Yay! Motorpsycho

Since 2017 Motorpsycho has delivered an album a year, the one better than the other, all full of huge sounds and riffs, a few individual songs as exceptions allowed for. Time for a change the band must have thought. After the interlude 'Ancient Astronautes' of last year, with music from recent projects, Yay! truly is different, with a step back to songs that are inspired by songs from the mid 60s and early 70s. The acoustic guitar is the first instrument of choice and Traffic like percussion added.

The result is an album filled with psychedelic pop songs and folk songs like they used to be made a long time ago. Harmony singing with influences from the first incarnation of Bee Gees, The Who and CSN. Just some names as I could mention many others. My first Motorpsycho album was 'Phanerothyne' from 2001. This album contained a few songs in this style. Yay! is not a total new experience in that sense. Only a huge break from where the band now came from.

This style also comes with the news that drummer Tomas Järmyr left the band this year and that is a loss. The man is a powerhouse, really making the band better. Agreed, his role on Yay! in that sense would have been small(er). There's so much subtlety involved on this album.

As if it costs Motorpsycho no effort at all, the band rises to great heights on its new album. Listen to 'Patterns' and take in all that happens here. As if Mike Oldfield plays a starring role as lead guitarist, while playing in the best song he never wrote himself. Closest comes 'To France', I guess. The song sounds like flying without ever having to touch the ground. This sound was created together with two Swedish producers, Reine Fiske and Lars Fredrik Swahn.

Photo: Terje Visnes Espen Haslene

Of course, at some point Motorpsycho can't restrain itself and goes off into a far longer song. Which stands out more because of the great, more pop oriented songs on Yay!, but not before Motorpsycho explored many sides of the music Hans Magnus Ryan and Bengt Saether seem to love best. It is for you to hear when a little The Beatles creeps in or psychedelia or singer-songwriters and folk and when it leans more on the U.K and when on the U.S. from over 50 years ago. You will find it all. 

In 'Hotel Daedalus', the eighth song, the drums kick in, as does a sting section or synthesizer riff and the electric guitar and bass come out. The band may come out in earnest, the music remains inspired by the past. Moody Blues, even some Zappa can be heard in the style of the solo, as can David Gilmour in the sound. Yay! is good already and is lifted even higher with 'Hotel Daedalus'. The song is huge with the classical arrangement all through it.

With 'Scaredcrow' the mood is brought down completely. An acoustic guitar and a soft toned solo on, I'd guess a mellotron or synth, set the tone for a short, instrumental interlude. Yay! ends with an ode to the acoustic side of Led Zeppelin. Jimmy Page was well listened to and the vocal melodies of Robert Plant as well. A nice ending to a welcome album. If Yay! shows anything, it is that one can be positively inspired by the past and create something entirely new and good.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Yay! here:

https://motorpsycho.bandcamp.com/album/yay

or order here:

https://www.stickman-records.com/shop/motorpsycho-yay/