There’s plenty of iconic bands that I can’t stand – Queen, Abba – and if I’d been part of the whole thing in the 60s, then I definitely would have been a Beatle over the Stones. And of course, music polarises these days.
That all been said, I’m yet to meet anyone that doesn’t like The Beach Boys or who doesn’t smile when they hear one of their hits.
You don’t expect to hear the sound of summer on a country EP, though, but no one told LOCASH. “Beach Boys” uses the “I Get Around” vocal harmony and hook as its base, but the fact it takes the sound to the shore seems perfect for “Woods And Water.”
See, there’s a line on it, when Preston Brust and Chris Lucas sing that they want to “get a little bit of red on my redneck” and that’s basically the laid back thing that’s in store.
“In The Woods” for example, takes you out of the rush hour, and miles (literally) from the rat race. “The whole world’s gone crazy, but it ain’t here baby” and its so warm and welcoming you kind of expect a slice of mom’s apple pie to be waiting for you.
“Sippin’ Sunsets” is proudly pop music. Jangly, and contented, you can more or less see the glorious sky that they are enjoying their drinks underneath, and it is interesting that a record that eschews the bright lights makes its intentions clear on “Small Town For Life”. This is not a band that is going to chase the parties with the Kardashian’s, I am going to guess they don’t know how many Instagram followers they have either. Rather, this is just a pleasant duo with some lovely songs.
If they aren’t controversial, (the key is in these words: “Just like my daddy was proud of my name, never come a day I’ma bring it any shamе”) then they can write some incredibly catchy tunes (and they co-write them all). The most accessible – and the one that’ll be their anthem – is “Chillionaire”, with the mighty sentiment
“While you’re out there makin’ that cheddar
I’m out back bein’ a real go-getter
Go get me a spot, go get me a chair
Go get me a cooler fulla, I don’t cares”
It walks the line between brilliant and insanely annoying just wonderfully. And if you can get it out of your head, you’re a better man than me.
LOCASH apparently wanted this album to be a “mini-vacation”, and considering it brings some summer sunshine into a cold, damp November thousands of miles away from where it was made, then job done.
Rating 8/10