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F/i, "A Question for the Somnambulist"
Milwaukee's stalwart psych rock veterans F/i are back with the reissue of a 2003 album that was previously only available in a limited quantity and also marks the return of original member Richard Franecki. Strange song titles like “Hit the Kill Switch, Eugene,” “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Daisy Cutter,” and the title track itself highlight the band's otherworldly aspirations.
With nine tracks running to almost 80 minutes, the band has plenty of time to explore. The opener, “Uber-Wizards of the 88th Meridian” could be a blueprint for the rest of the material. Here the group finds a groove from the beginning and the rhythm section holds down the fort throughout the nearly fourteen minute track while effects-laden guitars and throwback effects swim through the mix. This space jam has some moments of impact and prepared me for the songs that follow.
Unusually, the best sequence is in the middle of the album, the traditional dead spot of many other recordings. Electronics take the foreground for a nice change on “Surgical Procedures on the Ship,” an unexpectedly great hip hop beat dominates “Using Enemy Weapons,” and the group does their best exotic impersonation with “No Pepsi in Kabul.” I really like the rhythm section overall, especially the Teutonic pulse in “Hit the Kill Switch, Eugene,” which is important for this type of extended music. Although there are occasional moments in which the group relaxes its focus, they ultimately don't stray from their mission to discover new planets.
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