No Strange
Mutter Der Erde

THE REVIEW

Here come back the No Strange, a historic and fundamental name in Italian psychedelia, with the new album Mutter Der Erde ("Madre della terra" in Italian). The title is a tribute to the late Jutta Taylor Nienhaus, singer of Analogy - the legendary Italo-German psych-prog group of the '70s - with whom No Strange had begun a collaboration that was later interrupted due to her passing. Among the many groups that were part of the Italian neo-psychedelic revival of the '80s, No Strange have stood the test of time as a testament to artistic integrity and a passion and creativity that have remained intact. In retrospect, there are not many truly valid names from that era: I would recall the Birdmen Of Alkatraz, Steeplejack, Liars, Leanan Sidhe, Effervescent Elephants, Peter Sellers & The Hollywood Party, Eazycon and a few others besides the great Paul Chain who also played with the Boohoos. Mutter Der Erde follows the path of the typical sound of No Strange characterized by a psychedelic and liquid sound that looks to the East. The tracks, compared to previous works, are quite short and simpler and, in a way, they reconnect to their first production with a return to folk and the song form. I have to say that I find this greater essentiality more congenial and I believe the sound is much more focused. In reality, their "feeling" has never changed but, over time, it has become more refined. In Mutter Der Erde the presence of Armenian singer Rita Tekeyan stands out in the track "Kilikia" based on the words of poet Komitas. The drums and percussion are played by Salvatore "Ursus" D'Urso himself. Those who loved the No Strange of L'universo will surely feel some shivers listening to tracks like the dreamlike and spatial "Voyage dans la lune", the psychedelic "Un viandante tra le stelle", the mystic title track, the already mentioned ethnic "Kilikia" and the metaphysical "Il profumo del bosco alto". The closure is entrusted to a reprise of an old track like "Trasparenze e suoni" from their debut album, almost to underline the ideal continuity with their origins. The music does not leave one indifferent and evokes sensations and lost events of a mythical past. Warmly recommended to Cosmic Travelers. Available on Bandcamp and for pre-order on the Area Pirata site: https://areapiratarec.bandcamp.com/album/mutter-der-erde?fbclid=IwAR1XBf2IxzZAqhPQKabuUOJhoBFk8J-wwkDNeWEIcQWRmHD1pn_B_p16l5w

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