Posted in Whathaveyou on May 10th, 2019 by JJ Koczan
London’s Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight continue their celebration of the 10th anniversary for 2009’s debut full-length, Movin’ On (review here), by releasing another yet-unheard track from those sessions. How many songs did they record that didn’t make the album? I don’t know, but “Hart at You” is the second one released behind “Evil” (posted here), which they put out last month. “Hark at You” has a bit of the sleaze that “Southern” from the album accomplished, but is noisier and more of a banger in terms of tempo. Like its predecessor, it’s a fun cut and kind of a hidden gem that could just as easily have wound up on the record. Seems to me they’re building an EP one song at a time here, but if these tracks all wind up collected at some point or other, this is still a cool way to unveil them so that each gets properly highlighted.
Dig it:
To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of their album “Movin On” TRIPPY WICKED & THE COSMIC CHILDREN OF THE KNIGHT have just released “Hark At You”.
Drummer Chris West commented “Hark at You was a song we were often playing live around the time of Movin On. I don’t remember if we’d already decided not to include it on the album by the time we were mixing but we treated the mix a little different to most of the others. It’s mostly mono guitar on the track with extra guitar/stereo stuff happening during the slower parts. The drums are also slightly off to one side to make a bit of room in the mix. For me at the time it seemed a little too rough sounding, but listening to it now I love how raw and gnarly it is.”
The early years of Trippy Wicked & the Cosmic Children of the Knight are a mix of lineup changes, demos, gigs to empty rooms and stylistic development. Throughout that time the constants of founding members Pete Holland (guitar, vocals) and Chris West (drums), a DIY ethic, and a gut feeling they were onto something worth pursuing remained true. Early 2019 saw the reformation of the ‘not quite original but longest serving lineup’ of Holland and West with later addition bassist Dicky King. (West having previously quit the band in 2013 before his return.)
Along with the announcement of the lineup change, Trippy Wicked also noted they are writing their third full length album and will return to playing live after a two-year break.
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 18th, 2019 by JJ Koczan
With an opening riff that channels Phantom of the Opera, Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight dig back into their past to unveil “Evil.” It’s not a Willie Dixon cover, which was my first thought — you might recall Cactus‘ version of that song on Restrictions, among many others — but the seven-minute piece comes from the sessions of 2009’s debut full-length, Movin’ On (review here), and in honor of the record’s 10th anniversary and the recently announced reformation of that lineup, they will post a series of lost tracks from that era. There are three of them and “Evil” is the first. The next, I’m sure, will be posted as soon as this goes live — because that’s how good my timing usually is in terms of making sure I’m constantly behind on everything — but until then, you can enjoy “Evil” at the bottom of this post. Nostalgia achieved, gents.
And that’s a quick 10 years.
From the PR wire:
Trippy Wicked release previously unreleased track “Evil” from Movin On recording sessions
Trippy Wicked & the Cosmic Children of the Knight recently announced original drummer Chris West is back in the band after a five-year departure. Given that the band also announced they were writing new material, you would be forgiven for asking why they are now releasing material from a decade ago.
Well, October 2019 marks the 10-year anniversary of the band’s debut album, Movin On. During the recording session at Chuckalumba Studios (most noted for being the studio Electric Wizard recorded Dopethrone and Let Us Pray), Trippy Wicked recorded some songs that either didn’t get an official release or have never been heard.
To mark the anniversary Trippy Wicked are releasing these songs as singles and the first of these comes in the form of “Evil’. The song had appeared on an earlier demo but this version gets the full ‘blown out amps committed to tape’ treatment that Chuckalumba does so well.
Singer Pete Holland commented on the inspiration behind “Evil”: “Evil is about the oppression from forces that try to dictate how you should live your life, and trying to break that train of thought to be free to imagine the life you want.”
Posted in Whathaveyou on March 7th, 2019 by JJ Koczan
You know, I’d sort of seen around the social medias that Peter Holland (also of Elephant Tree) and Chris West (also of Named by the Sun, etc.) — former bandmates together in Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight — were doing shows together under the banner of TW. Could be that was kind of a process of feeling their way back to getting back with the full trio of Holland, West and bassist Dickie King as Trippy Wicked, but either way, the news is welcome that they’ve done so. Further, that there’s new material in the works. They’ve done rock, they’ve done metal, they’ve done acoustic, so at this point I’m not really willing to venture a guess as to what that new material might sound like, but they’ve earned a fair amount of trust over the course of the last decade, so I’m willing to roll with it and find out when we get there. They say it’s “heavier,” and “a little darker,” which tells you precisely not much.
