Short Reviews [Paradise 9 - 2021 - "Science Fiction Reality"]

Since the last Paradise 9 album there have been some changes in the camp with the departure of both drummer Carl Sampson and percussionist Jaki Windmill, who have been replaced by Wayne Collyer. This means the band have slimmed to a quartet, with the rest of the line-up still Gregg McKella (vocals, guitar, clarinet, Fx), Tyrone Thomas (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Neil Matthars (bass). Colyer was a member of the ban when McKella formed it originally back in 1988, which makes Neil the newbie as he has only been there 14 years, so here we have a band with a stable line-up and a long pedigree. Even though they have been going in one form or another for more than 30 years this is only their third album, released in 2021, eight years on from the excellent ‘Take Me To The Future’. As one has come to expect from Paradise 9 this is very much space rock, with the bass often providing the structure of the songs, even though there are two guitars. Take the title cut for example, it is Neil who keeps it all together with some chorded riffs which allows the two guitars to be sparse and going off at tangents while the drums work through different patterns. Paradise 9 have had a strong relationship with bands like Inner City Unit and approach their space rock with a far more independent and punk attitude than many in the scene. Keyboards provide an important element but it is more of a nuance and a facet of the sound as opposed to being right in your face. This is an album from the underground which feels just like that, with a title which clearly states what this is all about. Honest and with integrity, this never pretends to be anything more than it is and is all the more enjoyable for that.