One listen to the blissfully beautiful title track from the new one from Wand made me a more fevered fan of this band. Already on-board since last year's tripped-out Golem, this year's 1000 Days, out on Drag City on Friday, expands on the band's sound. The result of that expansion is a record that rawks ("Lower Order") and perplexes ("Dovetail").
Earlier single "Stolen Footsteps" is here and it's a perfect example of how Wand have retained their trippy sense of adventure while tempering down ever so slightly the rough edges that were on earlier albums. Sounding a bit like Ty Segall, lead singer Cory Hanson owns these cuts. "Sleepy Dog" charts a lovely course between space rock and Sabbath riffs. Wholly original in its melding of disparate genres, this is a smashing good track.
Still, to stress the loveliness here on 1000 Days is not to deny that the album still blazes by in spots of fiery acid rock ("Dungeon Dropper"). "Passage of the Dream" melds what sounds like a classic Bill Nelson guitar solo circa Be-Bop Deluxe with an ascending melody that is held together by Hanson's Syd Barrett-like delivery.
1000 Days closes on the brief "Morning Rainbow" which is another bit of blissed out business like "Broken Sun" earlier on the record. 1000 Days is a sort of refinement of Wand's formula. Thoroughly enjoyable, 1000 Days signals the start of a fruitful period of creation for Wand now that they are on Drag City.
1000 Days by Wand is out on Friday via Drag City. Follow Wand on their official website.