The Lonely Children‘s contribution to Ball of Wax 51, “Turnaround Phase,” is almost 13 minutes of slinky, spaced out electric guitar – like Ry Cooder sitting in with Luna. There are prominent lead lines and a pedal steel part that poke through the mix and sit in front, though the overall soupy feel holds through much of the beginning of song. Approaching the five minute mark, an overdriven lead part gets downright assertive and kind of takes over until the last few minutes. There’s more of a shape to “Turnaround Phase” than a lot of the more ambient pieces on Volume 51, and the guitar parts are more traditionally expressive and dynamic.
Maybe it’s the Ry Cooder association, but I feel like there’s something cinematic about this song, like it could provide the backdrop for a car chase or gun fight that slowly unfolds before getting out of hand. The playing on the track is outstanding and, while the blips and delay pedal shimmers play a complimentary part in the composition, the arrangement is really compelling. All in all, an excellent contribution from an imaginative group.