Anyone who’s enjoyed the excellent albums recently released by Kurt Vile, Wooden Shjips and The War on Drugs should prick up their ears to this new offering from New York psych-rockers Psychic Ills (out tomorrow on Sacred Bones). Much in the same vein of hazy, throwback, long-haired Americana, it ticks all the Easy Rider boxes you could possibly hope for. But whilst Vile’s production pushes him towards the mainstream, the Shjips’ heavy, driving rhythms ensconce them firmly in the head-banging camp and the Drugs’ rich textures and elegiac harmonies lift them up into the anthemic, Psychic Ills’ restrained nonchalance lends them a more minimal feel that at times feels incongruous to the genre. However, it’s in this idiosyncrasy that their appeal really lies – in the careful selection of disparate elements and their sparse, alternative assembly. It’s an intelligent and understated record, but one that should yield heady rewards given the time and love it deserves.
Stream it in full below.
Image is by Cal Kowal.
