Spids Nøgenhat

Kommer Med Fred

Written by: BV on 06/10/2013 19:13:19

My relationship with Spids Nøgenhat is a long one. Having first been introduced to the band via their debut album, “En Mærkelig Kop Te”, at the age of 14, the band made a uniquely long-lasting impression on me, as they are probably one of the breeding grounds for my (still) growing interest in psychedelic music –both that of the 60’s as well as that of the contemporary revivalist bands. Having been exposed to the band such a long time ago, one could argue that I, along with many other psych-heads, have been waiting quite some time for their sophomore album “Kommer Med Fred”.

As the album opens with the echoing words “Spids Nøgenhat kommer med fred” (roughly translated to “Spids Nøgenhat comes with peace”), an acoustic guitar strums its way into my immediate consciousness, followed by the characteristic bubbly wah-guitar parts of ‘The Hobbit’ (aka Henrik Klitstrøm). My immediate thoughts on this, is that this album seems quite a bit more upbeat than its lo-fi predecessor. – Whilst also containing songs that are not only memorable, but also amazingly infectious and easy to sing along to. This is particularly true with “Lolland Falster”, an ode to the Danish countryside wherein the ‘green gold’ grows. The anthemic nature of the song makes it seem both memorable but also rather grandiose – effectively leading the band away from their somewhat more introvert beginnings.

The upbeat nature of the album gets tuned down a bit, as the album comes up on Spids Nøgenhat’s cover of a song by the old, Danish acid-folk band called Furekåben. “Den Gennemsigtige Mand” rings with a familiar grace whilst coming across as slightly ‘updated’ at the same time – effectively leaving me to think that the induction of this track is both an homage to the Furekåben, as well as an introductory course aimed at newer psych-listeners. As the track, which is the longest running on the album, peaks with a climactic jam section wherein Morten Aron and The Hobbit share soloing duties, the whole thing is subtly underlined by one of the finest Danish rhythm sections out there, consisting of Anders Grøn on the drums and Anders Skjødt on the bass. As the jam section comes to an end, the song returns to form before the highly characteristic voice of Lorenzo Woodrose screams out the chorus repeatedly, stating: ”Mand, kan du ikke se / at du er lige så gennemsigtig som jeg?” - which is roughly translated to ‘man, can’t you see that you are just as transparent as I?’.

Coming up on one of the catchiest tracks on the album, “Vand, Brød og Te”, it is increasingly evident that Spids Nøgenhat are quite proficient at writing psychedelic hymns that hand out the secrets to living a blissful life – after all, all you really need is water, bread and tea. – Possibly also some love and LSD. The combination of acoustic, grounding elements and more free-floating electric guitar-work that dominates the album, serves as a rather unique, completely exhilarating experience as the album never gets too far ‘out there’ – neither does it ever remain completely grounded as it seems ready to take off any moment. This combination is quite possibly at its strongest on the track “Jorden Kalder”, which at once yearns for space, whilst also remaining strangely grounded until the completely ethereal chorus of the track where the perhaps most riveting climax of the album is achieved.

As the album closes with the mantra-like “Fred”, I can’t help but feel that this album has been entirely worth the wait. Good things aren’t meant to be rushed and to be frank, I’m just overjoyed with the fact that Spids Nøgenhat decided to actually follow up on their debut. My only issue with it, as a reviewer, is that it might be a tad difficult for international psych-lovers to really get into, as the lyrical universe is entirely Danish leaving the complete experience of music paired with lyrics quite difficult to really understand. The music speaks for itself however, and with the astonishing quality of songwriting that is evident here, I am completely confident that I, along with many others, will remember this album five or ten years down the line with the same fond memories as those we have of their eclectic cult-item of a debut.

9

Download: Vand, Brød og Te; Jorden Kalder, Lolland Falster, Den Gennemsigtige Mand, Spids Nøgenhat I Græsset
For The Fans Of: Dragontears, Baby Woodrose, Kama Loka
Listen: facebook.com

Release Date 21.10.2013
Bad Afro Records


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