Release date: 1992
Label: Celluloid Records
Production: Dino Watkyn and Nigel Gilroy
Length: 66:00
Genre: progressive rock/space rock
Rating: 8.5
»Shapeshifter« was the first ‘real’ Gong album with Daevid Allen at the helm of the ‘spaceship’ since »You« back in 1974. After a short-lived experiment called Gongmaison, the eccentric-genius Allen revived Gong together with original saxophonist Didier Malherbe and returning drummer Pip Pyle, who had played on »Camembert Electrique« (1971) and »Continental Circus« (1972). Surprisingly, the new Gong lineup that recorded »Shapeshifter« in 1992 didn’t include Daevid’s partner Gilli Smyth, but it did feature former Gongmaison violinist Graham Smith. The newcomers were Indian percussionist Shjamal Maitra and Keith Bailey.
On »Shapeshifter«, Allen carried on the Gong mythology in the lyrics with the adventures of anti-hero Zero the Hero. In this installment, Zero the Hero, hungry to reach an even higher level of enlightenment, meets a mysterious figure who offers him a pact. In exchange for ascending to an even higher plane of existence, he has to set off on a journey by plane, on the condition that he uses no money and eats nothing but airline food. Zero the Hero agrees to the pact and soon after dies under mysterious circumstances while traveling across Allen’s Australia. The concept was stitched together by short pieces, less than a minute long, with monologues, dialogues and brief instrumental interludes.
Musically, the new Gong on »Shapeshifter« mixed space rock, world music, jazz rock and here and there some electronic music, or trance. The title track and »Hymalayas« were almost entirely in the style of classic Gong, modern production aside, while »Dog-O-Matic« was a stoned dance-y hybrid of space rock and trance. »Spirit With Me« was a short acoustic prog folk hybrid. The psychedelic-tinged »Give Me Mother a Soul Call« was a pleasant, ethereal experiment with ambient curtains and world music elements, on which Allen put the stretchiness of his vocal cords through its paces.
»Heaven’s Gate«, a biting parody of the cult of the same name, which, believing it would unite with aliens on an out-of-body plane, committed collective suicide under the leadership of a mad guru, was a more jazz-tinged piece of outstanding ambient expanses, where Daevid’s subtle guitar passages especially shone. »Loli« featured psychedelic vocal chanting and gentle violin arrangements that built up a mysterious atmosphere. »La Bas La Bas« was a goofy little number with a pastoral vibe and a mocking, country-based melody. Even more mischievous was »I Gotta Donkey«, which, with its baroque violin arrangements and Allen in the role of a ‘fidgety little donkey’, sounded like the soundtrack to a children’s fairy tale. On the epic and eclectic space rock adventure »Can You: You Can«, which reminds you why Gong rank among the most important prog rock bands of all time, things get a bit more serious again. »Elephant La Tete« brought in elements of Indian folk music through its passionate use of the tabla.
»Shapeshiter« was a surprisingly strong return of the ‘real’ Gong under Allen, who successfully blended their classic space rock approach with some more modern sonic touches and slick modern production. As a whole, the album was catchy and interesting enough to give Allen’s crew a long-term revival and the continuation of their success story, which is why it ranks among Gong’s more important achievements. The next Gong album, »Zero to Infinity« (2000), was a full eight years away. In the meantime, Smyth, Mike Howlett and Pierre Moerlen came back, with Moerlen leaving again just before the »Zero to Infinity« sessions.
Review by: Peter Podbrežnik
Track list:
1. Gnomerique (0:07)
2. Shapeshifter (4:53)
3. Hymnalayas (7:38)
4. Dog-o-matic (3:00)
5. Spirit With Me (2:27)
6. Mr. Albert Parkin (0:17)
7. Raindrop Tablas (0:21)
8. Give My Mother A Soul Cage (4:30)
9. Heaven’s Gate (4:49)
10. Snake Tablas (0:34)
11. Loli (5:09)
12. Là Bas Là Bas (4:06)
13. I Gotta Donkey (2:12)
14. Can You : You Can (Live) (9:09) *
15. Confiture De Rhubarbier (Live) (1:18) *
16. Parkin Triumphant (0:06)
17. Longhaired Tablas (0:14)
18. Éléphant La Tête (4:41)
19. Mother’s Gone (1:12)
20. Éléphant La Cuisse (3:26)
21. White Doves (5:24)
22. Gnomoutro (0:27)
Gong:
Daevid Allen – guitar, lead vocals
Graham Clark – violin
Didier Malherbe – saxophone (bass, tenor, alto, soprano), flute, piccolo, keyboards
Keith Bailey – bass guitar, vocals (2,9)
Shamal Maïtra – tabla, ghatam, djembé, darbuka, percussion programming, drums (13)
Pip Pyle – drums
Guest musicians:
Charlélie Couture – vocals (12)
Alain “Loy” Ehrlich – keyboards (8), kora (5)
Mark Robson – keyboards and vocals (7)
