Radlands, the new LP from London's Mystery Jets, could well be subtitled "Syd Barrett and the Kinks go to Austin". And for listeners, that is a very good thing. To flesh that beginning out a bit, yes, this London band decamped to Austin to write and record parts if the album. And yes, it bears elements of Barrett psyche/folk rock, the Kinks and its Austin incubator. And yes, it is a good album. It is sunnier, and folkier, than the band's three previous albums, although the boys rock out a bit, particularly in the latter half of the album.
Here is "Greatest Hits", about a couple splitting up the relationship, and the joint record collection --
Mystery Jets remains a British band, and Radlands isn't an Americana album, despite the band's time writing and recording in Texas. But the album is more roots-oriented, and less keyboard-driven, than the prior albums. The result is an album where the songwriting stands out, and reveals the band to have good pop instincts. Whether it represents a new path for the band or a detour, they can be proud of Radlands. If you like the songs we've provided here, I recommend you check out the album.
The anthemic "Someone Purer" --
Mystery Jets are Kapil Trivedi, William Rees, Kai Fish, and Blaine Harrison. I've also seen lists that include Henry Harrison, Peter Cochrane, and Matt Park, and references to Kai leaving the band.
Website
Twitter ( @mysteryjets )
No comments:
Post a Comment