Likevel
The Golden Parrot Tea Room (black)
Debut album by Chicago musical duo Likevel. Psych/folk/rock - or post-grunge outré shoegazey musical exploration? Likevel is the dream world of Jason Mosher and Bridget Hauser, two gen x'ers involved in the Chicago music scene since the 1990's (Mosher was the guitarist in the late-era work of pop phenomenon band Green). Ethereal but subtly heavy, with jangly human themes delivered intimately, Likevel sets off into the future on a dreamship of their own. This is an authentic DIY low-fi endeavor, recorded late at night in an apartment, with some tracks one-take improvisations. "If forced to make comparisons, I'd say that there is an undercurrent of 'Ecstasy And Wine'-era My Bloody Valentine in Hauser's vocals, which to my mind is high praise, as that's some glorious stuff, and being compared to Belinda Butcher is major. I also hear (on certain songs) what reminds me in a tangential way of Galaxie 500 subterranean minor-key grooving. I particularly like the the slow-burn intensity of 'Overseas,' with its soaring and slashing guitar runs, and the openers on both sides ('Marigold Tea' and 'Highbird') are equally wonderful." Altogether dreamy and yet warm, thanks to the mastering by JJ Golden of Golden Mastering, "and in the night light you'll know what's revealed in the glow." "I like it!" ~Suzy Shaw, Bomp!