MOTORPSYCHO — Trust Us (review)

MOTORPSYCHO — Trust Us album cover Album · 1998 · Non-Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
UMUR
"Trust Us" is the sixth full-length studio album by Norwegian alternative/psychedelic rock act Motorpsycho. The album was released through Stickman Records (Europe)/Sony Music (Norway) in March 1998. It´s the successor to "Angels and Daemons at Play" from February 1997, so there is just over a year between the two album releases. Despite the relatively short time between the two albums, Motorpsycho have had time to write and record material enough to release a double album, featuring over 80 minutes of music. Trygve Seim (reindeer antler, flutes, saxophone, clarophone) has been added to the list of guest/sesson musicians, but the core of the band is still Bent Sæther ( vocals, bass, guitars, piano, percussion, harmonium, marimba, vibraphone, trident, mellotron, sitar, taurus, drums), Hans Magnus Ryan (guitars, vocals, mandolin, harmonium, rhodes piano, taurus, mellotron, piano, bells), and Håkon Gebhardt (drums, acoustic guitar, glockenspiel, mellotron, harmonium, percussion).

Stylistically the material on "Trust Us" pretty much continues the alternative rock/psychedelic rock style of "Angels and Daemons at Play (1997)". Sometimes a little more psychedelic and jam oriented than other moments which are more structured. Motorpsycho are a well playing unit and they obviously master both the improvised jamming and the more conscise songwriting parts. But when that is established the vocals have always been the weak link of Motorpsycho and they continue to be that on "Trust Us". Not in a manner which destroys the listening experience, but they do sound weak and it often feels like they are just there singing without a recognisable vocal melody. So maybe it´s not just that the voices of the two vocalists aren´t that strong or distinct sounding, but maybe also that the band just don´t write that great vocal melodies.

With that out of the way, Motorpsycho should still be praised for their organinic and powerful instrumental performances. "Trust Us" is also a well produced release, so it´s in the songwriting department that Motorpsycho are still lacking something at this point in their career. Six albums into a music career and I expect more, but I understand why others enjoy it more than I do. The combination of 90s alternative/indie rock with 70s psychedelia has been done by many other contemporary artists (The Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, and some of Radioheads early recordings are valid references) and it´s just a hard sound to nail.

"Vortex Surfer" is the most well known track from "Trust Us" and I agree that it´s slow layer building is effective, but the weak vocals almost ruin the track. Upon conclusion "Trust Us" is a good quality rock album from Motorpsycho if you (unlike me) are able to appreciate the vocals. I´ll play nice and give this a 3 star (60%) rating, but but you can add 0,5 star ekstra if you imagine that I could enjoy the vocals.
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