The Revolving Paint Dream - Flowers In The Sky

Creation’s mystery second single band fully compiled

Music is littered with mysterious bands who sighed out a single, EP or album before fading into the shadows. Revolting Paint Dream’s delicious psych-infused Flowers In The Sky was the second single on Alan McGee’s Creation label in 1984. It’s here, of course, as is the 1987 long-player, Off To Heaven, which is full of guitar jangles, male and female vocals and minor-major experimentation on great tracks such as Sun Sea Sand and Stop The World. But it’s not all plain sailing, with The Judges and Walter Valentine’s Dead sounding just like an England batting collapse in musical form. Mystery still shrouds who did what, though Andrew Innes (of Primal Scream) was heavily involved, until (according to legend or the press release) he withdrew during the latter stages of recording. Innes wrote most of the songs and – probably – provided the bonus tracks which range from The Dune Buggy Attack Battalion (sounding like early Throbbing Gristle) to the trumpet-driven finesse of Untitled (Love Song). So, for those interested in 80s-brewed psych stylings, this is for you. Now, could someone unearth the lost album sessions of Hopkirk & Lee, whose Beneath The Apple Tree EP explored similar territory?

Rev-Ola | CR REV 184

Reviewed by Ian Shirley
<< Back to Issue 332