JUPITER AFFECT
The Restoration of Culture After Genghis Khan
(Orange Sky)
www.dionysusrecords.com 

So what exactly is Michael Quercio on?

I mean, are we supposed to take a concept album about Genghis Khan seriously? Especially with song titles like “Hymn of the Steppes,” “Attack of the Hair People” and “Song Dynasty Requiem.” Probably not but in the final analysis, it matters not when you consider the premium psychedelic rock Quercio and co manage to develop around this bare-boned narrative of all things Mongol.

C’mon, just listen to the spine-tingling epic “The Leader of All Tribes Living in Felt Tents” which moves from folk ballad to acid rocker in the course of its dizzying seven odd minutes and tell me whether you’re bothered with what it’s written about! Or how about the gorgeous 12-stringed wonder that is “Do You Remember,” where Quercio waxes lyrical about “Looking on to a simple time/Never really is that simple you will find/It’s a lie.” Not to mention the freaky love song that is “You are Wise in Your Conceit O’ Beautiful Woman of the Tartars,” where placid mellotrons and crisp guitars transport you back to the original psychedelic era of the mid-60s. Like, groovy, man.

Get the drift?

Fans of Syd Barrett, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, The Move, Deep Purple, Robin Hitchcock and The Who will absolutely soak in the wondrous painted glory that is Jupiter Affect. A