WEIRD OWL – Build Your Beast A Fire
RECOMMENDED BY: refraction
Pysche rockers from Brooklyn, and therefore likely hipsters. But, the kind you can actually have beers with.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS ALBUM: Refraction originally compared these dudes to 13th Floor Elevators, but there is little in the way of that sort of freakiness here. Instead, this is much more reminiscent of a sixties band like Small Faces -- mostly reflected in their layered harmonies, tunefulness and overall pop economy. There are fifteen tracks on this album in the space of forty-two minutes; over half the songs hover around the two-minute mark or less. Similarly, there is quite a sunny disposition going on (you'll hardly find a minor note at all herein), with a crunch in the vein of Captain Beyond and maybe even a bit of Southern twang. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to find that refraction pulled a fast one on me and sent me a bunch of forgotten Marshall Tucker Band gems, as a joke. This, mixed with a semi-"indie" vibe and a dash of Pink Floyd, really works well in places -- "Skin Of The Dawn" and "Mountains On Top Of Buried Stars" are particular highlights. They even throw in some early Smashing Pumpkins riffing ("Up From The Root"), mid-2000s freak folk ("No Time Nor Space") and Hawkwind-esque Eastern-flavored interludes ("Space Bolero"). WEIRD OWL certainly hit upon a lot of fine notes, and keep things fresh enough to keep me occupied throughout.
WHAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT THIS ALBUM: The diversity is the problem. They're not (yet) gifted enough songwriters to come out with brilliant psyche-infused pop like Small Faces or their nineties counterparts, Olivia Tremor Control. Nor do they delve into anything beyond their mishmashing of related styles. The melodies are a bit too simple, and everything feels a little bit "safe." Sure, it sounds damn good, and might be something to throw on when you get home from work on a Friday. If you want to transcend, however, you'll remain mostly grounded.
BOTTOM LINE: A perfectly pleasant listen. Not essential by any means, but more like something to pull out once a year and be surprised at how much better it is than you remember it.
WILL I LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM AGAIN? Yep.
WOULD I BUY THIS ALBUM? Already have.
RATING:
7.5/10