REVIEW: Ominous Seapods, Matinee Idols (Hydrophonic)
- Linda Scott
Ominous Seapods are a mixture of latter day hippie band and psychedelic funk jam band, and they're very good at what they do. If you haven't heard of them, which is becoming more difficult as they approach 300,000 miles on their 15 seat van, think of Grateful Dead, Phish, The Band. Matinee Idols is their debut album on Hydrophonic, and their second album release. These funky freaks hail from upper New York state, but their rocketing sixties style has them rocketing across the country playing all kind of gigs.
The 'Pods (as referred to by their fans) are into live shows with bizarre theatrics, psychedelic light shows, costumes, funny masks, and some cool grooves. The band encourages taping and sells their own tapes at shows - just like other bands with cult followings from the Dead to Dave Matthews. Matinee Idols is built from soundboards of four live shows from spring 1998. Listening to Matinee Idols gives you a good idea what the band can do musically, but stories of rubber headed sci fi costumes makes you wish for a video.
The band's name choice is strange and may falsely imply that the Ominous Seapods are a punk band. The album artwork supports the name with that old, weird, latenight sci fi movie feeling. This is one band that may not get much impulse buying. And that's too bad, because from the first track the band is wonderful. The 'Pods know how to write songs with a rock vibe, how to play them and jam on them. The ghost of Jerry Garcia seems to be riding in that van with them.
Matinee Idols has ten original 'Pods tracks which are highly recommended to listeners wanting sixties groove with long jams and peaceful fun. For more information on the Ominous Seapods, check their website at http://www.netspace.org/seapods .
