The Allah-Las are a band of consistency if nothing else. The band’s first two records are comprised of one summery, washed-out jam after another. After their record label switch to Mexican Summer Records in between 2014’s Worship The Sun and this year’s Calico Review, the band has explored new themes with a familiar sound.
Calico Review is a set of 12 breezy tracks that is perfect for the transition of summer into fall. With catchy hooks and a fuzzy atmosphere, songs like “Satisfied,” “Mausoleum,” and “Place In The Sun,” offer a pretty great psychedelic take on standard garage rock. The almost glitchy clicks and chimes in “Autumn Dawn” add a nice texture and depth to the record, while the 60s-esque ballad “Famous Phone Figure” adds sonic variety on Calico Review. With themes of loss of love, self-confidence, and confusion, Calico Review’s lyrics show growth in the songwriting of the band. While the Allah-Las are not offering anything profound or innovative in this record, they are giving listeners some catchy, sunburnt garage rock.
Recommended If You Like: The Growlers, Nick Waterhouse, Foxygen, Thee Oh Sees
Recommended Tracks: 2 (Satisfied), 7 (Autumn Dawn), 3 (Could Be You), 12 (Place In The Sun)
Do Not Play: Clean
Written by Scott Knettle on 09/18/2016
