Norwegian band The Dipsomaniacs have been active since about 1997, devastating all in their wake with a particularly right-on take on the classics codes and curlicues of 60s psychedelic pop. Along with the Green Pajamas, we think that these guys are the best practitioners of the genre operating today. From his base in Trondheim, Øyvind Holm and collaborators have written, recorded and released a masterful series of three albums and numerous singles, starting with the raw four-track cassette recordings that became 1997's "Bumblebee Eyes", which had echoes of everything from Lennon to Gram Parsons to Guided By Voices. This was followed in the same year by the wonderful "Subterfuge" EP, consolidating on material, style, and recording technique. 

1n 1998, Holm released the widely acclaimed "Reverb No Hollowness" LP and CD on the Norwegian Progress label. The record showed increased confidence vocally and instrumentally, and was recorded on eight-track, resulting in more layering and punch to the sound. 

In 1999, an expanding line up took in a fourth member, Thomas Henriksen, on keyboards and harmony vocal duties, and by late summer Holm had written all the songs that were to become the Dipsomaniacs' third album. Øyvind takes up the story: "During the recordings, a lot of effort went into recreating all those little weird sounds and arrangements I had heard in my head while writing. We recorded songs twice with different instrumentation, then joining all 16 tracks during mix-down was just one way around the limitations of the old Fostex. Everything capable of giving off sound was sampled and looped. Guest musicians added such instruments as horns, saxophone & violins." The "Braid of Knees" LP was intended by Holm to be symphony for turntable and headphones, and it succeeded beyond all expectations, being one of the finest psychedelic pop LPs of the past 10 years.

2000 was a year of consolidation for the band. They appeared at the LA International Pop Overthrow Festival, and released the "Burn Brightly" single on Camera Obscura. "Stethoscopic Notion", was released on Camera Obscura in October 2001 to great acclaim on both sides of the pacific. Byron Coley in Arthur described the album as "rich, full, and quivery - a smoosh of wonderful influences, blended in new ways - a triumph of some sort". In August 2002, the band released "The Tremolo Of Her Mind/The Strings Of Her Soul" on Free City Media Records allowing progressive rock jam itches to be scratched. Their 2003 CD "Praying Winter" is now out on Camera Obscura internationally and Big Dipper Records in Norway, and also receive rave reviews, appearing on many year top ten lists.

Øyvind Holm's solo CD "The Vanishing Act" is now out on Camera Obscura (01 Jul 05).

Other Resources:

Band Web Site

CAM035S - "Burn Brightly" 7"

CAM047CD - Stethoscopic Notion"

CAM062CD - "Praying Winter"

Check out the free MP3s on this page