Albums

The Flies - All Too Human

Matt Harrold 19/12/2007

Rating: 2.5/5

Sean Cook has been lost in the wilderness ever since a particularly well documented parting from the legend of neo-psychedelia that is Spiritualized, and though he did go on to a four year stint in the lack lustre Lupine Howl his out put has been meagre to say the least. It seems though that after jacking in all the chaos and settling down in Bristol he's managed to get his act together; forming The Flies and hooking up with award winning producers Bob Locke and Tim Norfolk, better known for their work with the likes of Massive Attack and Goldfrapp, to produce their début album 'All To Human'.

Opener 'Walking on the Sand' sets the tone for everything to follow, leading you down the back alleys and past the strip joints in a spaced out trip. Whilst 'The Elements' is the sound of Dan Sartan brought up on mushrooms and running off to join those West Coast pedallers of droning doom psychedelia The Warlocks. Both turning out to be the stand out tracks from what is otherwise a somewhat tepid offering of musical musings. There's an underlying vibe to the whole affair that whilst recording Cook found an alternative 60's/70's .

Although it's hard to say it was worth the effort, even with having two top notch producers on board it comes across as devoid of the sort of charm or critical kudos. So instead of a cosmic trip down the back alleys and strip joints that Cook was so desperately trying to aim for, it ends up instead a testament that whilst some people are destined to create era defining music, others are only ever going to make it as the session musicians of life.