Before I start the review you’ll need to know that Cosmic Shambles is the name of a solo project put together by Samuel Brunt and that this track is an example of what we can expect from the forthcoming Cosmic Shambles EP. You can read more about Samuel and the project below.
What I expected from Samuel’s description of ‘It’s All Over Now’ didn’t prepare me at all for what I actually heard. Far from being psych influenced indie, what this is actually is as fine as a slice of laid-back West Coast Psychedelia as I’ve heard in a long time. Think Spirit in their most mellow of mellow moods.
This a track that builds, at first there’s a laid back languid guitar line, then there’s some rather fine vocals that are set back in the mix. There’s some really nuanced use of effects going on here, that really help the mood. It’s not at all flash or overdone, it’s just stripped back. Less is very definitely more. What it’s building to is a guitar outro, again it’s not flash it’s just, well, right. It could actually be longer if truth be told.
If you’ve read my other reviews on this site you’ll know that I’m a big fan of music that sounds organic – you know music that isn’t tweaked to hell by software. This track has organic in spades. Whether it is or not, it sounds live.
This track is about mood and atmosphere for me, what the song is actually about isn’t that clear to me but I just don’t care. In my head I’m sitting out in the western deserts of the US looking out across the landscape.
If this is – as Samuel described it – a demo of what of we can expect from Cosmic Shambles in the future, I for one will be keeping an eye out for the EP and I hope to be able to catch them live.
The Info
Cosmic Shambles is Samuel Brunt’s solo project, rising from the ashes of the band Youthful Fancy. Samuel is a student at the University of Leeds. This song is the first release he’s produced as part of the Cosmic Shambles project and it is a demo to show what is expected from the new EP. So far it has been played on BBC Leeds and in his mum’s car!
The EP is currently being recorded in Leeds with other students coming in and collaborating with recording techniques. They are aiming for it be ready for release early in the new year. The idea is record about eight or nine songs and choose the best ones and create an piece of work they can give to people for free at gigs and on Soundcloud and couple of videos on Youtube. At the moment it is simply called Cosmic Shambles though they may change that before they release.
Keep up with Samuel and Cosmic Shambles on
https://www.facebook.com/cosmicshamble
https://twitter.com/cosmicshamble
