Houston, Texas, USA-based psychedelic rock band The Shrubs have been featuring on these pages since around this time last year when they hit our radar through their single Brilliance.
By Graeme Smith
Later in the year, we also shared their track Maybe Today and both singles feature on their latest album Echoes of a Dream.
The Shrubs are Laura, Miguel, Josh and Sophie, four musicians who have been playing together since 2013. Their unconventional set up means that they have three different vocalists and the result is a diverse sound that always keeps things interesting.
Add that to the fact that Echoes of a Dream was recorded in vintage equipment, and you get an album that sets itself apart from the crowd.
Kicking off with the aforementioned Maybe Today, the album gets right into it with some moodiness and emotion. A simmering and contemplative first verse gives space to Miguel’s soulful vocals before we arrive at a chorus with some unexpected twists, turns and layers. It truly is rock but not as we know it, and just as catchy as I remember it to be.
Summer Sun leans hard into the psychedelic part of their sound, with looping strings and ghostly vocals. Doesn’t Matter then strips things back with a delicate and melancholic moment before Brilliance gives us an early highlight thanks to its dreamy warmth and layers of vocals.
As the album reaches its mid-section, we continue to get a rich tapestry of psych rock and dream pop. Gentle moments like Can’t Last Forever and Textures are contrasted by edgier tracks like And Then, Waste Away and Got me Falling, and punctuated with raw moments like Cassette and Stay with You. Things end powerfully with slow-burning and lingering closing track Last Song.
The Shrubs are a band who are comfortable letting their music speak for itself and why shouldn’t they be? They have a beautifully unique sound that is equal parts challenging and welcoming, and they’re not afraid to break the mould in terms of how they deliver it. Their latest album is a tidy collection that gives us some wonderful diversity.
You can check out Echoes of a Dream below.