But the anticipation is part of the fun, and Trippy Wicked back with the original lineup is nothing but fun, however dark it might ultimately sound.
Their announcement of the homecoming follows:
TRIPPY WICKED AND THE COSMIC CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT – NEWS!
Hey all. We have some news for you. After a lengthy break we’re back, we’re writing new music and original drummer Chris is back in the band. We’re getting a set up to scratch and will be gigging again as soon as possible.
We’ll mostly be playing new stuff. It’s a little heavier, a little darker but it’s still Trippy. Life happens you know, and that comes out through the music. Get over it.
We’d like to thank Bill for stepping in and all he’s done for Trippy over the last few years. He carried the weight, brought the groove and put his personal touch on the Guppy EP. Always a pro on the throne and still a good friend.
Posted in Reviews on December 3rd, 2018 by JJ Koczan
You know how this goes by now, right? Well, okay, except that because I skipped the Quarterly Review that I otherwise would’ve done in September (or, more likely, October), I’m doubling-up this time. 100 reviews instead of 50. Two full weeks of 10 albums per day. Will I survive? Yeah, probably. Will it be completely overwhelming? Already is. Thanks for asking.
I’ll save the summaries of the year that was for list-time, which is fast approaching, but consider the fact that there are well more than 100 albums I could include in this roundup emblematic of just how vibrant heavy rock and doom are in the US, EU, UK, Australia and elsewhere. It’s a universal thing, and accordingly, there’s a whole universe of it to explore. This is just a sampling.
But yeah, time’s a wastin’, so let’s get to it.
Quarterly Review #1-10:
Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight, Stakes n Scale
An acoustic EP from Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight — who, let’s face it, were way ahead of the curve when it comes to the UK scene’s thing for long and ridiculous band names — is a considerable departure from where they were two years ago on their split/collaboration with GurT (review here), but those familiar with the band might recall their past penchant for the occasional unplugged cover recorded for YouTube. Chris West (also Crawling for Carrion, Glanville, etc.), who engineered the recording and plays guitar, and vocalist Peter Holland (also Elephant Tree) revamp Trippy Wicked‘s “Up the Stakes” from 2012’s Going Home (review here), and cover “Scale the Mountain” by Stubb, of which both were members when the song was written. Together, they make for a nine-minute showcase for the character in Holland‘s voice and the melodies and craft at root in both tracks, and while its arrival feels like kind of a one-off, it’s certainly no less welcome for that.
The novelty of new bands playing through vintage gear in order to capture a heavy ’70s sound may have faded, but like all subgenres, as time goes on, the retro-ist style continues to shift and change as bands like Dunbarrow bring new character to established tenets. Their second LP for RidingEasy is aptly-titled II and sways between honoring the likes of Pentagram and acts like Witchcraft who’ve helped craft that band’s hindsight-founded legacy. Dunbarrow‘s noodly style, restrained rhythmic shove and ride-the-riff melody on “Weary Lady” and the foresty creep of “The Demon Within” capture the vibe well, the latter occurring in a second half of II populated with “The Wolf” and “Witches of the Woods Pt. II,” a sequel to the closer of their 2016 self-titled debut (review here) that here leads to the more severe roll of the finale, “On this Night,” emblematic of the changing character of the band even as it reaffirms in its tense midsection the roots from which they sprung.
With their third record and second for Nuclear Blast, Icelandic trio The Vintage Caravan affirm not only their passion for the boogie of old on cuts like “The Way” and the strutting “Hidden Streams,” but secure a place as being worthy of the consideration they’ve been given to a degree by the wider Continental European heavy underground. They are strikingly mature in their approach for still being a relatively young band, and their albums have worked quickly to develop a character that is becoming more and more their own. They do the fests and they tour, and so on, but they seem to be engaged in building their listenership one pair of ears at a time. Having a metal-major label behind them hasn’t hurt their promotional cause, but frankly, they’re not as big as they should be for the level of work they’re doing, and even with songs like “Reset” and “Reflections” and the composed-strictly-for-vinyl-sounding closer “Tune Out” to their credit, they’re still largely a word of mouth band, especially in the US. Well, consider this your word of mouth. If you haven’t heard Gateways yet, you should get on that.
