The Amazing Colossal Band is an album by the Finnish surf rock band Laika & the Cosmonauts, released in 1995.[2][3] It was one of many instrumental rock albums released in 1995, part of a mid-1990s trend that encompassed lounge, surf, and space rock styles.[4]
It was the band's second album to be released in the United States.[5] Laika & the Cosmonauts supported it by playing with, among others, Polara and El Vez on a North American tour.[6][7]
An instrumental band made up of some of Finland's foremost studio musicians, Laika & the Cosmonauts differed from many of the surf revivalist acts of the mid-1990s by neither sticking to strictly older production techniques, nor by applying a layer of ironic distance to the songs.[8][9] For Amazing, the band upped the percentage of original material to about 75%, compared to Instruments of Terror's reliance on around 50% covers.[10]
The Washington City Paper thought that "Amazing's standouts include 'Tantrum', which features bongo drums, spy-movie-soundtrack bass runs, and the cheesy organ trills of keyboardist/guitarist Matti Pitsinki; 'The A-Treatment', a composition that mixes sitarlike guitar with funky bass and organ parts; and 'Aztec Two-Step', built around Mikko Lanikinen’s plucky guitar."[13]Trouser Press concluded that the album "has moments of charm ... but it’s not a good sign that the best moments are again soundtrack covers—'The Avengers' and John Barry’s 'The Ipcress File'."[14]
Tucson Weekly wrote that "while a couple of tracks also court the attention of Esquivel-enamored lounge lizards (pop an umbrella in your cocktail while 'Exposé' slithers past), most of the originals have bucketsful of sand and salt to spare."[15]The Washington Post determined that "in contrast to [Dick] Dale's often relentless surf-guitar assault, the Finns offer a more varied palette, contrasting Lankinen's slow, distorted guitar lines against the rhythm section's brisk, staccato backing and alternating lazy, atmospheric numbers to jacked-up, jittery workouts."[6]
Guitar Player deemed the album "party music supreme," writing that "Lankinen plays with a big, haunting twang, fast tremolo, and rad wang-bar quiver."[16]The Province praised the "romping sense of humor."[12] The Los Angeles Times opined that "while many of the tracks boast an intricacy and quirkiness worthy of a Nino Rota or Ennio Morricone, the group also rocks with a vicious edge on the biker movie soundtrack tune 'Skater Dater'."[5]
AllMusic wrote that "because Laika & the Cosmonauts are pure professionals in their job, they have remained the high artistic level in their music, even though The Amazing Colossal Band can be considered as party music to dance to."[11] The New Haven Register listed the album among the 100 best of the 1990s.[17]
Track listingedit
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Delayrium"
2.
"Floating"
3.
"Tantrum"
4.
"The A-Treatment"
5.
"The Ipcress File"
6.
"Global Village"
7.
"The Avengers"
8.
"Exposé"
9.
"Aztec Two-Step"
10.
"The Down-Winders"
11.
"Café Equator"
12.
"O.C.C.C. (Oahu Community Correctional Center)"
13.
"Get Carter"
14.
"The Man from H.U.A.C."
15.
"Azure Blue"
16.
"Intro"
17.
"Skater Dater"
Referencesedit
^Gulla, Bob (May 1995). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly (21): 36.
^"Laika & the Cosmonauts Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
^"NAIRD's '95 Indie Award nominees". Billboard. 108 (19): 50. May 11, 1996.
^Crisafulli, Chuck (Feb 1996). "Surf 'n' turf: Instrumental rock rumbles back to the future". Guitar Player. 30 (2): 60.
^ abWashburn, Jim (2 Mar 1995). "New Pick of the Week". Los Angeles Times. OC Live. p. 5.
^ ab"LAIKA SURFS, POLARA LAYERS". The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
^Marsh, Steven P. (August 25, 1995). "WHO NEEDS LYRICS? - THIS GOOD NEW ROCK-AND-ROLL STANDS ALONE". The Record. Lifestyle/Previews. p. 4.
^Lozaw, Tristram (August 18, 1995). "SURFERS IN SPACE". Boston Herald. p. S13.
^Simels, Steve (Sep 1995). "Surfers rule, dude! -- The Amazing Colossal Band by Laika and the Cosmonauts". Stereo Review. 60 (9): 93.
^Stetson, Nancy (18 Aug 1995). "FINN, FINN, FINN: A SURF BAND FROM HELSINKI RIDES INTO TOWN ON A RISING WAVE OF POPULARITY". Chicago Tribune. Tempo. p. 1.
^ ab"Amazing Colossal Band - Laika & the Cosmonauts | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
^ abHarrison, Tom (4 May 1995). "LAIKA AND THE COSMONAUTS: The Amazing Colossal Band". The Province. p. B6.
^Buja, Ben (April 21, 1995). "The Amazing Colossal Band". Washington City Paper.
^"Laika & the Cosmonauts". Trouser Press. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
^"Quick Scans (April 13 - April 19, 1995)". www.tucsonweekly.com.
^Ellis, Andy (May 1995). "The Amazing Colossal Band by Laika and The Cosmonauts". Guitar Player. 29 (5): 129, 131.
^Fried, Fran (December 31, 1999). "In pop music, the 1990s was a strange, fragmented decade". New Haven Register. p. E1.
