May I/Rheinhardt & Geraldine/Colores Para Delores/Lunatics Lament/Pisser Dans Un Violin/The Oyster & The Flying Fish/Underwater/Clarence In Wonderland/Red Green & You Blue/Shooting At The Moon
Shooting At The Moon was the follow up solo album from the former Soft Machine bassist Kevin Ayers. Here he is joined by his backing group The Whole World for an album that appears to comprise both the avant-garde and some quirky pop tunes.
“Shooting At The Moon is a double-minded record, where silly pop songs co-exist with extended avant-garde improvisations in perfect harmony. Lunatic's Lament starts out as a puerile psychedelic tune only to end up in screamy, free-form freakout. The poppy The Oyster & The Flying Fish fades seamlessly into the musique concrete of Underwater and in Rheinhardt & Geraldine the crazy, cut-up middle section is followed by the most beautiful melody Ayers has ever committed to tape.”
“This album featuring Kevin's short-lived touring band The Whole World, is a dizzy world tour veering through gentle pop to interesting avant-garde instrumentals influenced by Soft Machine experiments, plus early Floyd and musique concrete.”
“This was a very poor follow up to an unbelievable debut. I don't know what he was thinking when he left the charm at home and brought in eight minute John Cage tributes and aimless dirty rock songs. Only May I seems to carry this ship afloat.”
“Kevin Ayers' second solo album is a spotty one but it does have a few golden moments, most notably the title track, a reworking of an early Soft Machine song. The rest of the tracks fall between Velvet Underground styled numbers, folky ballads and weird, rather self-indulgent foolery that is at least quiet if pointless.”
“I'm amazed this album doesn't get talked about more. Contrasting beautiful tunes against surreal yet evocative soundscapes, this showcases the split personality of the post-psychedelic English musical landscape.”
“Ayers' songs, as usual, seem almost casual on the surface but on closer inspection reveal an intelligence and direction that bring him fairly close to his contemporary and friend, Syd Barrett. Ayers' dark, luminous baritone voice is his own, however, and his worldview, although sometimes a bit demented, is not burdened with the overtones of paranoia and fear that edge Barrett's work. Ayers' pastoral and carefree view of life informs everything he writes, but don't be deceived by the surface. There's a lot going on underneath, and repeated listenings will reveal more.”
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