Take a dash of sunshine and surf rock, blend in some fuzzy psychedlic garage overtones and top it all off with classic 1960s girl group vocals and you’ve got yourself Acapulco Lips’ “Now,” an instant Pacific Northwest summertime classic.
This 11-song summertime banger evokes thoughts of Nuggets-era throwback rock combined with sipping on a cold one on the shores of the Puget Sound. And while beach rock and sunshine aren’t the typical Northwest vibe, there’s plenty of PNW flair to be found throughout the album. The fuzzy riff of “The Flim-Flam” would make Mudhoney jealous and “Everyday” sounds like what might’ve happened if The Sonics were a surf rock band instead of proto-grunge garage rockers.
Naming a song “Fuzzy Sunshine” on an album filled with both fuzz and sunshine-invoking riffs may be a little on the nose. But there’s truth in advertising because that’s exactly what the song sounds like, and for the most part it’s what the album sounds like too. Elsewhere things get a little dark and psychedelic on “Happy Were The Days” and the instrumental “Pas d’echappatoire” is the musical equivalent of watching an elaborate chase scene from a thrilling heist movie.
The album is cleverly bookended by “Welcome to the Other Side” and “See You On the Other Side.” The former is an excellent opening salvo that introduces listeners to the sonic world of Acapulco Lips and the shimmery ending of the latter lures listeners in for a repeated play, of which there are sure to be plenty. Everything in the middle has equal replayability with jangly and fuzzy guitars courtesy Christopher Garland, dreamy vocals from Maria-Elena Herrell and steady rhythms by Jordan T Adams behind the kit.
The record’s modern-retro sound is the perfect soundtrack for all of your barbecues at the beach and late-night bonfires. It’s a dreamy, sunny, fuzzy and fun addition to the canon of Pacific Northwest rock ‘n’ roll that will make any playlist shine, regarldess of the season.
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