Album number five from the core duo of Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell and things have taken on a slightly more psychedelic edge than before. Plus thankfully their dubious cover of 'U Sexy Thing' isn't included in the running order, however timely their rendition of it may now seem.

Opening with the Moon Duoesque 'Crybaby Demon' the pair get things off to a flying start as it zips along at a good lick that sets the tone for all that is to follow. 'Foolin' Around' is the first song to display that aforementioned psych tinge as it draws woozily to a close. straight up after that though we're into Black Lips territory with the sneering 'Do The Void'. Variety is the name of the game here as the boys communicate their sense of fun to whomever's tuned in at the right moment.

Orchestrated psych is the style utilised next on 'The Boy Is A Tramp' and about this point you begin to wonder just how many genres they're planning to master on Boys. Whilst the album's pace slows down a notch or two around the mid-point ('Blue' being a long drawn-out track reminiscent of movie scenes where the drunken central character's probably going to wind up minus his wallet come the morning) by the time you get through to 'Kool TV' the party atmosphere once again reasserts itself.

Boys then doesn't tinker with the band's formula to any great degree and there's plenty of evidence to show that there's no need for any kind of overhaul in the near future. A solidly enjoyable album from start to finish right from the off but one which also manages to comfortably grow on you with repeated plays. 

Boys is available from amazon & iTunes.

Album number two from the finest psych band to emerge from Carlisle proceeds from where debut Songs Of Lies And Deceit left off, opening up with the eight minutes plus of 'Mona Lisa', as eerie a beginning to an album as you'll find anywhere so far this year. After that initial couple of minutes of build-up, however, the overdriven assault you're subjected to comes as a welcome relief, even if the drum pattern does at times sound at odds with the rest of the instrumentation.

Beginning an album with the sort of end-of-set instrumental that most bands would place in the final spot in the running order sets the band's stall out pretty squarely. They're under no obligation to anyone but themselves so why not? If you can't appreciate the move then you're probably listening to the wrong band.

The sonic maelstrom continues for the album's entirety. 'The Darkest Day' / 'Head Musik' fools you with a slower start but by its end the spirit of James Chance is being channeled through the inclusion of some mental brass playing and the core instruments are being pounded on for all everybody's worth. 'Moonstruck' (The Lucid Dream's contribution to the 2014 Too Pure Singles Club) turns out, in the company of the lengthier tracks that make up the bulk of The Lucid Dream, to be a far shorter and faster blast from the group than memory allowed for. Turning that on its head 'Unchained Dub' follows it and, whilst not fully convincing me, at least shows the breadth of the band's scope.

Throw in the poppier fare of 'Unchained' and 'You & I' & you're in possession of a thoroughly assured album from a band that are building on incredibly firm musical foundations and whom you feel could still yet surpass this towering work. 

The Lucid Dream is available from amazon and iTunes & on coloured vinyl here.