Music > Album Reviews

The Sonic Dawn - Eclipse

19/01/19

I picked up on Denmark’s Sonic Dawn when I saw the word “psychedelic” in the PR blurb. Yes, this is psychedelic, there is no doubt about that. It is just that I was expecting something more, I dunno, modern psyche like Acid Mothers Temple whilst this rooted in the late 60s.
 
In a way, the band’s devotion to recreating the sounds of psychedelia’s (first) heyday is admirable. There is lots to enjoy here. The guitars - fuzztone rhythm, classy lead, finger-picked acoustic - are all tasteful. The harmony vocals verge on the lovely, bringing to mind Fleet Foxes. Lyrics are peppered with references to psychedelic rangers, it being forever 1969, cosmic minds and the circle of life. The songs are well structured and pleasant, in a bucolic, verging on cosmic Americana, kinda way.
 
I enjoyed this LP but the band just never really let rip and jam out and some of the songs are crying out for that. This is decent enough and I’ll play it again but I bet that it is live that this lot really fly. Now, if someone can get them to NAC or the Waterfront Studio, I’ll see ya down the front….
 
6/10