Rangda - Formerly Extinct (Drag City)

Do you get the feeling from looking at the artwork to Rangda’s second album, Formerly Extinct, that you’re going to be in for loud, raucous psych jams? Well, you probably should, because that’s exactly what you get. For the most part, this collaboration between Six Organs of Admittance‘s Ben Chasny and the enigma all to himself, Sir Richard Bishop, is exactly that; loud, raw instrumental guitar jams. Sometimes the jams are simple (“Tres Hambres”), sometimes they’re repetitive (“Idol’s Eyes”), sometimes they’re sublime (“Night Porter). Not everything on here is great, or worth listening to more than once or twice. The exception, of course, isthe epic “Silver Nile,” which is quiet, hushed drone that doesn’t seem to be intent on doing anything but traveling along on its own lackadaisical pace. If you like the work of either of the men behind this, you’ll probably enjoy Formerly Extinct.