Got word from Byron at Afterlife Records about a White Fence single just out on the heels of his full length 'In Growing Faith' on Woodsist. If you happen to live by Aquarius records out in San Fran, they should have some color vinyl in the Afterlife clothing store across the street, us mailorder dudes get the black vinyl, but hey, this is White Fence....who cares!
Their first full length on Make a Mess has been in rotation now for a while, and of course you ordered his latest from Woodsist with a description like this. I thought the Fresh and Onlys kind of represented a new path psyche could have gone down, the perfect example of a band picking up the torch and continuing full speed ahead...or the Art Museums in an entirely different way, but the White Fences are so completely in line with the sound from that era it's uncanny. He's really taking this to a pitch perfect psyche update place, I mean I know I've used that reference before to various things, but these guys are the realest of deals, so close to the era, I just had an old timer ask me what I was listening to. I'm dead serious. He said, "...never heard of them'
Is it me of does the full length on Make A Mess get completely different like halfway though the album, all of a sudden it gets a lot grungier, Tim goes the full spectrum of this psyche sound, massive delays and the most paisley, bubble projected light things you've ever heard and then they're back down the other side to a real dirty gritty garage, so lo-fi it's all distorted, like the 2" reel to reel with the input turned up to 11. It's working all the possibilities of the period so well.
'Harness' on the A-Side, has this multivocal harmony that's just totally blown out and on fire, plowing full speed ahead... damn if this isn't a close relation to what I've heard from Jeff Novak lately actually. They are both mining this late '60s, '70s sound for all it's worth coming up with a better version than the original. Something like this really highlights how much culturally the landscape has changed, if you take away the actually sounds and the instrumentation itself your left with vocals and delivery, which brings this decidedly into today. The combination of this distance and the fuzzed out, wired metal guitar solo, which unexpectedly turns backwards on itself and phases in and out devolving right to the end. Psyche done so well, you get some kind of contact high.
The Pool, on the B-Side is pretty damn clear, and his vocals have that high register nasal quality which is unlike anything I've heard up to this point. Super psyche randomly juxtaposed lyrics 'Fingernails go purple from the cold / saving your clippings/ just a drink of leather." The fact this is the one man project of Tim Presley is blowing my mind. It's got the straight ahead classic style of Kurt Vile, you almost can't believe this style can still be compelling when done right. Expertly crafted, just minimal, jangly electric, there's no way to break this down into pieces, they work so well together. Slightly folksy, but completely modern...it's what you want psyche-pop to be...new all over again. Great piece of work.
Afterlife via Aquarius says:
If you're anything like us, you can't get enough of the woozy, '60s laden sounds of White Fence. And if his latest release on Woodsist isn't enough to quench your thirst for psych-pop jangle, feast your eyes (and ears) on this hot new 7" featuring a stellar, unheard, unreleased song. Released by our friends Afterlife (rad clothing shop across the street from aQ), this slab of washed out psychedelic pop is exactly in line with past WF releases. Blaring fuzz guitar, catchy hooks and diluted melodies, all melted and warped into a unique brand of 'white light, white heat' drug-rock.
"The Pool" is completely new to us, a relaxed, slow burning trip into a blurred summer afternoon. Reminds us of Texas trippers Pure Ecstasy. Distant tambourine, chiming guitar and layers of tape hiss drift together into a wash of melodic goodness. Our favorite thing about WF is beneath all these layers of grit and haze are well crafted songs that only leave us wanting more. Don't miss out on this gritty pop gem! - (aquarious records)
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