The first 11 tunes flow together in a quirky suite that showcases Rockwell's flair for basement geek rock. The lo-fi instrumental "Isle of Life" establishes a cool hypno riff that is genuinely trippy, while the blend of accordion and electric guitar in "Cactusand Rockysand" and the acoustic sci-fi ballad "Lift Off" confirms why admirers of Lou Barlow, Jad Fair and Daniel Johnson cherish such stuff. The laid back ballad "Mir Cure Me" and oddball cut & paste instrumental "Theme Song" are other highlights of a home-made, rough-hewn, anti-commercial artefact.
(Independent)Trevor Rockwell
Vortwell Rocktre
BY David LewisPublished Nov 1, 2000