Songs Of Lies & Deceit by The Lucid Dream (Album)

Debut album from the Carlisle-based psychedelic revivalists who wear their influences proudly on the paisley sleeves they don’t actually wear…

Opener How’s Your Low When You’re Alone goes straight for the jugular, coming on like Loop doing their very best impersonation of Iggy and co. A few tracks in, though, the blistering pace and squalling feedback start to give way to a more melodic approach that recalls Kaleidoscope or even, in places, Crosby, Stills & Nash. Add a touch of Spacemen 3-ish drone, a dash of Primal Scream circa Sonic Flower Groove here, a lil’ ballsy 6Ts R&B à la The Creation there and… well, you get the idea.

The history of rock music is full of great imitators. What The Jesus & Mary Chain were to the Velvets and Oasis were to The Beatles, the mighty Stooges were to the Rolling Stones before them and hell, even Keef and Brian just wanted to play like Muddy. Which is a roundabout way of saying that there is Nothing Wrong Whatsoever in sounding like your heroes, particularly on your first album. The real test of a great band is whether they can transcend those influences and start to sound more recognisably like themselves, rather than like a very good tribute act.

Whether The Lucid Dream are a great band by that yardstick remains to be seen, but this is certainly an album that’s great fun to listen to – one that’s already had many more than one listen round these parts, and looks set to do so for a while.

Verdict: A derivative but nonetheless hugely enjoyable romp through psych pastures of yore

Russell Deeks

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