lichens ~ omns

The second long player from Lichens, like his first, the largely improvised The Psychic Nature of Being, is an ascent to a higher plane. Rob Lowe's sound recordings are of a distinctly personal nature, works turned inward as much as they are projected outward.

This new album was conceived with the idea of it being a continuation of the first, while using slightly different techniques in recording and editing; from multitracking individual passes, and pulling single tracks in and out of the mix ("vevor of agassou" "faeries"), to opening up into a completely different process by overdubbing multiple tracks ("m st r ng w tchcr ft l v ng n sp r t"). All this while remaining firmly within the realm of improvisation, augmented with the use of skeletal frameworks.

The accompanying dvd video contains a single live 28 minute performance from Chicago's Empty Bottle that was recorded in 2006. All Lichens live shows are individual events and are not mere duplications of previous performances. Thus, the performance here is a unique snapshot of the Lichens live experience. The film was directed and produced by Mary Scherer and edited by Todd Mattei.

"Lichens launches skyward eerie, hymnal moans; atomized guitar chords; and meditative Fahey-esque fingerpicking... and the special knowledge to which only the most spiritual cats are privy." Dave Segal-The Stranger

"The impression is fostered that this is a colossal living organism, branching out into uncultivated lands, foreign concerns" Max Schaefer-Comes With a Smile

"Robert Lowe has crafted a solo universe of purely psychedelic beauty and mystery" Dream Magazine

"It's simply stunning, epic and totally timeless." Broken Face

"Natural, unexplainable, unpremeditated but deeply musical." Splendid

Songs:

1. Vevor of Agassou - [
   MP3]
2. Faeries
3. Bune - [
   MP3]
4. M St r ng W tchcr ft L v ng n Sp r t
5. Sighns - [
   MP3]

.......

Rob Lowe, bassist and vocalist for the 90 Day Men, ex-TV On the Radio collaborator and general good sport is something of a spiritual soul. Of course, I don't actually know the feller, but after listening to 'Omns' there's no doubt in my mind that he is on a different universal plane than the rest of us. There are some records you listen to which make you think that they're made in a bubble, out of time if you will, and "Omns" is one of them. The key is likely in the simplicity, the music of Lichens is unfussy and desperately uncomplicated, maybe it's just a voice or a plucked bass guitar but that's all you need, and the space created by this is hypnotic. A good reference point would probably be Akira Rabelais' absolutely stunning album 'Spellewauerynsherde', an album which had a similarly ghostly treatment of vocals. However where Rabelais used samples Lowe uses his own voice and engages with the music on a simply devastating spiritual level. Curl upon curl of wordless murmurs erupt like fountains of blue smoke and are accompanied by ethereal string plucks and waterlogged gurgles. This is music to accompany you to the other side - get rid of your spirit guide, with Lowe's hums and whispers you should have no trouble crossing over, it grabs hold of you and lets you think - this is the power of measured simplicity. Also included in the package is a DVD of a live performance, showing you Lowe's absolute engagement with the music as he falls into a near-trance of improvisation. Fans of the Nonesuch Explorer series of World Music releases or more recently Grouper simply need to check this out without delay. Breathtaking. --boomkat

clips

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very fine!

this is extremely pleasant

rather than very very easily extremely .. good

I wish 90 Day Men had gone further, Panda Park is a brilliant album. I'm not really sure about lichens

I liked his last one, this seems to be much more of an expansion of the same sound from what I've read. Will have to check it out...