New Candys - New Candys as Medicine

  by Keith How

published: 12 / 4 / 2015

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Review

'New Candys as Medicine' hits the ground running. 'Thrill of the Trip” is just that - all phased guitars and hazy vocals with a tasty surf guitar intro and a thumping freakbeat drive. You are in no doubt where these gentlemen are coming from! I came across New Candys when my friends the Violet May, a now sadly dissolved Sheffield band returned from a short tour of Italy a couple of years ago. ”They have the hair, the clothes, the guitars and the tunes,“ they informed me and handed me a copy of the Candys' first EP. ’60’ revivalist? Yes! New Psychedelic? A resounding yes? When you can do it this good, why not? 'Stars Reach for the Abyss', their first full length-offering, was proclaimed a minor classic in its genre, and this latest album from the Candys also proves to be "a proper Italian Job". Unashamedly psychedelic garage, 'Medicine' oozes class.'Song for the Mutant' is all phased vocal with a sweet riff and, yes, that is a sitar. Next up 'Come with Me' is an invitation, and, believe me, you want to turn them down! Feedback introduces 'Patent Medicine'. It is driven by a thumping bass drum and Stones-ish tambourine before a brooding guitar and vocals close the track. We seem to have entered the Velvet Underground’s lair with 'Dark Love', which is all echo-chambered vocals and great dynamics. That groove continues with 'Aphrodite in Leather'. It is infectious, and just a little bit dark and scary with Fernando Nuti's heavily-treated pushed vocals to the fore. Side two crashes in with 'Overall' a no holds barred kaleidoscopic freak out, driving swirling around your brain before 'Bones on Fire' shows a mellow summer of love side to the band contrasting with the density of the material so far. Almost country in style, I am reminded of the gentler compositions on Pink Floyd’s 'More soundtrack. On the subject of style, New Candy have it in abundance and along with really authentic production techniques have one really good record here. 'Jolly Pan' has an early Rolling Stones feel rocking along beautifully before the album closes out with 'Endless Deadline', a euphoric mind-numbing fantastic journey complete with jangling guitars. Exquisite ! What can I say? 'Medicine' made me smile, dance and feel good. Alright?

Track Listing:-

1 Thrill or Trip
2 Song for the Mutant
3 Patent Medicine
4 Dark Love
5 Aphrodite in Leather
6 Overall
7 Bones on Fire
8 Mess
9 Jolly Pan
10 Endless Deadline

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/newcandys
https://twitter.com/newcandys
http://www.newcandys.com/
http://newcandys.bandcamp.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/newcandys

Label Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/foolica
https://twitter.com/foolica
https://www.youtube.com/user/foolicare
http://www.foolica.com/