Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 08/19/2008
Detroit
psychedelic pop outfit
Outrageous Cherry have been crafting their own version of the
Nuggets box since they dropped their reverb-drenched self-titled debut on
Bar/None in 1994. Driven by the immaculate
pop craftsmanship of guitarist/singer
Matthew Smith, the group's penchant for early-
Bee Gees melodies,
Velvet Underground freakouts, and
Galaxie 500-induced dream sequences changed little throughout the years, which makes the career-spanning
Wide Awake in the Spirit World: The Best of Outrageous Cherry -- released on
Steven Van Zandt's
Wicked Cool Records no less -- such a solid listen.
Smith, who sounds like a cross between
Joey Ramone,
Brian Wilson, and
the Posies'
Ken Stringfellow, somehow manages to simultaneously filter everything through the flat black slabs of both
Pink Floyd's
Saucerful of Secrets and
Spiritualized's
Lazer Guided Melodies. It's a neat trick that should wear out its welcome but never does, as the band stays true to the standards of the three-minute
pop song, rarely venturing out into the nebulous seas of
acid rock improvisation. Standout cuts like
"Stay Right Here for a Little While," "Saturday Afternoon," "Why Don't We Talk About Something Else," "New Creature," and
"Young and Miserable" may have been plucked from different trees, but they're all from the same orchard.
~James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
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