Crazy Dreams Band

This is experimental pop rock. Experimental first, pop second. This is sort of similar to the recent Portugal. The Man album, except the Crazy Dreams Band are willing to trample their own tasteful sounds and textures with distasteful studio whooshes and whirring. I think the normal procedure is to tastefully add studio touches, instead of distracting from the music itself with cool electronics. My main issue with this band is the whole, ‘let’s be experimental for the sake of being experimental’ attitude. I’m sure some people at KZSU will like it, though; it is daring at least. There is some 70’s-80’s ish prog influence, along with some Krautrock influence. Vocalist literally does not find her voice; it is in imitation mode for most of the album. No FCC’s noted; the lyrics are certainly hard to understand.

*1. Proggy hook, definitely the poppiest thing on here, treated, distorted vocals back up the lead female vocals, greatest example of sound effects stepping on top of the instruments, builds to some interesting interweaving vocals, synths, and noise. A harmonica appears out of nowhere, too. (6:18)
2. Some Return To Cookie Mountain shit going on in the background, female vocalist gives her best Deerhoof impression, synth washes over meandering lead synthy thing, percussion is stuttering 4/4, entirely indecipherable lyrics, song breaks down into trailing vocals, and sputtering drums around halfway through. (4:59)
3. Somewhat pop structure to the beginning, vocals are…Janis Joplin impersonation?...synths rhythmically drive song with weird background stuff and backing male vocals, refrain gets a bit repetitive, breaks down halfway through, goes into bass and drum solo, jam band live sound to the ending of this song; too bad the ending is half the song…(6:43)
4. Really cool drumming opens, bass sort of wanders while vocals and effects come in and out, sounds like ‘let’s make a ten minute song’, rather than ‘let’s make a song’ and then have it naturally turn into 10 minutes. I think Can is an influence here, but I don’t have the patience to sit through this again. (10:23)
*5. Emotive vocals, pulsing synths, screeching noises, warbling vocals, percussion and scratchy instruments build to a tense conclusion, backing male vocals, I’d say this song is a success in comparison to the rest of the album…40 or so seconds of noise stuff to end so maybe fade out if you want. (7:15)