The Sonic Dawn - Into the Long Night (2017)
With their second album, the Danish
outfit of The Sonic Dawn wades into the older and more
popularly-tailored depths of psychedelic rock, as it was in the
mid-'60s, with gentle swirls of melody a more prominent part of
song-writing than heavy vibes of feedback. As such, there's more
than a slight poppy flavor to Into the Long Night,
but it's of a form blended with others, so the peppy rhythms and
upbeat vocals come out as a tasty groove, not an obnoxious ear-worm.
That
lightness of being isn't the only thing TSD have pulled from the
'60s, though, as the warmth of production is so on-point it's almost
startling. When the vocals get distorted, for example, it sounds
passable as something mixed in mono and doubled up into stereo
output, with a unity of sonic presence that suggests the band was
paying just as much attention to the presentation as to their
content. And while a nice wrapping ain't nuthin' without goodies
inside, they bring strong substance on that front as well, with the
guitar lines and outbursts of drumming charging out full of life,
optimism only slightly dimmed by the realities of the age in which we
live.
And
when the band makes the blues component of their music more overt, as
in “Six Seven” (quite possibly my personal favorite), the
heaviness and sense of earthy vibrancy really kicks things up, making
their sparing use of it all the more effective in its contrast and
impact. As the album continues, that side of things becomes more
evident in their song-writing and lyrics, with the initial starriness
turning a bit more jaded and weighty, the guitar riffs spikier, the
electric organ more pronounced. It's an album that holds a full
journey within itself, and while the first few songs may put off
those looking for something with more punch, those who give the full
album a listen should find plenty there (and plenty of variety) to
reward their patience. Firm recommendation on this one, those who
are fans of psych rock should give this a try and see how genuine
feeling for the music will beat affectation any day.
~
Gabriel
For
Fans Of; Blue Cheer, Cream, John Mayall, Southwest F.O.B., Ultimate
Spinach
~
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