AKRON/FAMILY
Meek Warrior
Young God
· Though they may not have matched the magic of last year’s debut, Akron/Family are still the lords of their realm.
Like many of their current psych-folk peers, Akron/Family seem to have a penchant for that freaky free jazz. On "Blessing Force," the opening jam on this seven-song set, the Brooklyn four-piece enlists the abilities of famed improv percussionist Hamid Drake (alongside members of Do Make Say Think), tossing some tribal textures into the nine-minute track.
However, this is just one facet of the song’s many sounds, which zips back and forth rapidly between gypsy guitars, gibberish wailing and the screechy skronk of saxophone, flugelhorn, trumpet and flute. It’s the closest they’ve come so far to capturing their legendary live show on wax, and it’s a blissfully blistering way to kick off a record.
From here, the title track treads awfully close to Animal Collective territory (never a bad thing), with what sounds like all four members harmonizing about "the groundskeeper for all the infinite moments." "No Space in this Realm" consists of a droning chant of "space is love" with bongos and boiling kettles, while "Lightning Bolt of Compassion" is sung in a language that sounds either Middle Eastern or Elven.
Nonetheless, these songs merely set the stage for what is by far the best track. "The Rider (Dolphin Song)" is a psychedelic tsunami of sound, with brain-bending lyrics, more screechy saxes and the most scorching freak-outs the band’s laid down since 2005’s "Moment." "Love and Space," the very mellow closer, provides the perfect comedown for another excellent Akron/Family effort.
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