Two Headed Emperor – Mad Magic And Fire – Falling A Records
This album has the timeless charm of one of those classic albums from the early seventies on the likes of Vertigo, Deram and Harvest Records. Obviously, this is in an up to date setting with modern 21st century sensibilities. Barry Lamb and Peter Ashby are keen observers of modern life as we know it and have this uncanny knack of poetically
informing us of the state we’re in, experiencing this reality, right now.
Superbly augmented by the expressive and distinctive vocals of Georgia Lamb, Mad Magic And Fire lulls us into a strange, intriguing world. It’s like stepping through a mirror, the stories of CS Lewis coming to mind. Alice In Wonderland musical landscapes with Peter Ashby’s guitar and violin textures leading the way, one moment soothing, the next unsettling. From medieval to Eastern to progressive rock to jazz to folk, the music swirls on a magic roundabout of sounds. You never quite know where you are, like a musical maze. The addition of flutes, saxophones and field recordings by Barry Lamb are the icing on the cake, realizing as they do the complexity in the musical arrangements, some tasteful drums and percussion from Peter Ashby too. The album has a lovely sound and production, as always, perfectly complimenting the musical journey.
This album by Two Headed Emperor needs to be heard many times to truly understand it. Experimental in its
very nature, it is both innovative and original for those with ears to hear. The music has so many influences but a glance at the above record labels I mentioned means it’s a sure bet that if you like their output, you will like this and it will mean something. Each time I hear a new Two Headed Emperor album I think, this might be my favourite and then the next one comes along. The band has an impressive and substantial catalogue on the excellent Falling A record label now and it really is worth checking out. Superb stuff…
Tim Jones – Stone Premonitions - August 2024
This album has the timeless charm of one of those classic albums from the early seventies on the likes of Vertigo, Deram and Harvest Records. Obviously, this is in an up to date setting with modern 21st century sensibilities. Barry Lamb and Peter Ashby are keen observers of modern life as we know it and have this uncanny knack of poetically
informing us of the state we’re in, experiencing this reality, right now.
Superbly augmented by the expressive and distinctive vocals of Georgia Lamb, Mad Magic And Fire lulls us into a strange, intriguing world. It’s like stepping through a mirror, the stories of CS Lewis coming to mind. Alice In Wonderland musical landscapes with Peter Ashby’s guitar and violin textures leading the way, one moment soothing, the next unsettling. From medieval to Eastern to progressive rock to jazz to folk, the music swirls on a magic roundabout of sounds. You never quite know where you are, like a musical maze. The addition of flutes, saxophones and field recordings by Barry Lamb are the icing on the cake, realizing as they do the complexity in the musical arrangements, some tasteful drums and percussion from Peter Ashby too. The album has a lovely sound and production, as always, perfectly complimenting the musical journey.
This album by Two Headed Emperor needs to be heard many times to truly understand it. Experimental in its
very nature, it is both innovative and original for those with ears to hear. The music has so many influences but a glance at the above record labels I mentioned means it’s a sure bet that if you like their output, you will like this and it will mean something. Each time I hear a new Two Headed Emperor album I think, this might be my favourite and then the next one comes along. The band has an impressive and substantial catalogue on the excellent Falling A record label now and it really is worth checking out. Superb stuff…
Tim Jones – Stone Premonitions - August 2024