Psychedelic rock can be exciting, uplifting, even relaxing, whether the listener is under the spell of illegal substances or not. It can also be downright boring. Sadly,
Hidden World belongs to the second category. Rachelle Toombs' rapturing vocals have nothing to do with it; her voice captivates the listener most of the time. The problem resides with Greg Toombs' guitar, always disconnected from what is happening, and with the duration of the songs. They are simply too long, overstretching the smallest idea beyond any possible recovery. The worst examples are "Krautrock in Three Parts" and "Devotion (I Do Believe)." When every musical idea has been heard within the first minute, why persist for 11 more? All the tracks are home recordings. The sound quality is OK, but some louder notes occasionally distort. The best song is "Green Sky Night," a nice
Hawkwind-influenced space rock number heavy on the bass. "Hidden World" also has its moments, thanks to a second vocal track (overdubbed) and a strong melody. As for the rest of the album, it sounds like capable musicians lacking imagination. Some of them collaborated on the one-album project In the Summer of the Mushroom Honey, which was a lot more satisfying. ~ François Couture