ANCIENT SKY – S/T

Every so often an album comes around and totally warps minds. Sometimes, this mind warping isn’t such a good thing. Well, guess what? Ancient Sky makes it all work. This Brooklyn-based quartet takes its cues from heavy psychedelic rock, as the whole sound takes heavy influence from late-era Doors crossed over with the finest work Syd Barrett put out without Pink Floyd’s backing. The whole album ebbs and flows at perfect points. The lightly blues-tinted “Full Light” evokes a sweeter time and place where music actually stirs feeling, not the fake rage of many poser bands these days.

The only lag point on the album is the vocals that fall flat at points and strike the chord of a tone-deaf Jim Morrison. Strangely enough, these vocals add to the drive of the psychedelic sound at points. Other times, they simply fall apart and compromise the aching beauty of the tracks.

Happily, Ancient Sky put out a fine album. Where the Black Keys evoke the sound of ’60s rock, Ancient Sky evokes the sound of psychedelic rock to perfection. It isn’t the most polished gem of an album, but it is certainly worth picking up a copy and letting it melt your mind.

(The Perpetual Motion Machine, PO Box 7401, Richmond, VA 23221)