The Soods – Astrid (Drive Away Slowly)
Similar artists: Modest Mouse, Sloan, Guided By Voices
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
Most brand-new artists doubt themselves and their instincts and search for weirdness that they can inhabit. That’s a good strategy, albeit an obvious one. To misquote the great Hunter S. Thompson, craziness and violence have been known to work wonders in shaping young artists. The only problems are choosing the right kind of madness and getting a hold of it long enough to stop it when things get really hairy.
We’re made to believe that these strategies that responsible for some of the rgeatest recorded pop music we’ve all ever heard. But what about all the records we never heard. What about the Syd Barrett concept record he might have only scribbled in a notebook? What about the truly great Brian Wilson record that he might’ve dreamed about before “Smile” was ever a thing? This things could’ve existed for a second before they got lost.
The Soods dare not present themselves as outstanding young men, but they claim moderation was applied when developing “Astrid (Drive Away Slowly).” Why? Well, there’s a borderline between brilliant mad fervour and undistinguishable noise, and The Soods knew they weren’t going to see the line once they got too close to it. Instead, “Astrid (Drive Away Slowly)” ends up sounding like a beautiful psych-pop meditation written by 1967 hippies while having a cup of tea.
LOON – Margaret
Similar artists: Twin Peaks, The Byrds
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Indie Rock
Fresh-coloured psychedelia might be the one thing most responsible for turning rock n’ roll into an art form rather than a dance craze meant to mean horny North American teenagers want to get together on a Saturday night. It all sounded absurd on paper. Take these three-chord tunes and pour through them the kind of sophistication belonging to art galleries, as well as storytelling found in pulp novels.
But there was another element, too. It was straight-laced country music that may have made the biggest impression on the original psych-rock bands like The Byrds. This was the music played by hicks, the kind of music that couldn’t make the pop charts and the sort of tunes that the Rockstars’ grandparents might enjoy. Still, it was the bedrock of every freshly coloured psych-pop tune.
LOON’s “Margaret” hints at the perfumed air of early psychedelic music. Like the greats, it too takes country music seriously and incorporates it. Like the greats, it also displays a genuine affection and sense of surprise for these sounds. “Margaret” is an effortless piece of retro-rock. But it’s greatest trait is that the band sound surprised by what they are able to achieve throughout the song, replacing all cynicism with innocence.
