The band finished recording a second album, The King Crimson Songbook, Volume Two, with assistance from Jakko Jakszyk and Mel Collins (Wallace's colleagues in 21st Century Schizoid Band; Collins is also a King Crimson alumnus) before Wallace died on February 22, 2007. It was released on April 7, 2009 on Inner Knot Records. (from Wikipedia)
The band’s first fully-fledged album came out in 1993. Close Your Eyes (Forget the World), as the title would suggest, is a work with a hallucinatory quality. Entirely instrumental, save for the odd vocal sound clip, textured electronics interact with swirling phased guitars throughout this album, all the while underpinned by an intuitive drummer and more than adequate bassist. Deft use is made of repetitive grooves, explored in all their facets, infusing the listener’s cerebrum with a gorgeous textural ambience.
This is the kind of music that makes one go ever deeper into rarely explored territory, spacing the mind out into a kind of oneness with the music. The effect can be at times meditative and calming, as when Graham Wilkes’ flute dominates during the Celtic-tinged "Western Lands". At others it is invigorating, as when a long lasting repetitive groove is suddenly replaced by heavy riffing guitars and other sonic flourishes.
The band’s keyboard sound is heavily on the electronic side, with some elements that are close to techno. Yet all of this is counterbalanced by an organ sound that recalls the early 70’s, as well as a certain symphonic quality that gives the music a sense of grandeur and presence. Such counterbalance of instrumentation seems to have been very much a part of the band’s approach as it is difficult to find any part on a Ship of Fools disc that is dominated entirely by any one member of the band. For the most part, it is truly a group effort, with each member contributing a valuable part of the overall sonic palate; supporting the work of the others.
Out There Somewhere continues this approach, but now with a somewhat harder and more driving sound. Gone (with the exception of one track) is the flautist, as the band introduced a second guitarist to the mix. The general sound is more aggressive and heavily layered. The compositions are just that: compositions with limited jamming but plenty of flourishes into parts unknown that could only be explored by a band in which the musicians are totally in synch with a joint vision within the framework of a generally composed piece.
The musicianship is excellent, building upon the strengths of the first release. But the glue that seems to hold the whole thing together is in the extensive use of sound-clips that range from such diverse sources as the Apollo 11 mission, the Wizard of Oz, Ren & Stimpy’s Space Madness and even readings from Michel Foucault’s Madness & Civilization (from which the band appear to have taken their name). The whole thing melds the album into an exploration of one of Space Rock’s abiding fascinations: the discovery of one’s inner-self through exploring without. Hawkwind may have said it first with their "D-Rider" (“Facing out, we’re facing in”) but Ship of Fools here make the definitive space-rock commentary on the relationship of mankind to its universe. As such, this is kind of a concept album. The concept is far from linear, but a message therein is contained.
To pick out any one track from Out there Somewhere that stands above the rest is difficult. The album starts out hard and driving as if propelled by raging pistons, and yet by the third song the music takes on a pastoral quality. As each piece segues into the next, one has the impression of a carefully constructed and holistic piece of work; a rich tapestry of sound and audio-clips that weave an intricate pattern of images within the consciousness. The result is a richly psychedelic and intensely visual audio experience: one that engages the mind in a complete interaction with the music. I am quite sure that, if they had ever been introduced to each other, Nektar’s Mick Brockett would have had a field day with these guys.
With these classic albums, Ship of Fools presented an experience that went beyond that which is audible. It’s a sonic exploration of the consciousness…one that unfortunately is not available to most listeners. These titles (which were once available on a double CD) are no longer available. Hopefully enough of an outcry can emerge to make them once again available. It’s up to you, but I say that it’s time we keel-haul those responsible for the loss of one of space rock’s greats if these great titles do not once again readily grace many a CD deck.
There is some hope however. It seems at the time of writing that the best parts from these titles have been gathered together and remixed into a single CD, Lets Get This Mother Outta Here on Peaceville Records. (from http://www.progressiveears.com/asp/reviews.asp?albumID=1838&bhcp=1)
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