Search - Black Moth Super Rainbow :: Eating Us

A perfect trip to experimental music... A perfect place wher

Rafael Cova | Caracas, Venezuela | 12/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A perfect place where the music should be in these days where the music scene is extremely boring, "Black Moth Super Rainbow" comes to make us so happy and to satisfy our brains and fill our ears of glorious sounds.

Black Moth Super Rainbow makes some of the most tripped-out experimental music you'll hear around these days, psychedelic electro-rock that belongs in a sci-fi space odyssey done in the 1970's. And it's not like that hard to sit through, hard to appreciate expert stuff Black Moth's music is vibrant, a rainbow of flavors that practically jumps out of the speakers to get your notice.

The modern musical unit known as Black Moth Super Rainbow first emerged from an obscure Pennsylvania forest glen in 2003 to relay a somewhat confounding sound with Falling Through a Field. Over the next few years, that peculiar sound developed, and the cult of BMSR began. With the release of their naturally-sweetened, candy-coated, and acclaimed 2007 treat, Dandelion Gum, a number of curious listeners bent their ears and adjusted their listening habits to incorporate Black Moth Super Rainbow's oddly creepy and off-beat sweet audio playing.

Now, the big difference is in the texture. Where the band previously embraced the warbly imperfection of its lo-fi recording process, Eating Us is all about crisp production. Credit for the newfound polish (or blame, for the purists) goes to Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann -- the first professional producer the band has recruited. The drums in particular bear Fridmann's fingerprints, compressed to perfection for maximum impact on album opener "Born on a Day the Sun Didn't Rise," but the entire album is noticeably crisper than the band's previous output, even as it maintains the laid-back psych vibe.

While Black Moth has never been shy about the influence of electronic music on its sound -- the band has even been derided in some corners as just an analogue take on Boards of Canada -- the production on Eating Us brings that influence to the forefront. "Gold Splatter" particularly sounds like an outtake from Air's Moon Safari, albeit one that's as good as anything that actually made it onto that album. It also makes the album an easy entry point for a band that's always hidden its pop instincts beneath occasionally off-putting production. In fact, with its hazy atmosphere and casual hookiness, Eating Us comes very close to being perfect blissed-out summer listening. It's only when you really start to pay attention, and hear lines like "Neon lemonade, eat my face away" (from "Iron Lemonade") that you realize the band's trademark weirdness is still present. There are some things that production can't change.

Their last album, 2007's `Dandelion Gum', was a drug-addled kaleidoscope of a record, and Black Moth Super Rainbow's follow-up seems to stick with that narcotically fused formula. But, whereas its predecessor sounded cheap and claustrophobic, now their psych-electro has a sumptuous glissade to it. The dreamy `Twin Of Myself' is twinklier than anything they've done so far, while `Born On A Day The Sun Didn't Rise' is awash with lush, sugary synths.

A distinctive sound perfected by BMSR over the years has culminated in an album that is all about delicate musical layering, fluidity, style and most defiantly substance. This isn't music to get you going but an album to relax too.

"Black Moth Super Rainbow" is a fantastic, vibrant, full of unexpected outages."

Super Delicious

Jon | Sunnyvale, CA United States | 02/07/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is such a cool band! If you get a chance watch on of their videos on You Tube. I'm not sure where these guys heads are at or what they are singing about, but definitely melodic and original tunes. I haven't heard anyting quite like it. This group has been in my top 5 for the last 3 years. And Eathing US is at least as good as their last release."

Soooweeet (Extended Remixes, Anyone?)

P. McGrath | Orlando, FL United States | 02/09/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Well, for someone who digs shoe-gaze, space-out music, this reviewer thought he hit the motherlode the first time "Eating Us" started spinning. This CD is a major surprise, combining aggressive percussion (frequently lacking in this genre), wonderful synth-washes, a lush wall of sound, and (barely decipherable) electronically treated vocals. Who cares about the lyrics - these tracks are uniformly strong, and VERY catchy. There's something to be said, by the way, for the accessibility of these tunes. Prior Moth efforts flew off into weird phrasing and off-beat rhythms and just weren't all that much fun to listen to. "Eating Us" - with 12 solid tracks - delivers payoffs and subtle delights worth experiencing over and over again.



By the way, extended remixes: do they exist and how might one acquire same? Inquiring moth minds need to know."