Welcome to the world of iconoclast, Treiops Treyfid who has been described as more of an artist who makes music than a pure musician. Yes, he is an artist - a painter - and a proud member of the Green party, too. Treyfid has dabbled with music - solo and a group effort, Pitchblende - on and off through the years and is back on his own again with “Feelings Of Unreality”.
Treyfid asks over and over again, in an altered state whisper, a question that is also the songs title: “What Can I Do But Continue?” Helicopters hover overhead; people are following him, a voice from the television screams, “ I gotta get some sleep!” and “get me the hell outta here!” over speed demon electric guitar, percolating drums and a flatulent trumpet. In “No One Is Taking A Chance” Treyfid sings in a resigned voice of the presumptuousness of optimism, i.e. there’s always tomorrow: “Why are you waiting? We could die today.” “Y.M.F.O” stands for: you may flip out – not sure if that’s a warning or a command, but this Sabbath-tinged hellhole of a song rocks even though the damn TV is talking again.
“Time In Between” and “Rolling Blackout” are two of the more ‘normal’ songs and stir up memories of Lou Reed’s Velvet Underground days, what with the sparse garage rock, arms length singing and lost weekend feel. The later, “Rolling Blackout” is upbeat, peppy even and a pleasant change from the predominantly pained feel of “Feelings Of Unreality”. In “Her Stories Wrote Themselves”, a spoken word piece complete with bongos, Treiops Treyfid takes a dazed adventure through a tropical island in the jungle with none other than actor, Mark Harmon acting as tour guide. Good times, good times... “Sex Differences” starts off as a bleary-eyed stream of consciousness rant then fast forwards and rewinds again and again all loopy with crazed drums. “The Highlight Of Our Trip” is queer to say the least with a tour guide getting excited about eagles and “Where’s My Everything?” is, I think, the worlds shortest song, but the title pretty much says it all. “Ute I Solen” begins and ends with static, obsessive singing and compulsive instrumentals. In between tics, “Ute I Solen” is a trippy, electric guitar whatnot with lyrics pertaining to flowers, dancing and walking around in the sunshine with ones brothers and sisters.
What’s it all about, Smitty? I really don’t know. “The album’s title, “Feelings Of Unreality” seems true enough; this is a collection of dreams, nightmares; living and dreaming. Most people are chasing their dreams Treiops Treyfid seems to be running from them. |