Post-metallic powerhouses Minsk and Zatokrev — both of whom hit their 15th anniversary last year — teamed up for a European tour this Fall. To mark the occasion, Consouling Sounds and Czar of Crickets celebrated with Bigod, a split with two tracks from each band arranged in alternating order — Minsk, then Zatokrev, etc. — intended to highlight the symmetry between them not just of circumstance and root influence in the Neurosis school of atmospheric sludge, but the fact that they share these commonalities despite their origins in Illinois and Switzerland, respectively. Each band opens with a longer track (double points) in Minsk‘s “Invoke/Revive” and Zatokrev‘s “Silent Gods,” each of which push past 13 minutes as likely at any moment to be pummeling as ambient, and follows with two shorter cuts, Minsk‘s “Salvatore” swelling theatrically from its minimalist beginnings while Zatokrev‘s “The Chalice and the Dagger” seems to explode from the foundation the prior band laid out. It must have been a hell of a tour, but whether you saw it or not, the split is a welcome conglomeration from two of post-metal’s strongest acts.
Self-recording guitarist/vocalist Simon Tuozzoli (Vestal Claret, ex-Guerra, etc.) leads Connecticut-based three-piece Owl Maker through a complex thematic of Native American folklore and heavy metal classicism. The NWOBHM plays a strong role in his riffing style, but one of the two tracks included on the two-songer single Sky Road, “Owl City,” also veers into more extreme territory with a departure from clean vocals to harsher screaming. All told, it’s about eight minutes of music, but Sky Road nonetheless follows Owl Maker‘s earlier-2018 EP, Paths of the Slain (review here), with an uptick in melodic presence in the vocals of Tuozzoli and bassist Jessie May and progression in the chemistry between the two of them and drummer Chris Anderson, and with the fluidity of their transitions between various styles of heavy, their scope seems only to be growing. To wit, “Sky Road” itself is only 3:42, but still demonstrates a clear-headed compositional method based around storytelling and a subtly encompassing range. Whether it’s early warning for what they do next or a conceptual one-off, its quick run seems just to be begging for a 7″ pressing.
The Londonderground continues to produce acts ready and willing to worship at the altar of riffs. Orbital Junction‘s self-release debut EP makes an impression not only because of the markedly pro-shop production by Chris Fielding at Skyhammer Studios and the cover art by SoloMacello, but the hooks to live up to those high standards. “6 ft. 2” follows opener “Space Highway” with a bit of dudely chestbeating — note: I don’t know how tall any of them actually are — but the swing of EP centerpiece “Devil’s Double” and the bounce of “Gypsy Queen” speak for the four-piece’s roots and appreciation of straightforward heavy, void of pretense and tapping into an easy mid-paced fluidity that slows up somewhat on closer “Pagan” without really losing the central groove of the offering overall. They’ll have their work cut out for them in distinguishing themselves over the longer term amongst London’s burl-fueled hordes, but their first outing shows their instincts headed in the right direction in terms of songwriting, performance and presentation.
Crisp but warm in its tone and presentation, rife with melody and carrying a laid back spirit despite a fervent underlying groove — the bass on “El Sendero” rests well within gotta-hear-it territory — Spanish purveyors Bourbon emobody some of the best of post-Viaje a 800 Andalusian heavy rock and roll on their third LP, Fuente Vieja (on Spinda). Their fuzz makes its presence known early on “Si Véis La Luz, Corred” and continues as a running theme as tracks like “A Punto de Arder” and the side-A-capping title-cut grow increasingly progressive. There’s room for some shuffle, of course, as side B begins with “La Triste Realidad,” and the slower “Hacia el Sol” gracefully blends electrified wah and acoustic guitars beneath a well-timed standout vocal performance, but the highlight might be eight-minute closer “Destierro,” which seems to bring everything else under one roof while tapping into a poppier structure early — acoustics and electrics aligning effectively circa two minutes in — while providing the album with a graceful and fittingly organic-sounding finale.
