Just when I thought that I knew what to reasonably expect from Austin psychedelic bands, Soft Healer have thrown me a total curve-ball with their new four track E.P titled, er "E.P".
It is of course a crass generalization for me to assume that every psychedelically inclined band from the area is going to peddle reverb laden garage psych of the Black Angels variety (which I rather like), but still Soft Healer came as a major surprise.
Opener "Ghost" is a sparsely atmospheric sprawl, anchored by a spidery bassline, with economical percussion, heavily reverbed sax of Hawkwindian proportions, and Marie Butcher's emotionally engaging vocals all vying for attention.
"Desert Work" on the other hand is taut and concise - Nick Cave tackling Johnny Cash after replacing his Bad Seeds with Sky Saxon's Seeds. And it's brilliant.
For the most part though "E.P" is an engaging, yet meandering cinematic sprawl which unhurriedly allows it's tunes to unwind with Sara Berger's organ making a particularly bold impression as it insinuates it's way into each song and wraps itself around the spines of these tunes.
Eerie stuff. More please.
Available here on vinyl from Monofonus Press.
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