Track Listing

  1. Conversation Hearts
  2. North Georgia Experiment
  3. What Goes Unspoken
  4. Get Ahead
  5. Maladjusted
  6. The Lows
  7. Lives and Lies
  8. Fall Out
  9. Unsettled
  10. An End to Dreams

PSR023

Astroblast
“This Will Help You On Your Way”

Released November 2001
Produced by Astroblast

About

The second of "Astro" bands featured on Planting Seeds, Astroblast was an Austin, TX band that previously self released it's debut LP. Planting Seeds co-founder William Hickey was impressed with the band's noisy Swervdriver influence, thus resulting in the release of their 2nd and last LP "This Will Help You On Your Way." The band did two US tours with appearances at NXNW as well as shows in NYC, NC, VA, among others.


Reviews/Press Quotes

Splendid / February 15, 2002

Austin's Astroblast make the pop of your dreams; sounding like My Bloody Valentine, or perhaps The Brittle Stars, This Will Help You On Your Way promises solid growth for the shoegazer genre. Jenn Kellough's soft, thin soprano wafts sweet sentiments almost via osmosis -- she's that muted; the fuzzy guitars of her brother Bob and Chris Bowers provide a starry backdrop for the intimate surroundings her vocals build in your head. "North Georgia Experiment" is so catchy you'll find yourself humming it in the hallways after only one listen; opening with Hammond organ and a soft chorus of "aahs", the tune is gradually built up by shimmering guitars, crashing percussion and burbly keyboards, backed by Kellough's tiny, breathy voice encroaching on your consciousness like the voices of a fever. Occasionally twee, always sweet and sentimental, coolly assessing, these songs take you to another, happier level of pop reality. You'll be glad to go: This Will Help You On Your Way. -Jenn Sikes

Cosmik / 2002

Led by Jenn Kellough on vocals and keyboards, this Austin quartet draws on a wide range of pop influences but manages to mold them into something distinctive and special. Kellough's voice is strong but subdued, blending with her spacey keyboards to provide the ethereal sugar in the band's sound. Just when you think you're safe, though, the other Kellough, guitarist Bob, grinds in to provide the noise in the band's self-dubbed "noise-pop" formula. So that's the spice. Add solid rhythm support from drummer Jacob Cuthbertson and bassist Chris Bowers and you've got everything nice. This is Astroblast's second full length release, due to hit the shelves just about the time this review is published. It's an indie worth looking for, bound to appeal to fans of My Bloody Valentine, the Pixies or anyone with an ear for edgy original pop. - Shaun Dale

Aiding & Abetting / issue #225, January 2002

Sounds a lot like a treble-heavy My Bloody Valentine. Astroblast doesn't use quite so much post-production distortion, but the minimalist sense of melody is very similar. Doesn't hurt that Jenn Kellough has those wispy, ethereal vocals with steel underpinnings. Further differentiating itself from other new age-psychedelics acts, Astroblast insists on pushing the tempo. The band revs up the ante and takes fuzz almost into a power pop realm. And that's very good. Whenever a band is able to crank up such a dense, complex sound and whip it into a near-frenzy, musical chaos is bound to result. And inside the lines of that melange lies (dare I say it?) art. I shouldn't get so giddy, but this disc really blistered my ears. The songs come on with a deceptive simplicity and then worm their way in as succeeding layers become apparent. Nicely done.

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