Long praised, little heard. That's the refrain that would accompany a blurb about The Woods. Sure, this was an early band from Linda Smith, but it was also more than just that. The music of this outfit deserved to be heard and, hopefully thanks to help from the famed Sundazed label, it now will be. So Long Before Now collects songs for a never-released full-length from The Woods, along with their one famed single and other previously-unreleased tracks. The music here is more insistent than many might have expected, with a restlessness that's refreshing, and that's enough reason to make this compilation essential.
"Miracles Tonight" and "Never Before" reveal debts owed to The Velvet Underground and maybe The Feelies, but there's a hint of something else here. The Woods took a few cues from British folk, enough that the material feels otherworldly in spots. "Any Second" centers Linda Smith in the track, with a droning hook that feels like something from Opal. Less interested in exploring Sixties-style tangents involving acid rock, The Woods keep things urban and claustrophobic. This is what the Paisley Underground would sound like had they all started up bands in the concrete canyons of the city, instead of near Laurel Canyon. "So Long Before Now" whirls and spins like early Yo La Tengo but with a vocal interplay that suggests Damon & Naomi of Galaxie 500. It's a propulsive hit, with a premium placed on the rhythmic hook. Atmospheric in a way, but really sort of like Young Marble Giants in terms of harnessing energy with a minimalist approach.
All throughout So Long Before Now there's a DIY vibe that seems of a piece with what would come later from the Elephant 6 folks. There's not as much ornamention here, nor is this as baroque, but there's a similar approach to achieving maximum effect with the minimal tools at one's disposal. This is lean and hungry, yeah, but it's also ornate and ambitious. Anyone who's heard the recent Linda Smith compilation should understand what I'm getting at. With priority given to tunefulness, The Woods staked a claim to their own territory in an earlier era. It's a shame this didn't get released as a proper album then. But now, in this set, we can hear something wonderful, evocative, and timeless.
So Long Before Now is out on the Sundazed label.
[Photo: The Woods Bandcamp]