Flying Eyes, The - The Flying Eyes

Year of Release: 2009
Label: Trip In Time
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 42:21:00

If you like the Doors, you will like Baltimore, Maryland?s The Flying Eyes. Not only is vocalist Will Kelly virtually indistinguishable from Jim Morrison, but the band knows how to write songs with the same catchy swagger as the California legends. Flying Eyes, in their press release, admit to other influences (Sabbath, Floyd), and there is a hint of prog and a stronger psychedelic hue to the music, but otherwise this is the forgotten Doors album. It's two EP releases placed onto one album for approximately 42 minutes of retro-rock.

The CD begins with "Lay With Me," which will blow you off your feet if you're not expecting it ? the Morrison voice and the bluesy strumming. The song goes off onto an instrumental tangent that hints at progressive influences; but the songs, being brief, never really depart from a more commercial approach. Keyboards are often sublimated to a background Hammond. More John Paul Jones style rather than Ray Manzarek, but it gives guitarists Kelly and Buffano more room to explore and expunge interesting sounds from their guitars. "Bad Blood," for instance, has some very cool acid-tinged wah wah effects.

"Don?t Point Your God at Me" reminds me, other than the vocals, of "Thank You" from Led Zeppelin's 2nd , with its lazy, floating organ. The first EP half ends with one of the album's finest tracks, "She Comes To Me." Starting with some strong, bluesy riffs, the song showcases another progressively minded, spacey, wildly psychedelic instrumental section that, again, should have been extended for maximum effect.

The second EP, "Bad Blood" features a more acid-tinged sound, and has even stronger material. "We Are Not Alive" is a moody number that explores the dark territory the Doors often languished within. "Winter" is the heaviest song on the CD, with massive Heep-like riffs and adventurous musical diversions. "King Of Nowhere" closes with bassist Hewitt obviously on vocals. This song is awash in 70s Krautrock-drenched atmosphere and gives us just a hint of the greater things this band is destined for.

All in all, this self-titled release is another in a growing series of retro-rock releases over the past few years. While it's not truly progressive, it is easy to digest and grows better with each listen.

Tracklisting:
Part A: Lay With Me / Better Things / Bad Blood / Don?t Point Your God At Me / She Comes To Me // Part B: We Are Not Alive / Red Sheets / Around The Bend / Winter / King Of Nowhere

Musicians:
Will Kelly - vocals and guitar
Adam Bufano - guitar and organ
Mac Hewitt - bass and vocals
Elias Schutzman - percussion

Discography:
The Flying Eyes (2009)

Genre: Rock

Origin US

Added: February 16th 2010
Reviewer: Richard Zywotkiewicz
Score:
Artist website: www.myspace.com/theflyingeyes
Hits: 4579
Language: english