An Albatross

Blessphemy (of the Peace Beast Feastgiver and the Bear Warp Kumite) (Ace Fu)

By Anne C. Johnson
Published: July 7th, 2006 | 2:01pm

Spouting missives that sound as if they were from the desk of the MC5, An Albatross is back with another musical sortie, which promises to bring the listener one step closer to “aural emancipation.” These Philly-by-way-of- Wilkes-Barre-Pennsylvania—citizens have correctly assessed the attention span and patience level of the average American and conveniently attempt to deliver this in thirty minutes or less.

Blessphemy is the third release by this “aggregation” and speeds at such a dizzying velocity one barely has time to finish reading the title of a song — names such as “Lysergically Yours, My Psychedelic Bride” and “Divine Birthright (Maiden Voyage of the Grape Ape)” —before being not unpleasantly ambushed by the next snare drum and Farfisa organ impelled blitz. Singer/percussionist Eddie B. Gieda III lyrics dwell in the realm of the metaphysical but a lyric sheet, and liner notes apparently, is needed to unlock the secrets encoded in his impassioned screech.

One part Iron Butterfly, one part Die Kruezen, one part carnival, and another part video game, An Albatross is even more than the sum of all of these various parts. You may feel not so much aurally liberated, but pleasingly depleted and slightly dizzy when these twenty-seven minutes have passed. Perhaps experiencing the band’s live show, which has reportedly had them banned at some venues and allegedly goes beyond “the traditional concert schema” is the final step towards achieving such enlightenment.