You Also Have Eyes
10mm Omega, 2021
8/10
A Charlotte, North Carolina outfit who have been around for over a decade now, You Also Have Eyes collects songs from quintet’s back catalog as well as a pair of new ones, and serves as an ideal introduction to their diverse and very skilled song craft.
“Electric Love” gets the listen off to an atmospheric start as playful synth, crisp drumming and dreamy wordless vocals guide the mysterious landscape, and “The Golden Moon And Slivery Sea” follows with inviting bass lines and airy flute as a curious brand of electronic folk enters.
Elsewhere, “Al Gore Rhythms” recruits Snap Nation for the warm keys and club friendly delivery, while “Wonder Why” lands in soulful territory amid a stylish and vocally soaring climate. “Always”, one of the album’s best, then offers a dream-pop gem that’s equal parts crunchy and breezy.
Near to the end, “Before You Go” makes graceful use of strings and piano, and “Weird Things Humans Do” finishes out the listen with a shimmering, post-rock influenced instrumental where the meticulous nature of the track won’t go unnoticed.
Amy Herring, Otis Hughes, Patty McLaughlin, Jefferson Chester and Jason Herring, i.e. The Mystery Plan, sure know their way in and out of pop and folk textures with much charm and intrigue, and these 13 tracks are sure to make a fan out of anyone willing to listen.
Travels well with: Various Artists- Midnight Special; Welcome Center- Talk Talk Talk