MR019

Aquarius Records 9/29/06
http://www.aquariusrecords.org/
"After two cd-r's and a proper cd of completely gorgeous improvised Sitar music from Erik Amlee, we pretty much got to the point where we'd buy anything he put out. But we definitely weren't prepared for this Paradise Camp 23 disc. Sitar is still his instrument of choice, that and electric guitar. But PC23 is not another Amlee solo venture, PC23 is a 4 piece. A real band. Sort of.
All improvised, these tracks sound a bit like Amlee's solo material but WAY heavier, WAY darker, WAY more dense, and a lot thicker, and more slithery and almost metal at times. You can definitely hear lots of Bardo Pond, and SUNNO)), and Sunroof! and even some NNCK or Sunburned Hand. But with a haunting Eastern buzz, and way more of a blissed out psychedelic sprawl. Some tracks are monsters, huge churning walls of downtuned guitars, others are dreamy and shimmery, with the buzz of the sitar spreading out like a late morning fog, while guitars and electronics just drift lazily by, others are weird primal tribal jams, rife with deconstructed riffs, bits of random percussion, lots of buzz and clang and clatter, and still others are straight up sun dappled, strummy dream folk. So great. A definite contender for psych-dirge-dream-buzz-drone record of the year!"

Rigodon #2
http://hometown.aol.com/eleclodge/page2.html
"There are long-haired geeks with serious fingernail growth eating peyote all day and then there are psychedelic freaks actually doing something. The mushroom-tinged freak-out jam collective around Mandragora records, Paradise Camp 23 sure do belong to the latter. This CDR was recorded in various locations and permutations during 2003. Bear in mind this disc consists of 14 tracks and this psych gang isn't half as prolific as for instance the beast from the east Acid Mothers Temple. Nevertheless there's plenty of magic layers to let the ears and mind float away in. I on the other hand have already rolled a leaf or five digging deeper into their mystical carpet tunnel syndrome. They draw inspiration from free-folk jam sessions where bowed cymbals, chants and drugged guitar riffs coalesce into a foggy trip to oblivion. Simple repetitive chords lead us through the voyage, spiced with eastern-tuned folk gifts and droning slide playing. You'll quickly notice it's a joy from start to finish. There are even spacey moments where you'd expect Will Oldham to join in on the late Sunday fun. Does that sound too much like mind expansion with a midget in virtual reality? They've obviously put their souls to rest in charming lush pop sensible awareness that drives them into flangering sonic excursions. Sitars and finger-picking wood peddle forward while the demons ride the feedback horses over the prairie in the background. The stars are closer than you think. If you have at all been paying attention to the growing new wave of psychedelic guitar freak out mayhem, I'm sure you're already in a tree top whistling along to Popul Vuh." (CS)