Tuesday 16 April 2019

HIBUSHIBIRE - Tune On, Tune In, Freak Out! (Album Review)


Release date: May 10th 2019. Label: Riot Season Records. Format: Cassette/DD/Vinyl

Tune On, Tune In, Freak Out! – Tracklisting

1.Ecstasy Highwaystar
2.Blow! Blow! Blow! 09:47
3.Overdose, Pussycat! More! More!
4.Rollercoaster Of The Universe

Review

I always find albums like HIBUSHIBIRE new album Tune On, Tune In, Freak Out! very hard to review. As they’re a variety of different styles that can be very hard to describe. You have elements of Space Rock, Psych, Noise Rock, Doom Rock and even Stoner Rock. The album is quite an intense and progressively heavy album and moves along at such a frantic pace that you can’t help admire the skills and musicianship that the band have put into this album.

The album contains four songs and lasts for around thirty-five minutes or so. Psychedelic/Space Rock Bands from Japan always tend to be on the more experimental and crazy side of life and HIBUSHIBIRE are no different. Obviously Riot Season Records have to be the label releasing this album as they have quite the reputation of releasing albums that fit out the normal musical spectrum.

Opening song – Ecstasy Highwaystar – is a four minute plus opus where the music comes thick and fast from almost every direction. The heavy and fuzzy guitar tones soon give way to a more crazed psychedelic space rock sound and leaves you wanting more. The song can be quite intense at times but also quite addictive as well with the swirling seventies style noises being played in the background.

Second song – Blow! Blow! Blow! – carries on with the strange Psychedelic Rock riffs but on a more epic scale with the song lasting near ten minutes. HIBUSHIBIRE have more time to play with here and they play a more jam-based style of music and create one of the albums standout songs. The song does feel it’s been broken down to individual chapters as the song can be heavy one moment and quiet laid-back the next before the band speed things up again for an epic finish.

Third song – Overdose, Pussycat! More! More! – as the title suggests is perhaps the seediest sounding song on the album. As the song embraces the dirtier side of seventies Psychedelic Hard Rock and allows HIBUSHIBIRE to have some wicked fun with the song especially with the riffs and trippy vocals.

Fourth song – Rollercoaster Of The Universe – is perhaps the main attraction held on the album. As this song runs for over seventeen minutes and HIBUSHIBIRE will take you on a complex and very surreal journey into the realm of Heavy Spaced Out Rock. This song is a masterclass of Psychedelic Rock as the band create a song with many different styles of music all joining together for a truly hypnotic journey. This song will actually make you Tune On, Tune In and Freak Out.

The production is excellent with the album managing to convey a fresh modern sound whilst embracing the style of seventies classic hard rock. Overall, HIBUSHIBIRE have created a work of art with this album. Tune On, Tune In, Freak Out! is a must have album for all dedicated fans of Psychedelic Rock.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Riot Season Records for the promo. Tune On, Tune In, Freak Out! - will be available to buy on Cassette Tape/DD/Vinyl via Riot SeasonRecords from May 10th 2019.

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