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Mashbrick and the Horns Of Plenty : You're Drowning Me -EP- (S,2002)***
The 4 songs on the EP have a very direct energy, are possibly meant to be played live for best effects and for entertainment well. With such certain straightness, and a pop-like way of repeating the chorus, the opening and title track, "You're Drowning Me", starts immediately, very catchy with a drive in the content, at the same time it is ballad-like. Not always immediately noticeable, but the melodic arrangements are worth discovering during repeated listen. It is, with the most straight drive that makes the songs catchy, with a true and bluesy rhythmic pulse in them, that only after closer listens I realise many more details, like that there are two or even three acoustic guitars playing the arrangements, that the vocals are a duet, and I heard also a few flute and a violin arrangements, and a bit of percussion amongst a few other little things, that contribute to these songs well.
private Mashbrick and the Horns Of Plenty -EP- (S,2005)****
The second EP is more worked out, and shows the next level of attention from the group. Even when the first EP was very good, in a rather direct way, this more worked out EP still comes as a surprise because of its rather “progressive” result. The first track, “Una Limosbnita por amor de dias” sounds like an electronically deformed and rearranged organ composition from Baroque times, a beautiful, funeral-like lonely excursion. This track alone reminds me a bit of early Frank Battiato’s ideas, or perhaps even Pierrot Lunaire. This inventive track is nothing else but a moody intro followed by a more by acoustic guitar driven song, “Justice..” with some flute. This time it is much better recorded and with better recording techniques, also for the condition and final effect for the voice(s). A bit of electronica comes back in, spooky, and psychedelic, and there are also a little bit of fuzz guitar arrangements. The third song, “Spiral Dance” starts moodyly and is arranged equally pleasantly with additional sparse ideas of harp, harmonium, bass, vocal harmonies, and then also piano and mandoline?, and flute. This is beautiful and “progressive”/psychedelic. Last track closes the EP very nicely ; it is carefully arranged with additional violin. Promising !
