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Alternative Press, April 5 2000
ABUNAI!
Round Wound
4 (out of 5; "outstanding")
PSYCH-PROG BAND GRACEFULLY COME INTO THEIR OWN
Abunai! have always struck me as a
talented but derivative band who
cribbed notes from Spacemen 3 and
psychedelic folksters like the
Incredible String Band. But with
"Round Wound", they've evolved to the
point where their music is simultaneously heavy, yet graceful. They unfurl
layers of feedback while playing beautiful, elegant solos of the sort not
heard since Crystalized Movements
stalked the earth. Plus, any band who
can pull off grandiose instrumentals
featuring swirling organs and dueling
guitars that recall the worst excesses
of Yes and Pink Floyd without overstepping their bounds deserve respect.
Abunai! play prog-rock without any
filler or odes to hobbits, repeatedly
walking the fine line between restraint
and excess. Even over-the-top numbers
like "Drowning In Light" possess a
snarl and bite that will win you over
to their cause. Round Wound is one of
the most pleasant surprises of 2000.
Camera Obscura: www.cameraobscura.com.au
(Bill Cohen)
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