sessions at Kewsound studios in Somerset.
The six tracks on the album showcase the bands massive musical range, swinging from the mellow space ambience of 'Nebula' all the way through to the raw energy of 'Persecution'.To coincide with the release of this album, the band are busy rehearsing for the new album to be recorded June/July 2006. While not losing their live space jamming feel they have aquired a slightly darker moodier edge.The live set for 2006 should represent both of these projects. Watch this space for future tour dates.
T H E . O T H E R . W I N D O W cd is available direct from the band for £10 which includes p+p. Alternatively you can buy it from CD Services and The Freak Emporium in the UK, or Aural Innovations in the USA. To hear the full version of "Beyond Science Fiction" and "The Illusion Of Wisdom" go to www.aural-innovations.com where the songs were featured on previous psychedelic and space rock radio shows.
Dead Earnest recently reviewed T H E . O T H E R . W I N D O W online:
THE OTHER WINDOW: The Other Window CD£9.99
Unashamed, direct, straight down the line, cast iron, rock solid, bona-fide space-rock - if you're a fan of the style, you can't fail with this.
With 4 tracks between eight and sixteen minutes, plus a couple of driving four minute songs, this is one superbly written, arranged and produced space-rock/acid-rock gem. The long tracks have lots of instrumental space with tons of scorching guitar leads above rock solid, pumping bass, superbly recorded drums and the vast canvas of sound courtesy of the early Hawkwind-like space synth fills, swoops and backdrops. Something of a missing link between Litmus and Ozrics, this is extended space-rock at a premium, as the whole band just play their a blinding performance on tracks that are way more substantial and structured than mere studio jam sessions, the sort of tracks that you'll play and play and play. It's not one of those albums that has you thinking of Hawkwind every few minutes, but they are an undeniable influence. In addition to that thought, you have the red hot guitar work plus some astonishing electric bass action worthy of classic seventies Amon Duul II, again, another influence in there too. The sixteen minute 'Beyond Science Fiction' opens the album on one propulsive wave of cyclonic space-rock with guitar work throughout that will have you in cosmic rock heaven as the mostly instrumental track, builds, drives, takes off and goes into orbit. The eleven minute 'Time Is An Ocean' is equally fine but slightly less storm-force, while the eight minutes of 'Nebula" are slower still, and truly out of this world, with some gorgeous, fluid, flowing, expressive, heart-felt guitar soloing above the cruising and solid rhythm section as the keyboardist delivers synth choirs to put the icing on the cake, on what is a spellbinding piece of instrumental heaven, again, the bass work and drums perfectly recorded as the track just soars continuously over its running time. The album ends on nearly ten minutes of 'The Illusion Of Wisdom', starting with swirling space synths, distant guitar, tinkling percussion and a deep bass drone as the whole thing starts to lift. Then you hear this fantastic dirty, grungy electric bass as drums crunch in, the guitar fires up on staccato riffs and then the whole band fire up and launch the track with rocket-like intensity as this stunning concoction of driving space-rock takes to the skies, with some incendiary electric guitar work leading the way. The song portion begins, the mellotron-like choirs are added and suddenly you're plunged into '74-era Hawkwind with an absolute vengeance as this sensational piece of playing and arranging just drives onwards and upwards to breathtaking degree, this huge sound taking up an immense amount of the airwaves and filling your head with rock - space-rock. The vocals have a distinct Nash The Slash feel to them as the track reminds you a bit of a space-rock answer to something off his remarkable 'Children Of The Night' CD, in many ways a marriage of Hakwkwind & Nash The Slash that noone's dared come close to trying before, wittingly or otherwise, but here just remarkable. For the final couple of minutes the pace, but not the strength, decelerates, and around eight and a half minutes, the bass just makes you jaw-dropped as it comes right upfront to join this electrifying, echoed, fuzz-guitar lead and the effect is mesmerizing as the whole space-rock machine fires up one last time before crashing to earth in a blazing fireball of sound - stunning!! In addition to all this, the 2 four minute songs are every bit as essential to the album's flow, each a driving, wild-rocking slice of space-rock that are so addictive, they could almost be singles, so heavy and forceful, so substantial and just fantastic songs. So, if you want something to light up your space-rock life and be a thing of great wonderment that you'll enjoy for ages to come, you can't go wrong with this tasty little morcel.
(review written by Andrew Garibaldi).
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