#cromagnon

Concept Art / Character study / megalithic scifi universe. Neanderthals and Cromagnons: our ancestors.

For other fans of obscure junk from the past, a good chunk of people listened to Caledonia. A strikingly heavy, dark song for 1969 with bagpipes and fantasy lyrics makes it a peculiar song in history and a cool track in itself.

Years back, I tried giving other songs (”songs” I should say) a shot. I heard two and immediately stopped them some minutes in. Noise for the sake of being artsy.

Took another listen because why the hell not. I’m wiser, more attuned to different music. Does it hold up beyond its peak-psychedelic counter-culture era?

1. Caledonia

Like in the description, the best and most distinguished song on the album. Benefits by being a song. 4 minutes long

2. Ritual Feast of the Libido

Shit. It’s just guys making noises and yelling with an occasional thud and some ongoing whirring. Less like libido and more like Hell. 3 minutes long

3. Organic Sundown

More coherent with the structure being lots of clanking sounds as percussion, a man trying to sleep as his “voices” tell him to sleeeeep, while louder ones command him to sleep. Still obnoxious. 7 minutes long.

4. Fantasy

Guys making silly sound effects, laughing, audio clips. There’s some high pitched synth sounds and minimal guitar strumming for instruments. Ends with guys wanting freedom. 7 minutes long.

5. Crow of the Black Tree

Has decent steady guitar strumming and VERY minimal percussion for rhythm as more lads say some cheers every couple durations. Not bad on the ears, but repetitive as hell for the length. Almost 10 minutes long.

6. Genitalia

Guys moaning in chorus followed by squeaky noises. There’s a man singing normally and he’s doing a decent job as an ancient storyteller, but the high pitched voices detract from it instead of supporting it. Almost 3 minutes long

7. Toth, Scribe I

Maybe my brain was broken at this point, but I was oddly captivated by this. No vocals (thank god) and is instead an atmospheric tune. An ongoing didgeridoo-type keyboard plays a simple note while thunderous footsteps, monster noises, strong gusts, and a somber low end plays. Maybe it had a story in it that I found. Maybe it was peace from high pitches. But I let it play without frustration aside from the transition. 10 and a half minutes.

Edit: A commenter informed me the music is Caledonia slowed down. Doesn’t take away from the joy since it’s a welcome relief, but it explains a lot regarding creativity.

8. First World of Bronze

Sharp, fuzzy, frantic guitar plays as a man and his chorus sing a decent song. The contrast is cute, but it doesn’t make a listenable track. Around 3 minutes long.

Overall? It seems to tell a story from ancient times, like the album title implies. A very primal exercise in human wants, needs, and myth making stemming from our cro-magnon ancestors. A communal gathering translated by the band bringing in strangers off the street to symbolize this.

Cromagnon- Caledonia