Matushka hails from Saint Petersburg, and they are one of the more interesting Russian psychedelic rock bands of recent years. Their second album is a particularly good one, as it packs some fine instrumental progressive psychedelic rock. Russia has seen the appearance of a number of great instrumental psychedelic rock bands in the last half a decade. The most notable others being for example Snakecharm. But it is perhaps Matushka that comes forward as the most conventional of those bands.
Matushka starts the album off with a track titled The Acid Curl's Dance, and it packs some fine psych rock in the vein of Colour Haze, but also original in its own right as it traverses between Colour Haze-like psych and what could be called as psych with progressive rock influences. Maybe even reminding the Estonian gospel rock band Tolmunud Mesipuu in parts. The album's second track As Bartenders and Bouncers Dance is a bit more straightforward psychedelic rock. And again reminds the well-known German outfit Colour Haze in ways. A fine catchy transcendental psych rock track. The third track of the album titled Meditation sounds even more like Colour Haze, which is of course a welcome thing. And of course this Russian outfit aren't by far just copying the sound and feel of Colour Haze. They put a more Eastern feel to the sound well known from Colour Haze. This comes best apparent in the monumental nearly 20 minute long psyched out track Drezina. This one packs some fine half-improvisational repetitive psychedelic rock jamming with space and prog rock influences in its whole length and finishes the album off well.
All in all this album is one of the best Eastern European psych rock releases of 2014, and this band is worth tracking in the future as well. This album is especially suitable for those who love the sound of Colour Haze. Check them out.
Some links:
Bandcamp: https://matushka.bandcamp.com/album/ii
Discogs: http://www.discogs.com/Matushka-II/release/7564436
