By the mid-'90s, most bands had abandoned the sounds and
sensibilities of late-'60s psychedelia, which is what makes Kula Shaker's debut
album, K, such a weird, bracing listen. The band doesn't simply revive the
swirling guitar and organ riffs of psychedelia, it embraces the mysticism and
Eastern spirituality that informed the music. On both "Tattva" and
"Govinda," lead singer Crispian Mills has adapted portions of
Sanskrit text for the lyrics, chanting Indian mantras without a hint of
embarrassment. Similarly, Kula Shaker are unashamed about their devotion to
Hendrix, Traffic, and the Beatles, cutting their traditionalist tendencies with
an onslaught of volume, overdriven guitars, and catchy melodies -- though they
have a song called "Grateful When You're Dead," all of their
psychedelic sensibilities derive from British rock, not the more experimental
American counterpart. Kula Shaker may play well -- they have a powerful rush
that makes you temporarily forget how classicist their music actually is -- but
they still have trouble coming up with hooks. About half the record ("Hey
Dude," "Tattva," "Govinda," "Grateful When You're
Dead") has strong melodies, while the rest just rides by on the band's
instrumental skills. Consequently, much of K doesn't stick around once the
record is finished, but the singles remain excellent blasts of colourful
neo-psychedelia.
