Memories Come True
, the first album from
Cliffie Swan
, the band formerly known as
Lights
(until a legal rumble with the Canadian pop star of the same name forced them to change it), isn't so much a debut as it is a reintroduction to the trio's intriguing collision of AM radio pop and acid rock. They might be Brooklynites in the 2010s, but the soul of their music lies in early-'70s California or perhaps Australia:
Sophia Knapp
's honey-dripping voice echoes
Olivia Newton-John
uncannily, particularly on "Dream Chain," which opens the album with country-pop that's shattered when heavy riffs crash the party. Interestingly, after facing off with the northern
,
's music is more focused and even poppy, setting them apart from the other ladies re-imagining psychedelia, like
Warpaint
and
No Joy
. The more traditional, and even corny, their songs get, the more interesting they are, and their unabashedly pretty vocals and lyrics are as girly and sweetly hippie-ish as a toe ring.
Knapp
tells raindrops they'll be a rainbow someday on "So Long," waits for the day when the jewel in your heart will shine over a truckin' groove on "Soft and Mean," and sounds especially angelic on "Yes I Love You," a bouncy piece of bubblegum pop that evokes roller skates, tube socks, and glittery lip gloss. Later, the women of
evoke smoky summer nights on the witchy-sexy title track and "Take It Easy," while "California Baby" sounds like it should be played on an eight-track in a van with shag carpeting. When
return to the heavier, more expansive sounds they explored as
, as on the acid rock excursion "Full of Pain," they pull it off ably, but they just sound more enjoyable and unique when they focus on their pop side. Regardless,
is a strong new beginning for this band. ~ Heather Phares