Mugstar - ....Sun, Broken... CD

Mugstar fit well beside such Important records as Cave and A Place To Bury Strangers. Since 2003 they've issued a few full lengths, a split with Mudhoney, an etched 10" and most famously, recorded the last ever Peel Session with the late John Peel.

Mugstar are the sound of 10,000 exploding suns, pulsing with repetitive beauty and pounding like a supersonic mantra. ...Sun, Broken..., Mugstar’s second full-length album, recalls Saucerful… era Floyd and echoes vintage Neu! alongside the more contemporary sounds of Oneida and Sonic Youth. Mugstar take the sonics of heavy psychedelia and krautrock, drag it through the lenses of punk and post-rock and jettison the results into something of propulsive originality.

…Sun, Broken… delivers a range of power, textures and soundscapes, from the turbo-charged openers of Technical Knowledge As A Weapon and Ouroboros, the eerie other-worldly atmospherics of Labrador Hatchet and She Ran Away With My Medicine, through the krautrocking Today Is The Wrong Shape to the expansive voyage of closing track Furklausundbo. It is a forceful and compelling album.

Mugstar's origins begin with drummer Steve Ashton wanting a band who could play as loud as he could. Neil Murphy, from an improv background, joined next providing noise and subtlety. Peter Smyth then answered the call bringing guitar, keyboards, vocals, and an intense stage persona. Jason Stoll came on board with his dirty bass tones. Finally Sam Wiehl arrived, adding projections to the live shows making Mugstar a full assault on the senses both sonically and visually. Steve found the band he wanted.

Mugstar is already in the studio working on their third album, two new 7” singles and a film project is also in the pipeline. They are also looking to book their first US tour in summer 2010. It looks like 2010 is to be a bumper year for Mugstar.