The Best Psychedelic Rock Albums of 2024
- Jason LeValley and the Psychedelic Scene Staff
Acid Dad: Take It from the Dead–Album Review
Acid Dad: Take It from the Dead–Album Review
One of the great things about rock n’ roll is that artists can take elements from the past and put them together to create something fresh and exciting, as Acid Dad has done on their latest release Take It from the Dead. Acid Dad, a neo-psychedelic garage band out of Brooklyn, blends 70’s rock riffs with a bit of 90’s alt-rock angst and dolls it up with a modern psychedelic sheen.
The band burst onto the Brooklyn scene in 2016, playing shows incessantly and releasing their first single “Brain Body” as well as an EP called Let’s Plan a Robbery. After several lineup changes, the group went global with the release of their first self-titled LP in 2018.
Acid Dad blends 70’s rock riffs with a bit of 90’s alt-rock angst and dolls it up with a modern psychedelic sheen.
During lockdown, the group spent their time setting up a new rehearsal space in Queens and even learned how to build their own guitars. Now consisting of singer-guitarist Vaughn Hunt (the only constant member in the band’s genesis), bassist-turned-guitarist and singer Sean Fahey, and drummer Trevor Mustoe, the group also used the 2020 downtime to create art videos for their new songs with artist Webb Hunt.
Take It from the Dead is first and foremost a guitar record. It’s got riffs, the kind of which you don’t hear too often these days. It’s an eight-song album, which means my attention span can handle it. I have to admit that I’m burnt out on albums that exceed the old standard of 40-45 minutes, so I’m happy to hear the shorter, formerly average-length, LPs like Take It from the Dead that can hold my attention the whole way through. Like most modern day psych records, this one features plenty of reverb on the vocals, but not so much that the lyrics are completely indeterminable.
Devon Bristol Shaw
It kicks off with “Searchin’”, a mellow, dreamy affair with keyboards that seems to be about finding one’s way in the music industry– or LA, in particular. “In the valley of fake tits/There’s stilettos rubbing some dick /All the profit goes to some /Dumb motherfuckin’ racist scum”.
“BBQ” is the standout track on the album with a riff that’s sure to get stuck in your head. I can almost see myself playing air guitar along to it—almost. There’s a memorable bass line, too, as Fahey presumably does double-duty on this track, if not the entire album.
With a good vibe, a rad riff and even (gasp!) a guitar solo, “RC Driver”, the third track released in advance of the album, manages to be mellow and upbeat at the same time.
On “She Only Eats Organic”, the band reaches into their bag of influences and pulls out some power pop. With the robotic vocals, there’s even a bit of a New Wave feel on this one. The bridge is a delightful bit of delirium and even mentions a bridge. (How meta!): “Here I am standing on the edge of the Brooklyn Bridge again/ I just need a moment of silence to clear my head, my friend”.
Take It from the Dead is a solid outing and an enjoyable listen.
“Good Time” takes its cues from dream pop, again using keyboards to good effect, and creating a hypnogogic vibe with lyrics that indicate that maybe someone’s “good time” is hampered by a touch of sleep deprivation: “Let’s go down to the 7-11 and get a sandwich/ There’s nothing more magnificent than staying up past 2/ Now I know it’s late and there’s nothing I’d rather do than stay awake”.
“Two Face” is a dreamy, but rockin’ song about betrayal and makes good use of the phaser pedal for that special spacey vibe.
The album’s last and longest track (at 7:09) “Djembe” is a mid-tempo, lazy rocker with a distinctive bassline, more phasers, and another (extended) guitar solo. Ironically, no djembe appears on the song.
Devon Bristol Shaw
Overall, Take It from the Dead is a solid outing and an enjoyable listen from a youngish (I’m guessing late 20s) band. It’s encouraging to me because I’ve heard rumblings lately that rock is ready for a comeback. As a society, I think we need it. The last several years have been intense, constraining, and pretty shitty in general. The PC police are patrolling like never before. People are afraid to speak their minds in fear of being trolled, socially humiliated, or canceled. Rock n’ roll has traditionally been the voice that tells it like it is and causes a revolution. Let’s hope it comes to our rescue soon.
Related: US Psych Festivals Are Back!
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