Date Released: November 02nd 2022. Record Label: Longreel Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl
Mars Doesn't Feel Like Home Anymore: Tracklisting
One Step Further
Glossolalia
Longherder
In The Beginning
Mars Doesn't Feel Like Home Anymore
Review
UK Psych/Fuzz/Stoner Rockers Longheads return with their new release - Mars Doesn't Feel Like Home Anymore. A rather interesting EP that sees the band embrace a Garage Rock, Experimental and Jazz based approach to their sound. The EP fuses Middle Eastern vibes and experimental vocals for a fast-paced style that can be quite different from the UK Stoner Rock underground scene.
The EP runs for around thirty one minutes across five tracks with funky loops that allows the band perhaps go a bit crazy with their devilishly clever Space Rock sounds, glitches and eternal frequencies. Perhaps inspired by Hawkwind in places with a dash of TAB era Monster Magnet heaviness which you can hear on the excellent opening song One Step Further which the track fully lives upto its title.
Second song Glossolalia brings a slightly distorted Post-Stoner element to the EP. Slowly played but with intricate Psychedelic Rhythms and beats that have a similar feel to Here Lies Man. Vocals feel they're in the present but also with a trans-dimensional feel. Soothing Spaced Out moments and supremely heavy hazy guitars allows Longheads to form and play sublime extended guitar jams which wouldn't go a miss from Earthless back catalogue.
Third track Longherder is the first of two lengthy compositions with this song running near the nine minute mark. Sprawling Desert Rock vibes appear first with echoes of Blues Rock, Space Rock and some first rate Sonic experimentation holding everything together. The song starts off slowly and quietly before moving into heavier strands of Psych Stoner Rock. The vocals have an ethereal and gospel flow to them. Though, it's the music that's the real standout when the warped and trippy guitars move into areas such as Distortion and Drone Rock. The song has a lovely warm warming to it all which Longheads demonstrate superbly well throughout the whole EP.
Fourth song In The Beginning once again shows Longheads experiment with acoustic style guitars and background noises and glitches before slowly adopting a more lo-fi Blues Rock sound for the remainder of the track. This song is quite solitary and mostly semi-acoustic but still fits in with the overall story and flow of the record.
The final song Mars Doesn't Feel Like Home Anymore is the standout track where the band focuses on bringing the quieter parts of the EP together with the more distorted heavier sounds. The song can be too slow-paced in places but it allows Longheads to bring a more soulful vocal delivery that reminds me of Church Of The Cosmic Skull. There's a certain 1960's Psych Rock Swagger and 1970's Space Rock delivery on this track which Longheads blend both brilliantly well.
Mars Doesn't Feel Like Home Anymore is a splendid wild ride into the Spaced Out Stoner Rock scene and shows that Longheads has a wonderful creative vision for the UK scene.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Chris at Desertscene London for the promo.
Mars Doesn't Feel Like Home Anymore is available to buy now on DD/Vinyl via Longreel Records.
Links:
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