Grayson Wray (http://www.graysonwray.com) is apparently a favourite of campus radio stateside; given the opportunity, he'll probably find a bigger audience on these shores. Hailing from Los Angeles, Wray's flamboyant, colourful mix of glam, proto-punk, and neo-psychedelia will reel in a more knowledgeable crowd in the U.K., beyond America's vapid monthly flavours.
The T. Rex fuzz and swagger of "The Silver Cord of Avalon" is a mid-'70s flashback that is among the most tasty offerings on this decidedly retro disc. Wray's inspirations are pretty obvious; you have to wonder if a number of these songs are self-conscious homages to the artists which inspired them. Both in title and in style, "The Silver Cord of Avalon" screams T. Rex as much as "Too Many People" echoes the bracing punk-funk of the Bush Tetras' "Too Many Creeps" and the male/female harmonies of "Til the Surf Melts Into the Night" unveils a sun-soaked X.
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So might complain at how derivative this material is, but they're missing out on the fun here. The rockabilly rhythms of "Everybody's Got a Love" is an unpredictable turn from a group that seems to be obsessed with late '60s psychedelic rock and late '70s New Wave. "Life Is A Sound" resurrect the rougher edges of the '60s; it could've easily fit on a "Nuggets" compilation. "Saved the World Tonight" and "Burn Bright," on the other hand, bring back memories of Athens, Georgia's once-potent New Wave scene, making one long for Pylon and the Swimming Pool Q's.
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