by John Brouk
The new Absolute Devotion EP from Indianapolis psych rockers Living Dream is an excellent addition to the growing collection of stellar releases by the St. Louis-based label Inscrutable Records. Pulling from the paisley-ed and darker corners of garage rock, Living Dream delivers an artful 15-minutes of jangly and sinister, vintage-tinged psych rock, where reverb acts as a shadow casting mystery and mire over everything.
“Mist (Surrounds Me)” sets the tone with a minor keyed, reverbed guitar arpeggio that would be right at home on either of the beloved psych compilations Nuggets or the later Children of Nuggets. Stephen Orban’s deep baritone lead vocals contrast wonderfully with the bright jangle of the swirling guitar riffs as cavernous handclaps echo deep into a sonic fever-dream. The song enjoys a brief moment in the sun of the cheery powerpop chords of the chorus before reentering the dark shroud of guitars, serpent-charming bassline, and reverberating percussion.
On “Seeing White” we realize the ingenuity of the interlocking guitar riffs and bassline of the first song were no fluke. Living Dream treats us to another masterful psych rock jigsaw puzzle with every piece fitting perfectly in its place. The bass slips, slides, and bounces under repeating, echoing guitar riffs and rhythmic snare fills as lead vocals are delivered in a deadpan that conjures up Nico’s singing with the Velvet Underground. It feels like cruising along a sparsely lit, vacant highway at night; there’s a feeling of the breezy carefree with an undercurrent of potential danger. After another pair of upbeat choruses—which sees the bass modulating to chugging velocity along with the ever persistently energetic snare hits and vocal harmonies—”Seeing White” breathes in the form of a brief instrumental passage before a choir of ghoulish backing harmonies swells till the song ends.
The lowest of lo-fi cyclical guitar strums precedes the ripping garage rocker and album centerpiece, “Lift a Feather.” Blisteringly strummed guitars and frayed riffs remind us that elbow grease and ferocity can provide a perfectly punk substitute for distortion pedals. The chorus has a sweetly swooning vocal harmony that is reminiscent of Jesus and the Mary Chain or even a rockier version of the Smiths. The band airs this one out with a mono-chorded instrumental coda and one note guitar solo until only a field recording of birds is audible.
The cool-down feel of the record’s self-titled track provides a solidifying conclusion. One final patchwork of trebled guitar arpeggios along with subdued and accenting percussion are met with the dissonant jazzy guitar chords and Turtles-esque background harmonies of the chorus, and a fun flute solo for good measure. Absolute Devotion is streaming now and also available on 12-inch vinyl from Inscrutable Records.