Brooklyn-based psych-pop trio Psychic Lines have released their layered, expansive fifth studio album SUNSET ON SUNSET out everywhere now. The dynamic LP sees the band expand their sound with bright production, glittering guitar riffs and evocative lyricism.
SUNSET ON SUNSET sounds unlike any previous Psychic Lines release. Bandleader Phil Jacob explains, “Lyrically, the album touches on all the delusions we cling to. They may give us hope and spur us on but set us up for disappointment when we inevitably discover that the real world doesn’t quite measure up. Many of these delusions are shaped by our lifelong immersion in social media, film and television.”
The LP wrestles with escapism and the stories one tells themselves to make sense of an ever-changing, chaotic world. Jacob continues, “In order to bridge this reality gap, we further deceive ourselves and others, seeking escape in the same stories and mythologies that caused our faulty expectations in the first place.” These self-deceptions and coping mechanisms form a backdrop for this darkly surrealistic, yet wryly humorous collection of tunes.
Jacob recalls trying to imitate Syd Barrett on guitar when the chords for focus track “Lies I Tell Myself” came out. Jacob reveals, “The lyrics came later, as a four-year relationship was falling apart and I realized I had been lying to myself the whole time that I wanted to be with this person. Staying in the relationship as long as I did remains a big regret in my life because I wasn’t being honest with my partner or myself.” Bassist Dann Baker and drummer Tim Simmonds gave this tune a more “Phil Spector kind of feel.”
Psychic Lines began in 2008 with the release of their debut album, Cubicle Puppets. Currently, the band is made up of Phil Jacob on guitar and sax, Dann Baker (Love Camp 7, Eljin Marbles) on bass, and Nancy Polstein (Girls on Grass) on drums.
Are you going to give this one a spin?