October 27, 2023
amazing, colossal, band, album, finnish, surf, rock, band, laika, cosmonauts, released, 1995, many, instrumental, rock, albums, released, 1995, part, 1990s, trend, that, encompassed, lounge, surf, space, rock, styles, studio, album, laika, cosmonautsreleased19. The Amazing Colossal Band is an album by the Finnish surf rock band Laika amp the Cosmonauts released in 1995 2 3 It was one of many instrumental rock albums released in 1995 part of a mid 1990s trend that encompassed lounge surf and space rock styles 4 The Amazing Colossal BandStudio album by Laika amp the CosmonautsReleased1995GenreSurf rock instrumental rockLabelUpstart Records 1 ProducerLaika amp the CosmonautsLaika amp the Cosmonauts chronologyInstruments of Terror 1993 The Amazing Colossal Band 1995 Zero Gravity 1996 It was the band s second album to be released in the United States 5 Laika amp the Cosmonauts supported it by playing with among others Polara and El Vez on a North American tour 6 7 Contents 1 Production 2 Critical reception 3 Track listing 4 ReferencesProduction editAn instrumental band made up of some of Finland s foremost studio musicians Laika amp the Cosmonauts differed from many of the surf revivalist acts of the mid 1990s by neither sticking to strictly older production techniques nor by applying a layer of ironic distance to the songs 8 9 For Amazing the band upped the percentage of original material to about 75 compared to Instruments of Terror s reliance on around 50 covers 10 Critical reception editProfessional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingAllMusic nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 11 The Province nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 12 The Washington City Paper thought that Amazing s standouts include Tantrum which features bongo drums spy movie soundtrack bass runs and the cheesy organ trills of keyboardist guitarist Matti Pitsinki The A Treatment a composition that mixes sitarlike guitar with funky bass and organ parts and Aztec Two Step built around Mikko Lanikinen s plucky guitar 13 Trouser Press concluded that the album has moments of charm but it s not a good sign that the best moments are again soundtrack covers The Avengers and John Barry s The Ipcress File 14 Tucson Weekly wrote that while a couple of tracks also court the attention of Esquivel enamored lounge lizards pop an umbrella in your cocktail while Expose slithers past most of the originals have bucketsful of sand and salt to spare 15 The Washington Post determined that in contrast to Dick Dale s often relentless surf guitar assault the Finns offer a more varied palette contrasting Lankinen s slow distorted guitar lines against the rhythm section s brisk staccato backing and alternating lazy atmospheric numbers to jacked up jittery workouts 6 Guitar Player deemed the album party music supreme writing that Lankinen plays with a big haunting twang fast tremolo and rad wang bar quiver 16 The Province praised the romping sense of humor 12 The Los Angeles Times opined that while many of the tracks boast an intricacy and quirkiness worthy of a Nino Rota or Ennio Morricone the group also rocks with a vicious edge on the biker movie soundtrack tune Skater Dater 5 AllMusic wrote that because Laika amp the Cosmonauts are pure professionals in their job they have remained the high artistic level in their music even though The Amazing Colossal Band can be considered as party music to dance to 11 The New Haven Register listed the album among the 100 best of the 1990s 17 Track listing editNo TitleLength1 Delayrium 2 Floating 3 Tantrum 4 The A Treatment 5 The Ipcress File 6 Global Village 7 The Avengers 8 Expose 9 Aztec Two Step 10 The Down Winders 11 Cafe Equator 12 O C C C Oahu Community Correctional Center 13 Get Carter 14 The Man from H U A C 15 Azure Blue 16 Intro 17 Skater Dater References edit Gulla Bob May 1995 Reviews CMJ New Music Monthly 21 36 Laika amp the Cosmonauts Biography Songs amp Albums AllMusic NAIRD s 95 Indie Award nominees Billboard 108 19 50 May 11 1996 Crisafulli Chuck Feb 1996 Surf n turf Instrumental rock rumbles back to the future Guitar Player 30 2 60 a b Washburn Jim 2 Mar 1995 New Pick of the Week Los Angeles Times OC Live p 5 a b LAIKA SURFS POLARA LAYERS The Washington Post Retrieved 7 December 2021 Marsh Steven P August 25 1995 WHO NEEDS LYRICS THIS GOOD NEW ROCK AND ROLL STANDS ALONE The Record Lifestyle Previews p 4 Lozaw Tristram August 18 1995 SURFERS IN SPACE Boston Herald p S13 Simels Steve Sep 1995 Surfers rule dude The Amazing Colossal Band by Laika and the Cosmonauts Stereo Review 60 9 93 Stetson Nancy 18 Aug 1995 FINN FINN FINN A SURF BAND FROM HELSINKI RIDES INTO TOWN ON A RISING WAVE OF POPULARITY Chicago Tribune Tempo p 1 a b Amazing Colossal Band Laika amp the Cosmonauts Songs Reviews Credits AllMusic via www allmusic com a b Harrison Tom 4 May 1995 LAIKA AND THE COSMONAUTS The Amazing Colossal Band The Province p B6 Buja Ben April 21 1995 The Amazing Colossal Band Washington City Paper Laika amp the Cosmonauts Trouser Press Retrieved 7 December 2021 Quick Scans April 13 April 19 1995 www tucsonweekly com Ellis Andy May 1995 The Amazing Colossal Band by Laika and The Cosmonauts Guitar Player 29 5 129 131 Fried Fran December 31 1999 In pop music the 1990s was a strange fragmented decade New Haven Register p E1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Amazing Colossal Band amp oldid 1160498698, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
