I spent a lot of money on Bandcamp during COVID lockdown. It was a way to keep connected to music without going to shows and shops. One of the things that really rocked my boat was Grass Stains and Novocaine by Seablite. The album was a real delight. It still is, of course. Now we've got a remastered version and on vinyl too thanks to the good folks at Dandy Boy Records. So let's dive (back) in.
The players here -- Lauren Matsui (vocals / guitar) and Galine Tumasyan (vocals / bass), and Jen Mundy (ex-Wax Idols) on second guitar and Andy Pastalaniec (Chime School) on drums -- know exactly what they are doing. There's a lot of love for Lush here, specifically the Spooky era of the band's output. But, regardless of obvious influences, this material stands on its own. "Won't You" is punchy and bright, while "Pillbox" roars with promise. The sound here is simply perfect as far as I'm concerned, and I listen to this and am still sort of amazed that a band got this so right when so many others have tried and failed. Seablite are unique in that regard.
Grass Stains and Novocaine sounds better now, with a fuller sound that only helps these tunes sound even bigger than they already were. "Time is Weird" positively soars, while "House of Papercuts" reveals layers that most of us likely didn't hear on the download from Bandcamp earlier. This is the treatment this material deserves, and it will be nice to play both this one and the group's superb recent album back-to-back on my record player. Any reader of this site likely knows how much we love this lot around here, but if you're somehow new to Seablite, Grass Stains and Novocaine is, obviously, a fine introduction. And now it sounds even more dreamy.
Grass Stains and Novocaine by Seablite is out on vinyl this week via Dandy Boy Records.
[Photo: Seablite]