EP Review: Greetings From Glen Eden

This was a real treat, to get to listen to and review the latest release from Dictaphone Blues. Greetings From Glen Eden (and if you click on that handy-dandy link right there, you’ll be whisked off to a magical portal where you can pay a mere NZ$5 for the entire EP! Outrageous value! Off you go. I’ll wait here) is the latest in an already impressive catalogue for the song-writing vessel of master songsmith Edward Castelow.

What we have here is an exquisitely crafted collection of delicious ear-gems. Each song is beautifully crafted, performed, and produced. Chasing An Echo has a nicely rough & ready moment of high-gain guitars straining at the leash, before a quick double tap on the snare lets them off the chain. The tone is quickly set for the rich warmth and vibrant energy that pervades the not-quite-20 minutes of this superb slice of melodious rock. 

60’s psychedelic pop heavily influences the mood of Sooth The Muse, gloriously fuzzed-out bass and lush layers of goosebump-inducing vocal harmonies. No Beef is as enigmatic as it is frenetic fun, a fast-paced piece where the only lyrics are the two words of the title, another track that nicely demonstrates the quality of musicianship involved. A more sedate pace is next on Exist To Insist, but still full of the uplifting sense of joy and love throughout all five tracks.

The Facebook page for Dictaphone Blues is the work of an artist who proudly puts their beloved family first, which thereby strongly influences the art that comes a close second. Blow is a heart-wrenchingly lovely parent-to-child love song, a reverential ode of worship and praise. This is the work of someone with a massive emotional vocabulary, and both the ability and boldness to state it with passion and high skill.

Greetings From Glen Eden will do magnificent things for your soul, whilst also rocking your socks off. A strong sense of melody, clever harmonies, and beautiful lyrics. All matched with some stomping rock & roll that ranges from solid and driving, to a snarly bite. Excellent work, well done. Love it.