The Earlies
Psychedelia as a mainstream music genre has long seen its extinction. The days of Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead and Country Joe & The Fish are long gone and with no sight of returning to the mainstream. That being said, the new face of psychedelic rock and roll can be found in some of the indie and more artistic rockers.
Most notably taking up the torch has been The Flaming Lips, but one of the most refreshing blends of pop music, glam and psychedelia would be the Earlies. A melding of wild arrangements, Brian Wilson harmonies and varying combinations of musical styles, the Earlies are bringing some of the best music to be offered to the table in a long time.
One half British and one half American, The Earlies--on both of their outstanding albums-- (These Were The Earlies & The Enemy Chorus) blend both British and American styles of music. Most of their predecessors can be seen from the British Invasion sound of the late 60's and the psychedelic movement of late 60's California. With a dash of up to date electronica, the
Earlies really don't fit into just one genre, but bend many into one unique and fresh sound.
These Were The Earlies,
their 2004 debut, is quite the mission statement for what The Earlies would come to accomplish. Released the same year as other stand-out debuts including The Arcade Fire's Funeral , The Killer's Hot Fuss and Secret Machines' Now Here Is Nowhere, These Were… was forgotten almost as it's title suggests. It wouldn't be until 2007 when we'd here from them again, as if they were some band from the distant past.These Were… is a tour-de-force in arrangements, structure and songwriting. Mostly ambient tunes ladled with woodwinds, piano and synthesizers, the tracks flow with a calming force that leads to a mystical listening experience. Songs like "One of Us is Dead" and "25 Easy Pieces" show the true feeling of what the Earlies can do with pop music. "Morning Wonder" is a progressive rock excursion and "Low Man's Dream" is an exercise in Enoesque ambience that flowers into a beautiful melody.
One of The Earlies finest achievements can be found on the compilation Dream Brother: The Songs of Tim and Jeff Buckley. Their version of "I Must Have Been Blind" not only pays tribute to a great songwriter and one of their influences, but it transforms the song from its original singer-songwriter style to a dreamy space anthem.
The real surprise comes with this years release The Enemy Chorus. Although their debut was overshadowed by others, The Earlies released a rare staggeringly impressive sophomore effort. 
The Enemy Chorus is much more prolific and eclectic then their debut, but it has many of the same styles. The main difference is that these songs are more upbeat and sometimes brooding. The horn arrangements in "Foundation and Earth", the heavy synth and rhythm section in "Bad is As Bad Does" and the dreamscape of "The Ground We Walk On" are among the album's finest moments.
One thing that makes The Earlies more elusive than many of the other bands that came to be at the same time is their lack of American tour dates. The Earlies European dates boast a host of instruments live on stage including woodwinds, tubas and other brass and a slew of other musicians filling the stage up with bodies of talented musicians. Once they can bring their stage show to the United States, hopefully more exposure can come for them.
All in all, The Earlies are off to a great start. With two fantastic albums that are showing a different side to what indie music can be like, it's a wonder more people aren't listening.
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