Is/Is

When we got the last album by this trio, Your Imaginary Friend declared it was “perfection.” Well, this new tape might be even better. Massive, catchy, psychedelic, heavy, gritty, beautiful. (Also ridiculously meow-worthy.) Mostly mid-tempo. This isn’t so much surf rock as it’s what you might imagine rock ‘n’ roll would sound like underwater. It definitely inspires the same sort of wonder you feel when you’re swimming in the sea. I.e., play any and all tracks, and play them all the time. No FCCs detected.

1. (4:05)—Gauzy, restrained verses. Epic choruses.
2. (3:13)—Especially spaced-out. Lovely harmonizing. Killer wordless chorus.
3. (3:29)—Gorgeous, seamless mesh of psych, goth, and hip-shaking pop.
4. (2:43)—Upbeat, triumphant, heady. Searing guitar. Lovely keyboard (?) sounds near the end.
5. (4:03)—Fast. Understated vocals make this feel punky in a very personal, insular way. Sudden ending.
6. (3:59)—Take the climactic rock music in an action movie and let it decay for decades. This sounds better.
7. (4:52)—Slow. Cavernous and utterly blissful. Sinking, sinking, sinking…
8. (4:30)—Aggressive, mind-blowing psych-boogie.