Spaced out on Ether - A review of Ethyl Ether's 2020 album, Chrome Neon Jesus

May 15, 2020

Spaced out on Ether - A review of Ethyl Ether's 2020 album, Chrome Neon Jesus

Hendrix nuances tightly woven into stoner rock tropes.

Artist: Ethyl Ether

Album: Chrome Neon Jesus (2020)

Members: Andrew Charles Paine (Guitar, Vocals)

Pablo ‘Pabs’ Booma (Bass, Vocals)

Pat Niadoo (Drums)

Mornay Carstens (Guitar)

Tracklist: 01 - The smoke waits for no man

02 - Ode

03 - Under the Milky Way

04 - Therapy?

05 - Voodoo

06 - Diamonds

07 - Cold Black Soul

08 - Faces

09 - Is Anybody Different? ft. Melina

10 - Higher Than Drugs ft. Melina

The Introduction bit:

Psych rock. We all know it. We all partake in it to some varying degree, whether it be in the form of the greats like Pink Floyd or Jimi Hendrix, or by representing the counter-culture to modern mainstream media, you can’t deny the influence that psychedelic rock has had on rock as a whole.

To quote the legend of Hendrix himself, “Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.” True music is embedded deep in self-expression, emotion and conveying a message to you, the listener.

Now, the reason I’m hammering on Hendrix so much is not simply to bore the shit of you with a history/philosophy lesson, but simply foreshadowing things to come later in this article.

The Band Background bit:

Ever heard of a band called Ethyl Ether? A four-piece alternative/psychedelic rock piece from Cape Town, who play the self-coined genre of ‘AgroPop’. Some or most of you probably know them, but if you’re anything like me, being a somewhat lazy shit when exploring new music, prepare to bless your ears with their latest iteration of psych rock, “Chrome Neon Jesus”.

Ethyl Ether planted their roots in the Cape Town underground in 2016, and have been active through the years, playing sets with the likes of Them Dirty Shrikes, Filthy Hippies and Kill Frenzy (Some bands that I’d recommend you check out ASAP). They have many combined influences that define their sound, but some of the main ones are Jimi Hendrix (clearly), Smashing Pumpkins and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Ethyl Ether is the brainchild of Andrew Charles Paine and Pablo ‘Pabs’ Booma who through the years have collected Patrick Naidoo and Mornay Carstens to add to their line-up.

The band name is an interesting one. Andrew originally liked the simple name of ‘Ether’ for the band, but found it to be too commonplace, and found ethyl ether which is an organic compound known as Diethyl ether (C₂H₅)₂O which was used as a general anaesthetic but was eventually replaced because it was highly volatile and flammable. Now it’s used as a recreation drug that causes intoxication. Just a side note kids, if your drugs are highly flammable, you might want to rethink your life choices.

To be honest, the name Ethyl Ether fits the group well, as their sound can be defined as incendiary with a twang of ecstasy. “Chrome Neon Jesus” has moments of intemperate alternative rock soundscapes that complacently engulf you, whilst the air is filled with the kaleidoscopic air of Hendrix-esque solos that becomes familiar though out the album.

The Review bit:

The opening tracks to the album, ‘The smoke waits for no man’ and ‘Ode’ highlight this especially well, with the former of the two being an atmospheric instrumental feature that sets the bar high for the rest of the album. The second track ‘Ode’, follows a similar setting, rife with swirling solos and a steady, level-headed pacing, however this track stands out because of the initial introduction of vocals, which may seem monochrome at first, but once the chorus hits, it delivers a multi-layered hook that’s well worth the wait.

Skipping over a few track, simply to highlight the tracks that stand out, one such track is track 4, ‘Therapy’. It’s a track that slows the pace of the album down a tad, but makes up for it in its fuzzier-than-your-daddy tone and ephemeral vocals. The track itself is a steady march from start to finish, with those infectious 70s style solos finding their way through the cracks of the slumbering march of fuzz. It’s a unique track that stands out amidst an album full of psych rock, especially considering that the next track ‘Voodoo’ brings the Hendrix influence right back into the foreground, with a clear southern jive rock sound and lyrical themes that paint the picture of Mississippi, moonshine and voodoo dolls. The subtle nuance of the soulful, blues-gospel piano is a nice finishing touch to the overall track’s tone.

The next track, ‘Diamonds’ brings an air of All Them Witches to the table, and not just because they have a similarly named track. The track’s pacing is an unhurried stride, showcasing bluesy stoner rock rhythms and hooks that entices you into a steady head bob.

Once again, showing a contrast in tonality, the next track (Which has a relevant music video) titled ‘Cold Black Soul’, shows the band’s more punk influences. Whilst not entirely a punk blow-out, the song mixes in a southern rock flair, showcasing something that would be aired on the likes of the MK music channel back in the day, for those of you who remember that.

Moving on, we reach the final stretch of the album, and these three tracks could be thrown into a similar basket, decelerating the album into more of a wholesome listening experience.

Track 8 ‘Faces’, tunes into a more aromatic mood, with the self-coined term of ‘AgroPop’ coming into play. This continues into track 9 ‘Is Anybody Different’ which, not to sound cliché, is a ballad to the album “exploring of darker, grittier side of life and reflects their experiences and observations on everyday living”.

And finally, the album’s penultimate finale, track 10 is ‘Higher than Drugs’. This track is a strange one on this album, but that’s in no way a bad thing. The track has a guest feature by ‘Melina’, who’s vocals can be heard in duality in the chorus, but really showcases itself in the second half of the track, in an isolated verse. This part especially stood out to me for one specific reason. It really hammers in the track’s lyrical theme, that being the feeling of ‘that’ someone special being an entirely euphoric experience. The track then closes on a rather wholesome note, with the band putting down the instruments and swapping over to entirely sonant rendition of the verse (save for a few bongos and a tambourine in the background).

The Conclusion Bit:

Props to the mastering and mixing of the album. It’s a tight mix in which one is able to clearly and delicately hear what need to be heard, whilst retaining its unique flavor of heaviness.

Ethyl Ether have created probably their strongest release yet with “Chrome Neon Jesus”, and its worthy of multiple spins, if anything simply to listen and pick up on the Hendrix nuances that have been tightly woven into the stoner/psych rock tropes you know and love.

I don't usually give a rating, but if I had to meet Ethyl Ether in a bar or at a gig, I'd buy them all a round or two as a job well done.

Go give it a spin yourselves when it drops on the 15th of May, and be sure to let us know your thoughts.

Relevant links:

Ethyl Ether

Plug Music Agency

Website

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