Past Life Regression

LOCAL! Pitch-perfect psychedelic pop, richly detailed, appealingly ragged at the edges. Several of these songs could easily belong in a lineup of sixties radio hits. Jason Quever of San Francisco has been making music under this name for nearly two decades, and now he's part of Slumberland Records, where his sweet and slightly post-punk-edged songwriting is in great company. This album is one big sugar rush, exultant even while it's downcast. I've been hearing about Papercuts since 2010-ish and never paid much attention, but now I'm fully reeled in. RIYL The Byrds, Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd, Spiritualized, Beach House, Advance Base, Chime School. Favorites: 1, 2, 6, 7, though all songs are great. No FCCs detected.

1. *(4:09)—Mid-tempo guitar pop perfection. Strummy with harmonies and shaker, big spaced-out choruses.
2. *(4:04)—Medium-slow, sunny, and with swagger. "Can't you see I still wear your ring?"
3. (4:11)—Very slow. Dramatic strings, tambourine, sounds like something the Wrecking Crew played on.
4. (4:28)—Mid-tempo, mannered sixities British psych. Harpsichord?
5. (2:58)—Mid-tempo. Severe string bowing. Sounds like something the Rolling Stones would've made in the mid-sixties.
6. *(3:32)—Medium-slow, woozy, with a great lock-step groove.
7. *(3:35)—Mid-tempo, triumphant sounding, with deep strings.
8. (5:01)—Slow, with a spacey keyboard melody at the front.
9. (4:52)—Mid-tempo, like a cheerier continuation of track 2 (including the same keyboard melody).
10. (2:53)—Bright, medium-slow strut, with prominent organ and shaker.