What a fantastic cross between 60s UK Beat and Psych Pop this is. This sort of delight seems to generally come from two places, Medway, here in the UK and the West Coast Of America. There are hints of Austin Powers Yeah Man! here, but the Psych Pop emphasis is largely on the Psych, Freakbeat maybe.
Although I thought of Medway most as I listened. Distorted Portrait does have a Garage Psych feel. The band aren't afraid to stretch out into other areas. She Done Lied is a cross between Merseybeat and Rhythm And Blues,
I Don't Mind is particularly groovy and Somebody Else gets really Poppy, Billy Fury-esque, it certainly sounds from that period. But with my love of the genre, it is the Psych Pop that beguiles me most. It is done with such expertise, a real affection for the period without ever sounding like a copy band.
Anything And Everything has a real Garage feel, yet Supersonic Girl is pure Psych Pop with a terrific rhythm track and a riff that pops out and grips you.The title track is driven by Farfisa, but a corking Psych solo breaks out to end the mellowness more than once.
Autonomous Overdrive is very 1967 Pink Floyd, you can imagine The Violet Mindfield playing it at The UFO Club. Similarly, you can envisage Cry, Cry, Cry being played on Ready Steady Go. Questions sounds Joe Meek at times yet remains a great Pop song at heart.
A special must go to Go On Now, much more modern sounding vocally and a great Pop Song.In essence, the beauty of Distorted Portrait is how great Psych Pop has been merged with UK Beat and Great Pop. There's a real catchiness that springs out surprisingly across the whole album.
You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl and as a download.
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