Eyes Like Saucers — Still Living in the Desert

Jeffrey K., formerly the farfisa organist for urDog, reportedly spent most of the summer of 2006 in the Arizona desert, where most of this album was recorded. Armed with a four track recorder, a modified Indian Harmonium, his dog, and a Volkswagen van, Jeffrey was apparently inspired by the desolation of his surroundings. He was also inspired by Nico, whose journal he nicked the title for this album. Nico does seem to be an appropriate influence music created in dusty isolation. Not to mention the fact that some of her music includes the harmonium as well.

Apart from the modified harmonium, there are few other instruments present on this album, except for some modified vocals and a bit of guitar. If a full album of harmonium music sounds a bit one dimensional, indeed there may be some truth to that assumption. The good news is that Jeffrey changes things up enough to avoid tedium.

The only tune that seems a bit out of joint is the cover of Robert Wyatt's Sea Song. Firstly, Jeffrey does not have the vocal chops required to pull it off, and secondly, the song is just a piece of a wonderful suite of songs which makes up Wyatt's Rock Bottom. It's out of place without the surrounding work. It is easy to see how Wyatt's wandering music, Nico's spiritual desolation and Popul Vuh's mind expanding drones fit into Jeffrey's outlook on music.

All of that said, Still Living in the Desert provides some nice harmonium drones, and as you can guess, since the project is named so obviously in homage to hallucinogenics, some oddly psychedelic and spiritual moments. It could use a bit more variety, but you have to appreciate its honesty and audaciousness.