[rating=7.00]
To commit so fully to psychedelic rock is a feat not many bands undertake, and even less bands do well. The Black Angels have defined themselves within this genre so distinctly; it’s hard to imagine them doing anything else. And that’s just fine because they’ve honed their craft so tightly, especially on their new EP Clear Lake Forest a total throwback to psych rock of the 60s and 70s.
Like the Beatles in their later years of hippie dippy Zen, The Black Angels have given themselves over to this fuzzed out, kaleidoscopic sound and allow it to totally embody each of the seven songs on Forest. Similar to their previous releases, Forest is playful and shows the Austinites’ sheer instrumental skill, but it’s clear that they still have many tricks up their sleeves. The songs on this record subscribe to a more elevated garage rock sound, with an unmistakable—and contagious—energy, too. The Black Angels are almost too cool for the psych rock school from which they’ve come, convincing us, one note at a time, that they’ve invented this sound aesthetic. Ultimately, though, thisEP ould easily be from another time completely.
Trippy rolling electric guitar seems to flow on endlessly from track to track, evolving through spontaneous pace changes that keep us from getting too hazy. Make no mistake, though, these are tunes that are meant to get high to—true stoner rock and roll. The statement drums on “Tired Eyes” will keep you awake. This is, of course, the Black Angels’ version of a romantic love song—rough, brooding and dark.
The dreaminess of “The Executioner” is contrasted by the earthly message: we’re all going to die someday. And suddenly the repetition of the guitar notes feel ominous and foreboding in this song that feels like a warning to a lover who’s done wrong. That broken record effect is threatening and powerful, before becoming louder and building to a manic, cacophonous nightmare. It’s almost like a bad acid trip, which may have been intentional, and these guys capture it to a T. Continuing on the bad (but so, so good) trip, we find ourselves in a carnival circus of insane keys of an acid-tinged organ with “The Flop”.
The Black Angels have a knack for creating a timeless sound that still feels so specifically of an era. You can hear their influences, but yet they do the retro thing so well it doesn’t feel tired. When they go full-blown Velvet Underground with “Linda’s Gone” it’s a true treat. Gonzo guitars will envelop you until you’re totally hypnotized, on board with danceable mod vibe, like a carefree beatnik. Similarly, “Diamond Eyes” is the most fuzzed out and feels like a classic 70s psych rock song.
“The Occurrence” is the standout track in terms of feeling contemporary and more of a product of the present. It features more of those repetitive guitar riffs, but it’s less transcendent and more lucid. The Black Angels have a refined signature that puts their music on another level, and if you listen to this EP right, you’ll be right up there with them and loving every second of it.
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