(Dot Dash/Remote Control)

Melbourne psych-rockers’ fifth album has decent tunes and name collaborations

Don’t let the shocking-pink, skull-emblazoned cover scare you off – Dark Magic is actually a rather sunny listen aside from some choice minor chord progressions. A unique generation-spanning combo (youngest member Wes Holland is 20 while the group’s patriarch Andrew Tanner is in his 50s), Sand Pebbles perfect the craft of an unassuming psych-pop song on their LP number five. Featuring contributions from such indie/shoegaze/psych godheads as Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips (yep, the ones from Dean & Britta/Luna), Dark Magic aims for not so much for the decibels as textural perfection – and often comes pretty close to nailing the latter. Opening on a folky, yet unmistakably hazy note with Blue Eyes In Black And White, the album quickly shapes up as a solid modern psych-rock outing. The somewhat unexpected highlight, Occupied Europe (Take Me Across The Water) boasts a throbbing bass line and dolorous post-punk arpeggios that give off a very Chameleons/For Against feel, while the title track marries a jaunty verse hook with needling ‘psych’ guitars and Long, Long Ago is an exquisite shoegaze-ballad. Further along, ex-Spacemen 3 bassist Will Carruthers figures on the moody Entrance To The Stream and Death In Vegas’s Tim Holmes lends his distinctive touch to Because I Could – which blends vintage VU groove with honeyed vocal harmonies and fuzz-guitar fills. The five-piece may have a number of great yarns to their respective names, but on DM they let their music do all the talking.

****

DENIS SEMCHENKO

Comments (1)

Write Comment
Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Poster's IP addresses are logged.
Name:
Comment:
Code:*