Album Review -The Soundcarriers- Wilds

Lately, I’ve been posting veteran rock bands and I begin to wonder why they hang around for those seventh and eighth albums when most bands have peaked by their third. But the reason is that they might get a new audience and I’m reminded that some recent “finds” like the Orange Peels are bands I got around to at a late date. So it is with the Soundcarriers - album #4 after a seven year hiatus- but even still, Wilds has been championed as one of the best new albums by Uncut magazine and Allmusic. The name is perfect for what is an otherwise indescribable band- that dabbles in baroque pop, psychedelia, garage rock, tropicalia, lounge, folk, movie music, jazz, Krautrock and other “found sounds”. The band that shows up most in their reviews is Stereolab. I think the link is more spiritual than sonic, but I suppose it’s not easy to decide where to start. More than anything they remind me of the producer -led groups like Whyte Horses (of note, Lenore Wheatley has been involved in both bands.). I find it interesting that their press often references that they are equally influenced by Os Mutantes and Sergio Mendes/Brazil 66 (two of Brazil’s most well known acts but certainly musically very different), but it goes to show how many ways this music can be approached. Maybe you’re listening to this because you like Psychedelic Syd-era Floyd (and it’s descendants) or maybe you are more interested in modern Coral-style indie rock BBC6 playlist fodder, or it could be you are looking for some thing shoe-gaze (in the original sense of the term). Whatever brings you in, the album will reward you.