Birnam Wood don’t have time for bullshit, but they do have time for a bit of shenanigans. Thus the 1:44 surge of opener “Time of Purification” leads into the sample-laden roller groove of “Richard Dreyfuss” on their as-of-now-self-released Wicked Worlds, and the “Hole in the Sky”-style “Dunsinane” shifts into the more blown-out “Early Warning,” which, by the time its tectonic low end kicks in, is indeed something of a clarion. At seven-tracks/34-minutes, Wicked Worlds is somewhere between an EP and an LP, but I’d argue it as the latter with the flow from “Greenseer” into the massive “A Song for Jorklum” and the seven-minute finale “Return to Samarkand” making for a righteous side B, but either way, it’s a Boston-crafted assault of grit-tone and aggro doom that finds the band not overwhelmed by the heft of their own tones but able to move and manipulate them to serve the purposes of their songs. Those purposes, incidentally, are mostly about kicking ass. Which they do. Copiously.
It would not seem to be a coincidence that UK self-aware four-piece Wytch Hazel — guitarists Conlin Hendra (also vocals) and Alex Haslam, bassist Matt Gatley and drummer Jack Spencer nod to Wishbone Ash‘s Argus with the cover of their second LP, II: Sojourn (on Bad Omen). They do a lot of that kind of nodding, with a sound culled from a valiant blend of classic progressive and early NWOBHM styles that makes the point of how closely related the two have always been. “The Devil is Here” starts out at a fervent gallop with just an underpinning of Thin Lizzy, while the later “See My Demons” shifts from its steady roll and rousing hook into an acoustic/electric break that seems to pull from Jethro Tull as much as Scorpions. At 10 tracks/45 minutes, they have plenty of time to flesh out their ideas, and they do precisely that, whether it’s the careful unfolding around the keys and acoustics of closer “Angel Take Me” or the over-the-top instrumental push of “Chorale” or the moodier “Wait on the Wind,” the wah solo of which is a highlight on its own. There are some burgeoning harmonies in Hendra‘s vocals, which is an impulse he should follow as it would only enhance the material, but after making their debut with 2016’s Prelude, II: Sojourn finds Wytch Hazel sounding comfortable and well established in their niche.
Progressive, expansive and engaging, the sixth album from Spanish sextet The Soulbreaker Company, Sewed with Light (on Underground Legends), taps into classically Floydian influences on songs like “The Word, the Blade” while still keeping a foot in heavy rock on the prior “Together,” and setting a quick course into a varied sonic persona via the seven-minute opener and longest track (immediate points) “Inner Dark.” Hypnotizing not necessarily with drift but with sheer willful exploration, The Soulbreaker Company work with a variety of key sounds and craft-minded ranging guitar in order to effect an atmosphere of thoughtful songwriting even in their most outwardly trippy moments. The sneering semi-psychedelic rock of “Avoid the Crash” and the more stripped-down roll of “Arrhythmia” (video premiere here) lead the way into closer “In the Beginning,” which marks yet another departure with its grandeur of string sounds and electronic beats leading to a chugging big finale. As with the bulk of The Soulbreaker Company‘s work, it requires an active ear, but Sewed with Light both encourages and well earns consideration as more than background noise.
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 20th, 2016 by JJ Koczan
If you’re wondering where Gurt and Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight got the name of their new split, Guppy, that’s due to release on May 6, take a look at their names: “Gu” from the former, “ppy” from the latter. That bit of cleverness, no doubt, is emblematic of the shenanigans throughout the CD/DL set to arrive via When Planets Collide and the limited run of tapes that’ll be out through HeviSike Records, and it works even more because they not only recorded together and collaborated on a song, but they share drummer Bill Jacobs between them, so yes, the running theme is togetherness. And togetherness if great. Who doesn’t like togetherness?
A trailer for the release has surfaced that emphasizes the level of good times involved, if indirectly. Find that under the info below, which comes from the PR wire:
Gurt & Trippy Wicked team up for GUPPY split – May 6th
The build up has been pretty long and a lot of work has gone in to creating it but When Planets Collide are very happy to announce that ‘GUPPY’, the new split release between GURT and Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight is ready for release on Friday May 6th!
