At Stars End
Extremely Huge, 2021
9/10
Earl Kayoss and Fernando Perdomo return with their 5th album as Life On Mars, where Danny Seiwell handles drums and they flesh out a very diverse and nostalgic rock’n’roll focused affair.
“Only One” opens the listen with warm acoustic guitar and gritty singing in a dreamy, folk-friendly sort of way, and “Hurricane Jane” follows with a fuller approach that benefits from spirited guitar work that unfolds with some psyche-rock tendencies.
Elsewhere, “Stray Dog” is a loud, retro-rocker that’s got some blues and classic rock nods buried in the busy landscape, while “The Key” offers a thick and turbulent album highlight against a cosmic backdrop. “Nancy’s Finger”, another excellent track, then soars high with plenty of rawness amid the buzzing melodies.
At the end, “Wanting” is quite pretty in its soulful and harmonic progressions, and “Only One” finishes with just Kayoss solo across the bare but impactful exit that shows yet another avenue to his songwriting.
Kayoss has penned over 700 songs, and though I’ve only heard a small chunk of those, I feel pretty confident that these are among his best, where detailed guitar work and powerful song craft make each track a stand out.
Travels well with: Life On Mars- Observer; R. Stevie Moore- Afterlife