A leftover from 2013, and one I would have liked to include in the honorable mentions. It's open and sparse, like Califone or Dirty Three. Soft harmonies, interesting percussion, and unique instrumentation make this short release a pretty satisfying listen. The songs are welcoming, romantic, and a tad hypnotic. A perfect afternoon spin.
Modern psychedelia is all the rage, kids. In contrast to the last few records I've touted, Temples' debut LP is quite well produced, even a bit polished. All the classic guitar tones, panning tricks, and call and answer vocals are here, however. Sun Structures is also fairly diverse, sometimes reminiscent of Unknown Mortal Orchestra or Tame Impala, other times Oasis or Travis. Basically, just good throwback british psych rock played by british kids.
I absolutely loved last year's Wyoming, and was impressed to hear these guys hit the studio again so quickly. Their self-titled third LP could be considered a part two of last year's record, there's not a huge departure in sound. Justin Kinkel-Schuster's songs seem just as strong, sentimental, and sorry as the previous offering, but this one is still pretty fresh. Think alt-country singer-songwriter stuff with some dirt on it after a few drinks. On a side note, Water Lairs play Off Broadway on March 8 and I shan't miss them.
