All of Yesterday Tomorrow [Box set]

Amp were originally associated with the collective of indie 'low-fi' experimental bands centered around Bristol, England during the early to middle 1990s. Flying Saucer Attack, Third Eye Foundation (Matt Elliot), Crescent, Movietone, Philosopher's Stone and a number of other related projects, all issued incredibly imaginative and, mostly, home recorded sonic explorations that were self-released on the bands' own labels. Assorted members from all these DIY groups turn up as temporary members and collaborators with Richard Walker's and Karine Charff's 'Amp' project, along with many other contributing musicians over the past fifteen years.

AMP's 'All of Yesterday Tomorrow', is an epic three CD collection of rare singles, compilation appearances and unreleased tracks spanning the band's career from about 1990 onward. Any 'indie' band would be proud with one CD worth of quality materials. However, having three CDs worth of quality 'rare' material indicates a consistency and depth of inventiveness that should do much to broaden Amp's 'underground' or 'cult' status. The material is stylistically 'all over the map' from slightly 'tweaked' straight-forward songs to uncharted descents into alien underworlds and atmospheres. Surprisingly, the tracks are not chronologically sequenced. However, this strategy actually tends to frame and unify Amp's diversity through the years.

Key Tracks:

'Frise': a cavernous and ominous work, originally released as a 'Wurlitzer Jukebox' 7". This is among the darkest-sounding records from the 90s. (I'm surprised 'Goths' haven't "tuned in" to this track yet).

'Lutin2': to these ears, this is what Louis and Bebe Barron might sound like if they started a 'rock band'!

'Moon Tree': a collaboration with David Pearce of Flying Saucer Attack. (This appears to be a companion piece to 'November Mist' from the Flying Saucer Attack compilation album 'Distance'. Both 'Moon Tree' and 'November Mist' end with an identical squall of feedback and to couple these tracks gives the feeling of a unified work--a painting, two panels of a diptych). 'Moon Tree' is one of the most beautiful tracks on 'All of Yesterday Tomorrow'--not that this LP lacks, in anyway, otherworldly beauty through-out, which at times transcends 'shoegaze'.

Amp is an imaginative and 'spacy' band. If unfamiliar with them, there is probably no better place to immerse oneself, than in this collection. Plus, considering that this is just over 3 1/2 hours of music, quite a bargain too. Amp will bring you to some wondrous and at times unsettling places...But like after visiting 'Stonehenge' or 'Newgrange' you might not want to go home.