Sun Dial - Other Way Out

Sun Dial. Other Way Out. 1990. 4 stars.

Sun Dial were leaders in the drug-fueled psychedelic revival in the early 90’s, becoming one of Britain’s most acclaimed space-rock acts, along side stalwarts like The Stone Roses and Spacemen 3. Other Way Out remains the band’s most successful album, receiving heaps of praise within underground critical circles. Sounding like something straight out of the late 1960’s, Sun Dial take the sprawling and sunny aesthetics of The Beatles, early Pink Floyd and The Zombies and weaves them into a extensive psychoactive journey that is as captivating as it is nostalgic.

Despite wearing its influences on its sleeve, Sun Dial’s instrumental prowess and sense of melody make them sound authentic within their niche. The lyrical substance of this album is light, remaining fixated on “exploding colors” and other hallucinative phenomenon. The lyrics complement the spiraling guitar solos, which are entrancing and placed at the front of the mix, becoming the primary driving force of these 11 tracks.

While the composition of these songs are dense, complete with organ flourishes, woodwinds and strange effects, they never loose the propulsive momentum and summery vibe that saturates their sound. Other Way Out may be pigeonholed within its specified genre, often sounding derivative of a long gone era, Sun Dial’s meticulous attention to detail and uninhibited appetite for expansive jams makes for a mind-altering experience that manages to be both pleasant and adventurous . Recommended.

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