Browsing Tag

The Beach Boys

Maverick Smith walked with garage rock giants in ‘Holding On’

Posted on 17 October 2024

Maverick Smith’s seminal single ‘Holding On’ homages an epoch when rock ruled with a raucous yet refined hand while moving far beyond pastiche. Featured on the collaborative album ‘With Friends & Imperfections’, born between the synergy of 22 rock legends in their own right, the single synthesises elements of power pop and proto-punk, steeped in the nostalgic vibes of the 60s and 70s.

The keys dance with an uplifting tempo reminiscent of the 70s pop-rock scene, while the gritty guitar chords transport you to the nascent proto-punk streets of New York City as surf-pop harmonies swell in the background, bringing a taste of the Beach Boys with a sprinkle of Cheap Trick’s feel-good panache.

Emerging from a decade-long pause, Maverick Smith, steered by the renowned Sean Boynes, reinvented their approach to music creation. The album, recorded live in the Ohio Valley, harnesses an organic sound that modern digital productions can seldom mirror. This collection of tracks, brought to life by a cadre of Grammy laureates and indie rock veterans, is less about technical perfection and more about the palpable, unrefined energy of friends feeding off each other’s fervour. You couldn’t ask for a more potent rock-licked serotonin fix.

With Friends and Imperfections was officially released on October 1st. Stream the collaborative LP in full on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rock your way into another dimension with Steve Schuster’s psychonautic passport to the 60s, Sassafras Supersonic

Posted on 1 May 2024
Steve Schuster

Steve Schuster’s single, Sassafras Supersonic, taken from his LP, Permanently High, is a vibrant homage to 60s pop & rock, which rides the surf waves as smoothly as the Beach Boys to create a harmonised to the nines nostalgic nod to the era.

Every 60s psychonaut will find familiar comfort in its release, which also radiates the kaleidoscopic colour and charm of The Beatles. However, Schuster doesn’t merely replicate; he innovates, transcending cross-Atlantic appeal with the zany lyrics which invite listeners on a cosmic trip across constellations and into another dimension.

The sticky-sweet explosion of expression, filtered through infectiously honeyed 60s pop-rock progressions, ensures that there’s charisma in every chord and the soul of the track reverberates viscerally enough that your mind will be open to the idea that if this world is just an illusion, imagination is the only passport needed.

Schuster, an award-winning songwriter with a career spanning several decades, showcased his prowess in blending classic rock influences with contemporary flair in this transfixing temporal gateway. His latest album promises a similar journey of emotional and thematic exploration. Recorded with meticulous dedication and the multifaceted talents of producer Mike Pascarella, it’s set to resonate with fans old and new.

Stream the Permanently High LP via Steve Schuster’s official website from May 1st.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Evolution 9 went interstellar with their nebulous synth-pop harmonies in Tell Me Something

Posted on 24 January 2024

If Grandaddy’s polyphonic melodies never fail to stir your soul, consider the latest single, Tell Me Something, from Evolution 9 as an unmissable sonic event. The unbridled synthesis of sound and emotion resonates with exhilaratingly rare depth. The rock-amplified synth-pop hit, which shares the same rhythmically cosmic air as Inspiral Carpets will envelop you in a kaleidoscope of colour as it vibrantly through its meticulously carved progressions.

The Beach Boys-esque vocal harmonies are a standout feature, adding layers of warmth and nostalgia to the track. These harmonies intertwine seamlessly with the synth melodies, creating a sound that is both familiar and fresh. The effect is akin to rediscovering a beloved classic while experiencing something entirely new.

Evolution 9’s ability to balance complexity with accessibility will undoubtedly see them go far in the current climate that necessitates singles that exude as much zeal as this dynamic, almost serendipitous gem.

Stream Tell Me Something on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Surfs Up in DM Street’s 60s Pop Rock Sonic Serotonin Supply, Taxi Ride

Posted on 5 January 2023

Providing a soundtrack you will want to twist and jive to, the first single, Taxi Ride, from the forthcoming LP Summer Songs for the Mustard Ear, from the 60s-inspired indie artist DM Street is a surf-rock-meets-psych-pop dream.

No fans of the Beach Boys, The Kinks, The Monkees and The Beatles will be immune to the disarming charm of Taxi Ride, which comes with an optimal pinch of roguish tongue-in-cheek swagger around the serious talent that contorted the colourful sun-soaked melodies.

If you’ve had your fill of ego and pretence-driven rock, Taki Ride will all too gladly transport you to a more altruistic aural destination; with this hit on your playlists, your uber trips will never be the same again.