Digital / CD – When Planets Collide Limited Edition Cassette Tape – HeviSike Records
The release features 5 songs clocking in just short of half an hour with two brand new songs from each band and one epic collaboration which features both guitarists, both bassists and both vocalists… we really can’t wait for you to hear what we hope will be one of the best releases so far in 2016.
The bands have been close friends for many years (as well as now sharing a drummer in Bill Jacobs) so entering the studio together to create GUPPY was a natural move. With the help of Steve Sears and Tony Nigelson at TITAN Studios in Watford the record sounds absolutely massive and showcases the expert groove and wicked sense of humour that both bands pride themselves on!
The track-listing is as follows:
1: OWLMEGGEDON 2: SUPER FUN HAPPY SLIDE 3: REVOLTING CHILD 4: I REGRET NOTHING
You’ll have to work out for yourself which songs are by which band!
GURT are: Bill Jacobs – Drums Richard Williams – Guitar Gareth Kelly – Vocals David Blakemore – Bass
TRIPPY WICKED are: Peter Holland – Guitar/Vocals Dicky King – Bass Bill Jacobs – Drums
Posted in Whathaveyou on October 7th, 2015 by JJ Koczan
UK’s heavy rock scene continues to reshape itself and grow. Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight, who haven’t been heard from much since 2013’s Underground EP (review here), have joined forces with Wizard Fight and Lacertilia to hit the road for a handful of shows next weekend in England, hitting Cardiff, Bristol, Manchester for the Noiz All-Dayer, which also features Groan, Alunah, Chubby Thunderous Bad Kush Masters and Monolith Cult, among others, and closing out in London. They’re calling the long weekender “Carry on Tripping,” but really, whatever they wanted to call it, it’s heavy.
Silly poster, info and dates follow:
In the year of 2015 three bands come together to bring fourth the heaviest, dirtiest carry on saga one would struggle to fully comprehend! Coming October 15th-18th 2015!
Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight A rolling, thundering mass of infectious riffs, distorted gut-busting bass, tripped out vocals, relentless beats and hairy sweaty faces twisted with grins and gurns. Trippy Wicked & the Cosmic Children of the Knight cut a groove deeper than the ocean abyss.
Wizard Fight Formed in 2012 by Luke Bolton (ROTS) and former Steak drummer of 7 years, Dan Kinsey. They set out as a two piece to play insanely sludgey filth with a good measure of Doom and a wee bit of hazy Stoner groove. Early 2013 see the addition of Dave on bass adding the much needed earth shaking guts needed to add to the Wizard Fight sound.
Lacertilia Lacertilia are a tripped out rock n roll machine from South Wales that brings together the manic stomp and wild stage performance of The Stooges, the fuzzy desert sounds of Kyuss, the weird psychedelic frequencies of The 13th Floor Elevators and the proto doom of Pentagram.
Rolling in on…. October 15th – Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff October 16th – Stag & Hound, Bristol October 17th – Rebellion, Manchester (NOIZ ALL-DAYER) October 18th – The Unicorn – London
Posted in Whathaveyou on January 6th, 2015 by JJ Koczan
With Steak and Desert Storm as headliners, the Winter Warmer Weekender 2015 is set for Jan. 16 and 17 and will pull together some of the London-area underground’s finest in heavy. The two-night festival has been put together by When Planets Collide, which traditionally is also responsible for the sludgiest stage at the London Desertfest, and that side of things isn’t left out here either — looking at you, BongCauldron — though there’s plenty of variety within the sphere of heavy rock between the lineups.
Also noteworthy that Desert Storm are getting ready to release their new album, Omniscient, on Jan. 26 via Blindsight Records. No doubt they’ll be in a celebratory mood as they close out the Friday night lineup, and with good reason.
When Planets Collide posted the schedule and info for the fest:
Full timings for the WINTER WARMER WEEKENDER!!
After a cracking SUMMER SIZZLER SESSION just a couple of weeks ago I have decided to put all my efforts into making the WINTER WARMER WEEKENDER 2015 the best show yet so we shall all be convening on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th January 2015.
