It would be easy to label the new album from So Many Wizards a neo-psychedelic release. The record, Heavy Vision, out Friday on Lolipop Records, is full of bright, chiming indie numbers that positively drip with homages to earlier pioneers like Syd Barrett and The Byrds. That said, the band manages to imbue a great deal of this with the sort of fresh approach that renders this record more than just a simple tribute album to the Sixties.
Opener "Sic Boys" rings with a hint of paisley-era pop, while the rollicking "Swimming Pool" rocks in a more traditional fashion much like recent album tracks from up-and-coming band Twin Peaks. Elsewhere, "Daydream" bounces along with the sort of mid-tempo vibe found on early Blur records, while the lovely "Modern Way" recalls some stuff from Temples. At their best, So Many Wizards seem to be capable of blending together a whole lotta things at once. The perky "Just Poison" rides a hook like something from a C86 band, while "Hash" and "No One Cares" showcase a more mellow side of this band's output, the vibe a strongly-melodic one.
So Many Wizards are not re-inventing the wheel here but they are bringing a great many influences together in the service of their own very winsome indie-pop. Fans of stuff like Twin Peaks, and Wowee Zowee-era Pavement should find a lot to love here.
Heavy Vision from So Many Wizards drops Friday on Lolipop Records. Find more details on the band via their official Facebook page.
[Photo: James Juarez]