Album Review: Black Moth Super Rainbow – Eating Us (2009)
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Potholes

The readiness is all. A cup of Ryokucha green tea and complete darkness was my preparation for Black Moth Super Rainbow’s 2009 release, entitled Eating Us. The forecast called for a trip, so I packed light. I don’t have to be so graphic, but on the real, I’m buck-naked in front of a blank canvas as Moth’s piece-de-resistance (alias is Tobacco) relentlessly whips the most vibrant of colored paints in my direction. It’s important to note that this is not a blindfolded effort; Experimental, sure, but this collection here is proof positive that Tobacco and company (Should just call ‘em Tobacco Company) are musical tacticians in a field of generally hit-or-miss competition.

Eating Us is vocally pampered. What can usually be regarded as just another layer on your average experimental album, is quite the polar opposite in this case. Each fragment of speech is placed under intensive care, and taught to get along with it’s left and right associates. Regardless of whether two points in the pitch are close or distance, they’re all within genuinely comfortable boundaries. The happy-go-lucky verses surrounding a track like “Twin of Myself” begin flamboyantly and end in a calm manner, showcasing the variety that Tobacco/co. can implement in a confined space.

Experiments like these usually require a relatively even pulling of the rope between listener and composer. Fans and critics alike need to let loose or find a certain escape to tolerate the exhibits being displayed from the lab. Interestingly enough, Eating Us is a more than welcoming listen from beginning to end. The constant comfort of the spacey environment generates more than enough room for risky business. Stripped away from everything, percussion on “Tooth Decay” and the opening riff from “Born On A Day The Sun Didn’t Rise” are vulnerable black sheep. It’s the synth that rallies the herd into one beautiful entity.

Eating Us by Black Moth Super Rainbow is all about fluidity. You’ve got your style, and your substance. There are the sweet bits, and then the sour patches. It’s left, right, up, down, but it’s everywhere it wants to be. Tobacco & Co. guide you through sharp turns, but never truly shake you up.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 at 10:48 am and is filed under Album Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.