When someone outlines their record as a ‘psychedelic prog rock adventure about a village of vegetable gnomes’, it’s bound to pique some interest. If not for the sheer absurdity of its premise, Artichoke Pythagorum still finds a way to intrigue you in the lushness of its recording, the scale of its soundscapes, and the strange poignance of its lyricism. Combining elements of r&b with more traditional progressive sounds, Artichoke Pythagorum has slick guitar riffs, everchanging sections within each song, and ridiculous lyricism across its runtime.
When their garden is attacked by Dirt Bugs, the gnome king sends a search party to find and bring back a strange artichoke on the outskirts of the forest. The artichoke is said to grant eternal life to those who eat it. In essence, that’s the premise and the basis for the entire record. Undoubtedly, on first glance it seems far too ridiculous and outlandish to serve as a fully fledged theme for a full blown psychedelic record. But somehow, Tyler Kamen is not only able to take this seemingly nutty premise and turn it into something endearing and captivating, but also something that’s sonically wonderful to journey through.
Artichoke Pythagorum really has me harkening back to the psychedelic records I grew up on. If I had to draw the closest parallel, subtracting the flute of course, it seems like something Ian Anderson would pen at Jethro Tull. The two part Gnome Village section is the indisputable highlight in my eyes. It combines so much across its six or so minute runtime that you’re left entirely mesmerised by the story by then.