Reviews: The Helicopter Of The Holy Ghost, Grand Collapse (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

The Helicopter Of The Holy Ghost - Afters (Kscope) [Matt Bladen]

This is an album that shouldn't have happened, originally written by Billy Reeves after he left Brit pop/indie rock band theaudience (the springboard for Sophie Ellis Bextor). However Reeves' Morris Minor was hit at 90 mph and he spent a large amount of time in coma, undergoing many operations and then being housebound for a year. The demos for the Yours project seemed lost to the ether, Reeves' memory of the accident and that period of time pretty much gone. However in 2017 his brother gave him two mini-discs (remember them folks?) which had the demos on them. With these Reeves set about writing Afters the album that should not be.

Reeves takes the synths here, making the inspired choice of The Bluetones vocalist Mark Morris behind the mic. On piano Crayola Lectern (Lost Horizons/Departure Lounge) and guitars come from Mark Peters (Engineers). In the writing sessions the original Brit pop sound was disregarded for one that delves into the Canterbury scene along with the more modern art rock sound. A genre that Reeves championed when he was a journalist and broadcaster. The jangly, atmospheric guitars of Reeves, keening indie vocal of Morris and the piano of Crayola Lectern conjuring musical soundscapes of Steven Wilson, Robert Wyatt, and Gazpacho, whose Thomas Anderson is a special guest along with Cocteau Twins' Simon Raymonde and some other high profile names. 

Afters begins magically with Slow Down, this dream-like sound evident throughout the record, the beautiful strings behind Difficult Song, the jangly guitars and emotive keys of Tony Got A Car. Reeves and co-producer by Richard Archer of Hard-Fi bringing a esoteric ambience to these songs that Reeves himself, says he has no idea what they are about, in fact the band name is also a source of mystery. A wonderful collaborative project, taking victory from the jaws of defeat. 8/10

Grand Collapse - Empty Plinths (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]

Welsh politically charged hardcore/punk foursome, return to the fore with their first album since 2017. Since then of course there has been a little bit of political upheaval to say the least, so this album has a hell of a lot to rage about and rage it does. Calvin is the bile filled voice of Grand Collapse, he rages as the instrumental trio of guitarist Jon, drummer Glenn and bassist Blag bust out with biting riffs, the songs usually sitting around the 2 minute mark, using the short timing hammer their ideologically charged music home. Empty Plinths is a maelstrom of fury but with some nuances throughout as things move into some hardcore breakdowns, atmospheric passages and some clean melodic flourishes too to stop it from just being just an all out assault. A strong, punchy return for The Grand Collapse. 7/10