Terrascope Review...

From http://www.terrascope.co.uk/Reviews/Rumbles_December08.htm ------- From the space-rock heartlands of Portland, Oregon come two albums by Paint And Copter, a trio of sonic alchemists with many years of underground music between them. The first release, "Damnatio Memoriae," is a groove-laden melting pot of guitars, pattering drums, synths and various acoustic instruments (oboe, harmonica), with vocals dropping in and out as the tracks evolve. It's like a slow, gothic Hidria Spacefolk, or a tripped-out Transient Waves. Dark and melancholic is the mood, and the theme. Occasional female vocals are provided by Mae Starr, and these bring an alternative feel, particularly on "Remote Viewing," which sounds a bit like a darker and rockier Portishead. Elsewhere, "Determinacy" bounces along in funk Hawkwind style. Variety of tone and sonic originality make this an enjoyable release. Next up is "Semper En Obscurus," the follow-up to "Damnatio Memoriae," a release collecting new work and two remixes. As before, the mood is slow and reverberant, as seven cuts of bleak rocktronica skulk by. Opener "Always In The Dark" is a highlight, with strange, droning vocals, while later "Bad Intentions," with its terrific descending chord sequence, and the intense "Don't Ask Any Questions" grip the listener in macabre fashion. "Ghost Squadron" is what The Doors might have sounded like had they survived into the early 'eighties; a very good track, this, but too short! Great handmade artwork complements the release. Fans of Massive Attack yearning for more rock and less technology might like this band, while devotees of the earlier Porcupine Tree sound would also appreciate them