Stay are a pop-psych band from Barcelona, Spain who I was first introduced to last year through their album, The Fourth Dimension (CLICK HERE to read review). Their new FdM single consists of four songs, one original and three covers.
Mersey Dream is the original and is a funk rocking psych song with a potent chunky funky rhythm section, killer old time organ, and wah’d rhythm guitar and leads that are both liquid and acidic. This sucker could easily have been some lost track from the 60s. I’d never heard of The Fairytale, but apparently they were a UK band who only released a couple singles in the late 60s. Too bad they didn’t do more because a listen on YouTube reveals a real gem. Stay take their song Guess I Was Dreaming and amp it up with potent drumming, organ, and killer stinging and tripped out rocking guitar leads. Stay are close to the spirit of the original with The Beatles’ If I Needed Someone, though they quicken the pace a bit. Great instrumentation and production on this one, with all manner of efx’d psych guitars, keys and powerful drumming. Marmalade is another band I was previously unfamiliar with. They were a Scottish band that existed in the 60s, apparently in couple different formations before becoming Marmalade. I checked out their song I See The Rain on YouTube and it’s a catchy tune with high pitched vocals and some interesting contrasting edgy guitar. Stay make it a heavier rocker, striking a fine balance between retro 60s and a more modern feel. If you like well crafted Pop-Psych check these guys out. They’ve got four full albums to date.
The single will be available mid-August, and as usual this is vinyl ONLY, no CDs or downloads. If interested you better hurry because Fruits de Mer releases sell out QUICK!
For more information visit the Fruits de Mer Records web site at: http://www.fruitsdemerrecords.com
Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz