Release date: 10.05.2019
Label: Kscope
Production: Gong
Length: 43:01
Genre: progressive rock/space rock/Canterbury scene
Rating: 9/10
»The Universe Also Collapses« is the second album from the legendary prog rock titans Gong since the death of their founder Daevid Allen, who moved on to the ‘higher astral spheres’ in 2015, and their fifteenth studio outing overall. The previous album, »Rejoice! I’m Dead!« (2016), still featured a few posthumous recordings of Allen’s voice, whereas »The Universe Also Collapses« is the first Gong record without a single posthumous contribution from the unforgettable ‘granddad’ of space rock.
Gong, led by Allen’s successor Kavus Torabi (Knifeworld, Cardiacs) on guitar and lead vocals, alongside Dave Sturt (Jade Warrior) on bass, Fabio Golfetti (Violeta de Outono) on guitar, Ian East on saxophone/flute and Cheb Nettles on drums, carry on recreating the classic space rock sound of the golden Gong era on »The Universe Also Collapses«, wrapped in a seriously appealing, ‘retro’ production. All of these musicians are seasoned masters of their instruments who played with Allen on his farewell album »I See You« (2014), so they know exactly how to bring classic early-’70s Gong back to life in the second decade of the new millennium.
There are ‘only’ four tracks on the album, but the opening epic »Forever Reocurring« runs for over twenty minutes, making it the longest piece in Gong’s history to date. This ambitious creation could be called the peak of the record and a sort of collage of the band’s best songwriting ideas, with a very convincing revival of the classic ‘Radio Gnome Invisible’ sound. Nearly everything that made classic Gong what they were is here: psychedelic arrangements, heated and often unpredictable instrumental improvisations, some eccentric sounds, occasional oriental rhythms built on pentatonic scales, jazz-fusion moments and suitably ‘tripped-out’ vocals.
Torabi doesn’t have Allen’s charisma, nor does he bother with similar humor, let alone try to imitate his late idol in the lyrics. Still, his voice, which shares some similarities with the Australian master of space rock maneuvering, blends in very nicely with the sound of the new Gong. Ian East’s saxophone inserts occasionally add some jazzy elements too, which Gong took to perfection in the second half of the seventies, shortly after Allen’s (temporary) departure. The structure of this epic space rock trip keeps shifting, and the colorful instrumental sections are played with extraordinary fire and virtuosity, so it can be called the highlight of the whole album with a clear conscience.
Just over two minutes long, »If Never I’m and Ever You« is a short but fun experiment at the crossroads of space rock and psychedelic pop. The thirteen-minute »My Sawtooth Wake« is a new cosmic adventure with transcendental ambient, plenty of sax improvisation, experiments with guitar effects and unusually punchy drum barrages. Gong wouldn’t be Gong if they didn’t deliver at least one chaotic section, with slightly paranoid layered vocals, wild sax meanders and strange rhythmic twists that come across as pure spontaneity. The closing feat, »The Elemental«, is by Gong standards at times almost a commercially minded piece, with occasional cheerful arrangements, hand claps and a rowdy chorus, yet still eclectic and rhythmically unpredictable enough to please every fan of their classic era.
With »The Universe Also Collapses«, Gong once again prove that they remain a prog rock powerhouse even without Daevid Allen. Their latest studio treat holds its own against their best work from the »Radio Gnome Invisible« trilogy era, even though, judging by the lyrics, it doesn’t feature the classic Gong mythology. After an equally enjoyable predecessor, this is no longer a huge surprise, but it’s still very rare for a band with not a single original member to make an album that so aptly recalls some of their most splendid achievements. Gong have had a whole bunch of great lineups over their colorful history, but few were as technically gifted as the current version of this legendary band. »The Universe Also Collapses« is an album that Allen would surely have ‘blessed’ too, were he still alive.
Review by: Peter Podbrežnik
Track list:
1. Forever Reoccurring (20:37)
2. If Never I’m and Ever You (2:27)
3. My Sawtooth Wake (13:14)
4. The Elemental (6:43)
Gong:
Kavus Torabi – vocals, electric and acoustic guitar, harmonium
Fabio Golfetti – guitar, backing vocals
Ian East – soprano, baritone and tenor saxophone, flute, bass clarinet
Dave Sturt – bass guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals
Cheb Nettles – drums, piano, Theremin, backing vocals
