L.A. Witch’s self-titled debut LP is a sweltering garage-noir classic that is absolutely shimmering with a darkly psychedelic haze and a killer attitude.
While the Los Angeles group has been unleashing singles here and there since 2012, they play so tightly on this full-length, it’s like they’ve been touring together for three times as long. Additionally, every song here sounds so lived-in and perfectly trimmed of any excess; you can tell that this music comes straight from the band’s very DNA.
The entire record glows with a ceaseless energy and grooves with a gothic-surf coolness. For instance, on “You Love Nothing,” ghostly reverb-soaked vocals and opaque, Christian Bland-like guitar lines dance like smoke while being driven by a thumping, shadowy rhythm section. Elsewhere on the album, the listener is treated to racing fuzz-guitar bliss, like in “Drive Your Car,” and dreamy moments of psychedelic gloom like the excellent slow burner, “Brian.” There’s also a beautifully chilling vibe that remains constant throughout the entire record, conjuring up images of old black and white biker movies, vampiric beach dancers and undead junkies.
While you can enjoy this exceptional record at any time of year, but now is possibly the best time to put it on, since its haunted psych-punk sound can easily get you into the mood for the Halloween season.
You can purchase the album on MP3 or on CD/pink vinyl through Suicide Squeeze Records.
-KH
Record Crates United 