The Psychedelic Rock Round Up: The Eighteenth Day of May et. al.

Eighteenth Day of May’s self-titled album is nice. That’s not “nice” in the sense of “if you can’t saying something nice, at least say it was nice.” I realize that as far as music criticism goes that to call an album “nice” is as helpful to the reader as saying, “I like it.

However, “nice” is really the best word to describe the music. Eighteenth Day of May play a swirling dervish of psychedelic rock in the tradition spurred by the Byrds but one that quickly led to cosmic dust and studios full of every kind of stringed instrument. As you listen to Eighteenth Day of May, it’s still the 60’s, Technicolor patterns moving across the TV screen while really we’re all headed out to the countryside to dance in fields of sun.

What contributes to the nice feeling of the album is listening for the references to music from all parts of the world: Irish fiddle tunes, Indian sitar, Appalachian mountain music, blues guitar, African drum rhythms, and more. None is wholly present; these are just hints. Neither are they pasted on; these are fully integrated into the tunes.

Because this is nice music that makes me feel nice, I guess I’ve been reluctant to write this review or others on psychedelic rock. There should be more to say, but I listen and get caught up in the nice, fantastical feeling—and well, it just makes me dumb for words. In fact, while I struggle many times to find words to describe the wordless blend of notes and rhythm—this being the task of a music reviewer, psychedelic rock may perhaps be one of the most difficult to capture in words. So as flighty as it sounds, all I can tell you is that this music is nice. Plenty of other psychedelic rock has bad psychedelia, poorly played music, or cheesy production, so believe me when I say that Eighteenth Day of May is nice.

Thank you to the Eighteenth Day of May and Hannibal/Ryko for the review copy.

And now for the psychedelic rock reviews I’ve been avoiding writing. . .

Coley Park: Down at the Devilin’ Tree
Coley Park represents the haunted voice in psychedelic rock. On Down at the Devilin’ Tree (Shady Lane), the five-piece band sounds like the Band, holing up in a house in the country, honing their skills and sound, delivering folk-influenced rock. Yet, there’s mystery in the lyrics, almost Beat-like. While the band lays out the song’s melodic structure, supporting sounds from guitars, background vocals, or keyboards add the cosmic, otherworldly hints.

12,000 Armies: The Mirth These Days
12,000 Armies have a syrupy niceness in their vocals while allowing there to be some Guitar Rock kick making The Mirth These Days (MoRisen) a psychedelic rock from the garage rather than a Californian valley ranch.

Kings of Convenience: Riot on an Empty Street
Kings of Convenience approach the psychedelic feeling through the guise of Simon and Garfunkel. Riot on an Empty Street (Astralwerks) has that 60’s Technicolor and definitely brings that nice feeling. While less indebted to psychedelic cosmic-ism, there’s still a swirl that twirls you in a nice spiral of sound.

Royal City: Little Heart’s Ease
With a lead voice that has both the Indie Rock unpolished charm and a deepness like the Psychedelic Furs, Royal City does an introspective poet turn on sing-along pop. Little Heart’s Ease (Three Gut/Rough Trade) also contains some lyrics crying out for poetic interpretation from a Christian perspective.

Kings of Convenience: Riot on an Empty Street
Kings of Convenience approach the psychedelic feeling through the guise of Simon and Garfunkel. Riot on an Empty Street (Astralwerks) has that 60’s Technicolor and definitely brings that nice feeling. While less indebted to psychedelic cosmic-ism, there’s still a swirl that twirls you in a nice spiral of sound.

The Delays: Faded Seaside Glamour
You’ll recognize “Long Time Coming” from the Delays’ Faded Seaside Glamour (Rough Trade). It’s featured in some U.S. TV commercial for diamonds. The 2003 album swirls at every turn with a Britpop approach to psychedelic rock plus a little of the Electropop dance floor rhythms. “Hey Girl” is all sunshine, long, wavy brown hair, summers of love, tambourine shaking, hillside dancing, and an introspective girl watching the waves roll onto the beach at Blackpool.