This means that once again you have the whole Sunday to recover and it also means that you can beat those winter blues by coming and seeing 12 of the greatest new offerings in our scene today!
To start things off we are blown away to announce 2 previous good friends of WPC who really have shot to stardom since last appearing at an event of ours so we are truly chuffed to have them return again to headline.
On Friday we have the stoner Groovers DESERT STORM who have only played with us once back 2 years ago but we have brought them back and placed them where they belong in headlining position!
On Saturday we have the desert rock Titans STEAK who have played a lot of shows with us over the years but since performing last have not only Signed to Napalm Records but recorded one of the best albums of 2015 which even includes guest vocals from Lord John Garcia himself!
Posted in Reviews on September 3rd, 2013 by JJ Koczan
With last year’s Going Home full-length,UK heavy rockers Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight began to show growth in a heavier direction tonally. Their second album (review here), it kept some of the riffier elements of 2009’s Movin’ On(review here), but was clearly headed someplace else stylistically — a burlier and more metal vibe persisted. The new UndergroundEP stands as the follow-up to Going Home, and as it was also recorded by drummer Chris West and guitarist/vocalist Pete Holland — also mixed and mastered by West; the three-piece is completed by Dicky King on bass — it’s not so much a surprise that it is likewise loud, meaty and weighted. Where Undergroundreally makes itself separate from the trio’s work up to this point is in its overarching thematic. True to its artwork by Dan Schooler, the five-track collection clocks in at 30 minutes of science fiction-minded lyrics that seem to frame a loose narrative. This happens over the course of the opening title-track and closer “New Beginnings,” while between them, “Echoes Return” gives a personal angle to the story and “Enlightenment” and “Discoveries” provide instrumental continuity. At the same time, Undergroundis more dynamic stylistically than Going Home, and particularly in “Enlightenment” and “Discoveries,” embellishes a touch of heavy psychedelia that feels like a definite departure from the last album. In terms of approach and storyline, then, Trippy Wicked are trying something new, and whatever sonic similarities the EP has to the LP before it, that’s not the whole tale. In the interest of clarity, I consider myself a fan of Trippy Wicked both as a band and as people, so while my observations on Undergroundmay be and I hope they’re found to be considered, I won’t exactly call them impartial. With that said, Undergroundstrikes as the most complex and accomplished outing Trippy Wicked have crafted yet, and feels more complete as a whole work than its EP tag can properly convey. Released on the band-affiliated Superhot Records, it could just as easily have been dubbed a short album and I’d find no argument.
Holland, whose confidence and range have grown in kind over the band’s five years of releases, is at his most melodically adept here. Whether he’s following his guitar on “Echoes Return” and “Underground” or subtly branching out in the verses of “New Beginnings,” he sounds comfortable in the more relaxed spaces and able to convey a depth of emotionality that wasn’t attempted even on Going Home, which had a narrative thread of its own, mostly about drinking and the resulting raucousness. Maybe it’s the more nuanced thematic bringing out the performance, but it makes more sense to me to think of the evolution as coinciding rather than sparked by one or the other. An all-around growth, in other words. Likewise, the band’s songwriting, while it has long since “clicked” in terms of creating memorable hooks across a variety of moods, seems to have stepped up as well, and Holland, King and West are a tight and fluid trio, each bringing out the best from the compatriot two. Repetition in the choruses of the three tracks with vocals also provides a consistency across the release, giving it even more of a sense of being one whole work, as “Underground” features a series of lines starting with “World slows down/Sun’s burnt out,” and ends with an almost nursery rhyme made of “Down, down, round and round/We’re lost until we’re found,” while “Echoes Return” plays homophones with “I find it hard to believe in you today/I find it hard to be leaving you this way” as a secondary chorus and “New Beginnings” moves into a first-person-plural in starting more of its chorus lines with “We had” or “We can” as it winds down the storyline. All this feeds into the overarching cohesion of Underground, making it a compelling listen that satisfies in more than just its actual audio, but it’s important to remember that although Trippy Wicked are engaging these new methods (or at very least developing past ideas to new levels of refinement), Undergroundis still very much a heavy rock record. Pretense is nil, and while the production is crisp and full and professional, it’s not so overblown as to take away from the natural feel of the songs themselves.
