Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads, The - Lift To Experience

Every so often in the world of music something comes along that completely blows you away. Elvis Presley and The Sex Pistols are two such examples that opened up a whole new musical landscape to explore.

To a lesser extent you have mavericks like Captain Beefheart and The Fall who plough strange furrows in alternate musical universes while producing some absolutely stunning music.

Lift To Experience will probable fall ...
...album, nothing less than five stars from all the music journals that I’ve come across. The band hail from Texas and are a three piece bass / guitar / drums combination. They consist of Andy “The Boy” Young on drums and cymbals who looks like a haunted Vic Reeves, bearded Josh “The Bear” Browning on bass who bears more than a passing resemblance to Bob “The Bear” Hite of Canned Heat, and are lead by Stetson ... more

Every so often in the world of music something comes along that completely blows you away. Elvis Presley and The Sex Pistols are two such examples that opened up a whole new musical landscape to explore.

To a lesser extent you have mavericks like Captain Beefheart and The Fall who plough strange furrows in alternate musical universes while producing some absolutely stunning music.

Lift To Experience will probable fall towards the latter category. I’ve read reviews of their debut album, nothing less than five stars from all the music journals that I’ve come across. The band hail from Texas and are a three piece bass / guitar / drums combination. They consist of Andy “The Boy” Young on drums and cymbals who looks like a haunted Vic Reeves, bearded Josh “The Bear” Browning on bass who bears more than a passing resemblance to Bob “The Bear” Hite of Canned Heat, and are lead by Stetson wearing religioso guitarist and song smith Josh T Pearson who sports side whiskers strait out of a Dickens novel. This band are visually impressive and I’m going to see them next week.

Before I describe the music here are some sleeve musings:

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed
We are perplexed but not in despair…”

The opening lyrics…

“This is the story of three Texas boys,
busy minding their own bidnis (sic)
when an Angel of the Lord appeared to them….”

“Don’t you boys know nothin?
The USA is the centre of JerUSAlem”

Get the drift…..

The album is split into two disks , the first “Texas” the second “Jerusalem”. There is a vague concept of Armageddon and the final stand being in Texas (The Alamo, Waco anyone?). Pearson’s voice is almost angelic , but many of the lyrics are spoken rather than sung over some very impressive soundscapes generated by Pearson’s awesome guitar playing, backed by a n almost telepathic rhythm section. There are times where it sound like Hendrix, but this is music for this millennium and occupies the sort of territories only hinted by Radiohead in some of their more extreme moments.

“Texas” contains six songs and “Jerusalem” five although the closer “Into the Storm” contains a hidden track fifteen minutes after the noise has died down.

The band have been affected severely by their religious upbringing but it has resulted in the must stunning album of the millennium so far. It’s almost like a film for the ears. Nothing can prepare you for this and it’s not easy listening , but even on the first run through there are some awesome aural pictures. I was apprehensive when “Just As Was Told” opened up and Pearson started reeling off the opening words , but repeated listening reveals many more layers to the songs.

There are no singles here, songs often clocking seven or eight minutes and the dynamics ranging from gentle one note strumming to manic thrash often within seconds of each other.

If you want to hear them there is a downloadable mp3 of “Falling From Cloud Nine” on the band’s label’s web site, at www.bellaunion.com so you can get some idea of what the band sound like. The site also provides a decent amount of information on the band.

As stated before this is the best album of the millennium so far.

The songs contain a lot of references to guns, but given the subject matter of the songs and the location from where they hail that is not so surprising. Well worth investing in.

Praise the Lord, Lift to Experience have arrived and they’re going to save the world.

PS:

I saw them live last Wednesday and they were absolutely stunning. They're touring at the moment so if you get the chance. Go. Believ the hype.

Check out www.bellaunion.com for information. Neither CDNow or Amazon have sound samples, but if you check out the bellaunion link you can download "Falling from Cloud 9" in 64K mp3 format. Listen, then buy the album. 

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