Taxi Ride is available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

NOODLE ARMS cling to autonomy on the surf rock waves in ‘Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Be Me’

Posted on 6 November 2022

If Pixies had spent more time in the Cali sun with the Beach Boys, Doolittle would have undoubtedly unfurled with the surfy grooves and psych-pop harmonies found in the latest single, Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Be Me from the Tel Aviv-based outfit, NOODLE ARMS.

The alt-indie pioneers founded in 2014, before morphing through a myriad of line-up changes and monikers before settling on this solid powerhouse of surf-rockers. On the basis of their latest release, it is safe to say that they’ve found the winning formula. Reminiscences aside, this sun-bleached call for respect over idiosyncratic autonomy wiggles right into the soul and sets up camp.

Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Be Me is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Phony Bedtime left us in a haze with their indie psych-pop single, Sundays.

Posted on 26 September 2021

Any fans of The Zombies will find themselves instantly enamoured by the hazily blissful tones in the standout indie psych-pop single, Sundays, from Phony Bedtime’s self-titled sophomore album.

Starting with gentle accordant guitars, intricate percussion and the low reverberating hums of the basslines, Sundays is as easy as breathing to slip into. Once the ethereal vocals drift into the bright and melodious soundscape, your soul would have to be defunct not to be captivated by Phony Bedtime’s sticky-sweet candour. Not every band can get away with being on the twee side of indie pop, but Phony Bedtime could give Neutral Milk Hotel a run for their money.

Sundays is now available to stream on Spotify along with the rest of the album.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lance Houck swings back to the 60s with their single ‘With All My Heart’

Posted on 1 January 2021
https://lancehouck.bandcamp.com/track/with-all-my-heart

Upbeat, poppy, light and airy, with a distinct sixties/seventies vibe, carried in on a wave of woo-hoo-hoos and jingly clean guitar, comes ‘With All My Heart’, the new single from Californian singer-songwriter Lance Houck. Sunny, uplifting, and full of those happy West Coast vibes, ‘With All My Heart’, from Houck’s seven-track album ‘Unborn’, is a gem of a single, catchy, vibey, with as-you-might-expect elements of the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, and The Lovin’ Spoonful.

There’s some nice guitar work too, Houck playing all instruments as well as taking on vocal duties, pushy drums, and a cute little rolling bassline, Houck’s vocal is well-delivered and tuneful, the track overall a proper little summery ear-worm which might be a nice little antidote to current UK Tier 4 Lockdown restrictions.

You can hear ‘With All My Heart’ on Bandcamp, and follow Lance Houck on Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

“It’s Music” – The HiGrounds’ Latest Rock And Roll Hit

Posted on 30 November 2017

Based in Manhattan Beach, CA, The HiGrounds are a band with a very particular sound that is essentially rock and roll with an evident contemporary flair. These guys share a passion for this type of music in particular, and this is shown in their music which clearly has a vintage character with a modern touch that only true dedicated musicians are able to create. With funky guitar progressions, punctuated by percussive piano and Hammond organ sounds backed by a solid rhythm section, their music is just one of a kind.

“it’s Music,” which is taken right off of their latest album “Wouldn’t Hurt To Show,” is a true reflection of what sounds and stylistic choices these guys are passionate about. The instrumental arrangement and texture do indeed provide that special vintage feel, particularly through the use of the organ, but this is not all the song has to offer. It has no shortage of catchy choruses and it also presents a feel-good sound suitable for pubs and bars, providing an authentic warm atmosphere. “It’s Music” is not only a song which is enjoyable to listen to. It is well crafted and performed. So if you like what you hear, make sure to check out the rest of the album too, and you will not be disappointed !

-Sarah Marie Bugeja

Fox Harbor Release Heart-Warming Song “Some Kind Of Magic”

Posted on 4 November 2017

Fox Harbour are a Nashville based band fronted by two voices which complement each other perfectly in a blend of vocal harmonies, strong driving melodies and an authentic country sound with pop influences. Nathan Cogan and Claire Cooper have not only joined forces to make this project come to life but they have also crafted their very own distinguishable sound and artistic vision along the way. “Some Kind Of Magic” is in fact their latest release which presents a delicate yet strong balance of harmonies and tuneful melodies as well as a heart-warming spirit in the whole arrangement and performance quality.

The duet aspect in “Some Kind Of Magic” is indeed what brings it to life and makes it so impactful and infectious. It is primarily a dance of conversation between the two which culminates in a unifying chorus that truly brings out their vocal compatibility and highlights their ability to create one homogeneous sound. Apart from this, the gentle guitars and strings instrumentation also makes room for the tuneful melodies and vocal tones to shine bright. The two vocal tones in combination with this instrumental arrangement in fact create a very particular balance and character which is truly difficult to find. A characteristic of sound which only true artists with careful attention to detail can obtain.

-Sarah Marie Bugeja