Perhaps Transparent Records
Pothole Skinny : Time Shapes the Forest Lake (US,2003)****
A beautifully designed cover, for a group with a beautiful name, "Pothole Skinny", a name that reminds me of potheads like Gong, as it gives me the impression this must be a name for a psych folk pop band. It is in fact even more in the direction of acid psych folk through very moody instrumentation, with a feel for both pop song structure as with an openness to create various colourful moods, with harmonium, bowed psaltery, gopichand, harp, acoustic guitars, and cello, especially on "Antique Gasoline". It sounds like a perfect soundtrack, not as accompanying music, but as WITH the movie and story and everything on it, with beautiful landscapes included, and with enough peace within to enjoy each moment. What kind of movie, would you say ? Something in harmony with nature for sure, where "time shapes the forest lake". While the songs themselves are human impressions, directing, and acting, communicating, the instrumental passages are the colours of the environment enriching human comfort. The 6th track, "The Ernest Equinox with a distorted electric guitar and underground rock experiments (like early Sonic Youth) with additional layers of "stoned" ethereal vocals and experimental guitar coloured sounds is somewhat different, even more urban like. It is another creative "painting" of sound ideas for another similar mood, still creating an effect of colourful comfort. All ideas of Pothole Skinny are well balanced, and with clear expressions, always flowing as gently as noon breeze and the ever moving shadows of leaves in bright sunlight. A perfect listen. Highly recommended.
