PSYCHIC TV

"Mr. Alien Brain VS The Skinwalkers"

Cargo Records / Sweet Nothing - 2008

CD + DVD / 2 LP

Still with the heart full of sorrow for the premature departure of his companion Lady Jaye, whose presence is heavily felt in these recordings, Genesis P. Orridge returns with his reborn Psychic TV, after that bolt out of the blue that was "Hell Is Invisible... Heaven Is Her/e", a great album that gave us back the historical name in an unexpected fit form. The new effort continues in the direction of modern psychedelia, retrò and avantgarde at the same time, but, because of what happened, the joyful atmosphere of the predecessor turned into a somehow gloomy melancholy, with slower and more introspective songs suddenly torn apart by Genesis' tribal screams, as he was trying to cast out all the pain and sadness piled up during the last year and half.

The operation works perfectly in the intense and dramatic "Pickles And Jam", in the new edition of classic "Papal Breakdance", in the ghostly "I Am Making A Mirror" (with vocals by the departed Lady Jaye), and in the dissonant "Trussed", while the rest of the album is inconstant, between illustrious covers (Syd Barrett and Velvet Underground), short experiments sliding away without leaving a trace, and a live of version of "New York Story" that doesn't match the studio original at all (moreover, it's supposed to be a "Michael Gira Mix", but of Swans' ex-leader no trace at all can be felt during the listening).

CD version includes a bonus DVD with 30 minutes of live footage, backstage and various anecdotes, while the double LP has different tracks, mostly covers of other 60s' sacred icons (Rolling Stones, 13th Floor Elevators, Monks). Summing up, "Mr. Alien Brain VS The Skinwalkers" is not as exciting and surprising as "Hell Is Invisible...", but lets itself be appreciated nonetheless, as long as you're not expecting anything more than some good old rock 'n' roll.

- Simon V.

Website: http://www.genesisp-orridge.com

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/ptv3

Related articles:

PSYCHIC TV - Hell Is Invisible... Heaven Is Her/e - Cargo Records / Sweet Nothing CD

03 Oct 2004: PSYCHIC TV @ Supermarket, Torino, Italy