Transcendental Psychology

Redefinition

Back in April of ’01, I said I was looking forward to another album by Transpsych. Well, it took a while, but it’s finally here!

Certainly a worthy successor to their previous effort, TransPsych’s Redefinition is not quite a redefinition of sound. Perhaps a re-orientation, although slightly so. Maybe more elements of Funk and elements of Hip-Hop which were not present on the first album, give it a new coloring.

The first album was more inspired from Jazz legends while this one certainly breaks new ground for TransPsych. Certainly a more than interesting direction.

TransPsych’s sound is as fresh as ever, but there is something more in the delivery. The band were tight on the first album, but there’s a complicity here that’s deeper than on the first TransPsych album.

TransPsych (yes, I love just saying that: TransPsych; sounds good) were one of the first bands I ever reviewed and I hope to keep on reviewing them for a long while.

Transcendental Psychology

“Those who follow the crowd, will never be followed by a crowd” – John Maxwell

Such starts Transcendental Psychology’s Press Kit. A nice quotation which has a lot to do with their sound. Not willing to be just another Jazz or Fusion band, they have inspired themselves from the original Jazz greats.

The sound is interesting and fresh. There is an interesting complicity between the musicians. I must point out a certain resemblance in one song, Hotfreaks, with an epoch of King Crimson, while they were experimenting with Jazz. Great guitar sound.

This is their debut album, and hopefully not their last. Looking forward to the next.