LP Edition of 500 Co-Release with Cardinal Fuzz

OUT OF PRINT

21st (or so) album by this superb Ottawa-based improv unit, whose work has been too long underappreciated in the U.S. The core of the group (a sextet on this session) came out of the garage rock scene in 2008, dreaming, one supposes, of creating a sound more open and freed from structural form-dictates. Their ability to create cosmic gushery of the highest order has been proved time and again.

Berserker Volume One must take its name from any one of a number of screwed-up B-movies, since the approach the band takes here owes not a whit to any juiced and enraged Viking we ever ran into. The long, slow guitar lines (and attendant keys) recall early instrumental moments of both Peter Bardens’ Camel as well as Nektar (one of the least Germanic German bands of their era). Mixing in a decent amount of acoustic guitar, and a spatially-appropriate rhythm parts, TBWNIS laid down this gorgeous set of four long jams in a single day. But they will provide a lovely soundtrack for many days of trips to come. You have our guarantee. -Byron Coley, 2020