reviews / 2011

AMEN DUNES - Through Donkey Jaw

Name: AMEN DUNES – Through Donkey Jaw
Item: Through Donkey Jaw
Rating: 6
Author: Francesco Nunziata

2011 (Sacred Bones)

art-rock, lo-fi pop-rock, psych-rock

by Francesco Nunziata

The psychedelic nightmares of Pink Floyd's "A Saucerful Of Secrets" seem to resurface, as if by magic, in the very first seconds of the enigmatic litany of "Baba Yaga", the opening track of this second work by Damon McMahon's creature, following the mediocre "Dia".

"Through Donkey Jaw" is, let's say it right away, a clear step forward, starting with a more polished production (after all, our man is now signed to Sacred Bones…) and a sound that, atmospheric and visionary, finally seems to have given him a path to follow with some consistency. The tracks all move within a dark, alien psych-rock vein, with more or less evident traces of the East ("Swim Up Behind Me"), beguiling lo-fi suggestions ("1985") drawn directly from the New Zealand tradition (Alastair Galbraith could be your man), disorienting sixties pop polaroids ("Not A Slave", "Sunday", "Good Bad Dreams"), minimalist nightmares ("Jill") and drowsy folk transfigurations ("Lezzy Head"). Also present is the ghost of solo Syd Barrett, conjured up here in the folk ritual of "For All", just as one can't help but notice "Bedroom Drum", which alone could be enough to file our man under the heading of "bedroom-pop".

Only on the CD version can you also hear the Velvet-esque "Gem Head" and the lengthy reworking of "Tomorrow Never Knows", turned into an art-disco trip.

A freak out of time, McMahon doesn't have great numbers on his side, but he does possess a sinister charm that could well win many of you over.

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05/10/2011

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This article is an English translation of the original Italian text by Francesco Nunziata, published on OndaRock.it. It was translated with the help of artificial intelligence, under the editorial responsibility of OndaRock's editor-in-chief, Claudio Fabretti.

Read the original in Italian · About the English edition