The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger
GOASTT Stories
Chimera Records

It must indeed be difficult to be the son or daughter of someone very, very, VERY famous pop/rock person (or icon). Imagine... The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger was formed in 2008 by Sean Lennon and his musician (and model) girlfirend Charlotte Kemp Muhl. When the couple met some years earlier, 'Charlotte hadn't even heard "Strawberry Fields Forever", and she knew nothing about my mum. Her parents thought I was just a delinquent, by virtue of association with the famous hippie delinquents. So it was nice because it was like a bridging of gaps and a collision of galaxies.' (Sean Lennon). Well, the pair fromed The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (GOASTT), which eventially became a six-piece psych rock band. They put out Acoustic Sessions (Chimera Records) in 2010, and after a string of singles/EPs their 'real' debut album, Midnight Sun (Chimera) saw the light of day last year's spring. Their recordings have gained generally positive reviews, with their music tagged as being 'whimsical psychedelia'. Reviewers have said things like: 'charms like a countryside circus' (The Globe and Mail, Canada); 'Bends-era Radiohead, Syd Barrett whimsy and woozy melodic weirdness' (MOJO); and 'a darkly groovy psych vibe to '70s funk to Brian Wilson-inspired vocal harmonies' (Heyreverb.com).

Now, GOASTT are ready with another 10" EP/mini-album, and yes, the opening "Casanova" is a star-spangled, yet discreetly swirling psych-pop tune from the slightly psychedelic class. "India" is a tabla-raga tune, making you (well, at least me) think of how Sean's voice resembles his father's vocals. It's almost scary. However, the song is fine with its dazed and laidback groove, but it is a bit to long-stretched, especially when drifting off into a Pink Floyd soul-moment, almost sort of "The Great Gig in the Sky"-ish. Me thinks. "Pierrot" is a bit too anonymous for my head, or pair of ears. While the piano-introduced cabaret pop song "Richard Brown" is quite entertaining. As is this EP as a whole. Some small, nice amusement.

GOASTT recently played Athens, GA's 40 Watt Club along with the psychedelic knights of The Circulatory System. This summer will see GOASTT with a variety of artists and bands, such as Beck and Dinosaur Jr. Check your home town/city's board to see if they come around. Probably well worth seeing live.

Copyright © 2015 Howard Popeye