Dangerbird Records
Released July 26
It’s with washed out melodies and a change of direction that Darker My Love have arrived at their third album ‘Alive As You Are’.
Swapping the reverb swamped psychedelic saunter for a more direct 60s pop swing, this LA based band are turning corners with this effort. While psychedelic elements still lie in their beachy mix they turn to basement blues in 18th Street Shuffle with a harnessed precision that reveals the influence and sensibilities of decades gone by.
It’s an easy listen that never strays far from its laid back rock grooves and spot on melodies that have you chirping happily along to their serenity without really realising.
As a background soundtrack it’s easy to get lost in Darker My Love’s third long player and diversity is far from abundant in the hazy rock revelry which results in a monotony and similarity that takes over the likes of New America, Rain Party and Trail The Line which could quite happily sit next to each other in a fuzzy summer medley.
There’s nothing wrong here, on the contrary, a lot of ‘Alive As You Are’ is packed with little harmonic treats that will indeed tickle your fancy if you miss and crave a return to a simple rock n roll spirit that doesn’t get lost in self indulgence. While the character of days gone by lives on in Darker My Love, there’s nothing particularly fresh or new in this record to make it stand out from the crowd, and it feels rather more like a tribute to an endless line of bands that came before their time.
6/10
Posted In Album Reviews, Jul 26 2010.
Words - Tom