Review Summary: Let's get lost.
The universe, an unfathomably massive expanse of complete and utter nothingness, bridging the gap between some spherical rocks and gases along the way. Put like this, it sounds rather drab though, does it not? As adults, we know this is the reality. We may still be deeply fascinated by its mystery but it’s probably not nearly as colorful as our younger selves envisioned it. You’ve seen The Hubble Deep Field, you’ve seen The Pillars of Creation; “My gosh, it’s incredible!” you thought. Alas, while these photos you saw are technically truthful, they are not representative of what you would really see in the depths of true deep space. A bit of that childlike wonder is now lost at the hand of reality once again. Sometimes though, that idealistic view of space is not easily forgotten and a select few talented individuals strive to bring back that dream of a bright and eventful universe. We can see this in the form of entertainment media like Star Wars or Ratchet and Clank, but also through art and music like the work of Robert McCall or, in this case, Space Invaders’
Dreadnought.
Being an improvised psychedelic space rock journey clocking in at over 80 minutes, the album may appear intimidating to some casual listeners. The length however is far more beneficial than burdensome as
Dreadnought would not work any other way. Songs have no definite highlights or sharp breaks. Each track is crafted to be processed in its entirety and they all coalesce to create a singular experience.
Swirling ambient soundscapes, dizzying electronic effects, and incredibly natural guitar soloing come together to form an awe inspiring and vibrant musical rendition of what it feels like to travel to the stars. The catch here is that the album doesn’t make light of the universe’s true form. Even when
Dreadnought is at its grooviest and most whimsical (“Two Skulls”), there is still something quite grand and ominous about it. This dynamic is the key to the record’s success. It is taking the vivid and exciting universe we desire and filtering it through a realistic and sophisticated lense.
You may not know where the songs are bringing you, but you don’t care. You just ride the heavily psychedelic river of grooves and dizzying atmospherics. The mind wanders and you are lost now in a sea of imagination. There is occasional use of traditional riffage on tracks like “Jolly Roger High Speed Groove” and the title track but they are typically either short lived or used far more as a guide than an instant gratification tool. Songs instead focus on pure world-building. By maintaining this type of song structure, the album rewards the patient listener and holds a tremendous amount of replay value.
While some of the members of Space Invaders have crafted some marvelous records in their original projects (Electric Orange and Zone Six),
Dreadnought is without doubt in my mind, their true magnum opus. The band may not even know it themselves but they have created one of the most fascinating, fresh, and truly realized space rock albums in decades. It’s everything the naive, wide-eyed little you of the past wanted, but tailored for the more cultivated you of the present.
