Dryvetyme Onlyne

Obscured By Clouds
Psycheclectic
Psycheclectic; 2008

Hipsters and music critics find great joy in picking on, teasing, and generally making fun of progressive rock for both its supposed lyrical and instrumental bombast. To wit, Rush has yet to make into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame because they have met with disfavor from high-and-mighty rock critics through the years, despite their status as one of the more predominant, loved, and stylistically copied bands of the genre. And while Pink Floyd retains a bit more critical appeal and acceptance, they still remain the psychedelic band of choice for over-the-top light shows and paranoid conspiracy-loving burnouts everywhere. Nothing says dream pretty thoughts while having intense nightmares like the combination of oscillating keyboard swells, guitar feedback, reverb-laden vocals, and fantastical lyrics.

Enter Obscured By Clouds and their new record, Psycheclectic, 21st-century interpretation of the music of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Led by William Weikart, this five-piece has put together an eight-track concept album that seeks to recreate the glory days of Pink Floyd and Rush and to do so without any hint of irony. In one sense, it would be easy to mock the group as a cover band attempting to inject the characteristics of their heroes into their own music, but that wouldn’t be very fair. Obscured By Clouds certainly has a better grasp of their instruments and how to play them than most pop-rock groups on the market, and they most likely aren’t hoping to make a dent on the Billboard charts with their rock epic. Nevertheless, dedication to the purity of their chosen art form aside, Psycheclectic is an album that will only be appreciated by those who already love the music of Geddy, Neil, Alex, David, and Roger and the deep catalogs of both those transcendent groups.