Review: More Experience – Follow Me (released October 17, 2016)

Poland’s More Experience first started playing together in the late 80’s/early 90’s with the idea to combine the early trippy Pink Floyd sound circa 1968/1969 with the electric intensity of Jimi Hendrix. They released their first album, From Acid Dreams, in 1997, and in 2004, they recorded their sophomore release, Follow Me. Here Follow Me’s been re-mastered and freshly released with some beautiful new psychedelic packaging.

Lead by Piotr Dudzikowski, who writes the music and plays most of the instruments on the album, Follow Me certainly does capture the sunny, patchouli scented vibe of that magical era, with vintage guitar and organ sounds and even some retro synths. References abound, especially early Pink Floyd references, from the opening track Follow Me, with its throbbing guitars, descending chromatic chords and distorted vocals, reminiscent in tone to Astronomy Domine and on to touches of the Morning Glory section of Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast in the end of Now We Are Dreaming. We Couldn’t Get Much Higher, despite the Doors reference in its title, bears a whiff of early Rolling Stones, with its jaunty rhythm reminiscent of 19th Nervous Breakdown. But rather than crafting little pop songs, Dudzikowski, creates intricate songs that flow from one section into the next. Now We are Dreaming, for example starts as a hazy, summery ballad before Dudzikowski’s lead guitar takes over and slowly builds into an epic fiery solo. Then suddenly the piece breaks into an upbeat and beautifully jazzy piano led passage! Elsewhere, the self-titled track More Experience incorporates tabla and East Indian melodies, but also contains a brilliantly frenetic psychedelic jam. And one of the standout tracks of the album, the 9-minute long Like a Sail, almost ventures into prog territory with an early Genesis vibe with its beautiful layered acoustic guitars, complex structure and an amazing synth solo near the end.

The album does certainly get upbeat, and has some fuzzy guitars, but the overall feel is quite a mellow one actually. And although the band does tend to wear its influences on its sleeve, when the music is this good, who cares? Follow Me is perfect for lazing about on a sunny afternoon. Follow Me is a fantastic album of trippy, melodic psychedelia perfect for the hippie inside everyone.

For more info, visit: https://www.facebook.com/more.experience.music/ and https://soundcloud.com/more-experience1