The Asteroids Galaxy Tour – Fruit : Album Reviews

Denmark Psychedelic pop-duo The Asteroids Galaxy Tour are one of the very few distinguished groups of the modern era to feel the full beneficial punch of the esteemed i-pod commercial, which has pretty much meant that around half of the worlds population has heard them.

But the consumer attack didn’t stop there, with Myer here in Australia using their music to accompany the launch to their summer range. Commercially, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour are pressing all the right buttons.

Pushing the boundaries in musical genres of Sould, Funk, Jazz, Rock, Psychadllia and Pop, The Asteroid Galaxy Tour are not easily pinpointed.

Brainchild of this duo, Lars Iversen grew up a Jazz Pianist, but had his life changed one fateful day when someone handed him a David Bowie record. “That was a turning point for me. Before that I’d only ever listened to Black music like Jazz and Soul. Now I had discovered that there was this thing called rock n’ roll.”

Crossing paths with Mette Lindberg who was “the coolest singer in Copenhagen”, they eventually came together on some material that Lars had been producing by himself: a sound that was deeply immersed in the intensity and inventiveness of Sly & The Family Stone and George Clinton. Vocalist Mette Lindberg has charisma that just oozes through the bell of the speaker right through to your ear canal.

The Golden Age affords the listener a brief display of Iversen’s Jazz piano roots, that is ferociously met with an obtuse hip-hop beat.

Sunshin’ Coolin is one of the more structurally simple tracks on Fruit, but offsets this fact by making one freakishly catchy song. Lindbergs vocals hark back to a day where the distinct voices of Dusty Sprinfield and Nancy Sinatra ruled.

Satellite offers some needed down time with its illustrious organ flow, while Around the Bend is just pure pop bliss.

There is a lot to like about this record. It’s one of those gems that don’t open themselves up on the first listen. More specifically, it takes multiple play throughs to get an understanding, and  even then you’re not really close to understanding the complexities of The Asteroids Galaxy Tour.

Where similar groups fails, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour prevail. Iversen’s musical nous and production skills matched with Lindberg’s utterly flawless vocal character are a match made in heaven.

Fruit has elements that endear them to listeners off many genres. They have the groove. They have the hip-hop. They have the soul. They have the rock and they have the pop. They have the big muff on the bass. That’s all that matters, isn’t it?

Realistically, this sonic journey through vibrant hallucinations of funk-inspired psychadelia isn’t going to appeal to everyone. To some extent, you will find inspiration The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. It’s hard not too. But for some that might not extend past one track. For the rest, just enjoy.