A full review of these albums will appear in the next issue of ACID DRAGON along with a comprehensive interview, a synopsis of which will appear soon. Meanwhile, here is an extract:
Two Headed Emperor consists of Barry Lamb (Falling A Records) and Peter Ashby, who were introduced at a young age to the music of more progressively inclined bands like Van Der Graaf Generator, Frank Zappa and King Crimson, and there are places in the occasional flurries of Barry’s sax and the angular guitar work of Peter that these influences emerge. Their main sound is 80s based/ electronica, described on the group’s Bandcamp page as “edgy, punk influenced Art Rock.” Overall, it is a unique and honest brand of music, unrefined at times and reflecting the angst and chaos felt by more ‘out there’ bands of the 80s such as The Fall and Joy Division.
There are some moments that stand out on both albums: from “Wireless of the North” the opening track ‘Posturing’ through its insightful lyrics and the nine-minute long ‘Fight or Flight’, which sees the duo branch out with percussion and wandering sax before entering a musical ‘Twilight Zone’: a with a stonking bass line 5 minutes in and some fractured, guitar. On “Clean Your House” the singing is at times a close cousin to Peter Hammill, as is the music, especially on ‘No Shame’ and ‘The Tapestry of Oddities’. There is also wry humour on songs like “Chaos (Ha! Ha!)” delivering a serious message about today’s cultural, social and political landscape.
David Bowie’s Berlin period and the Canterbury scene are also influential.
Two Headed Emperor’s music can be heard on Bandcamp and more information found by visiting www.barrylamb.com and www.fallingarecords.com
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