A journalistic confrontation with music often arises from the search for a time-reference in music. That reference can label a style as relevant, avant-garde (thereby anticipating upcoming trends) or simply as contemporary, which is a way of legitimating its release. Hence it’s only logical to ask which relevance this mindblowingly precise West Coast surf-imitation from the 60s, released by Allah-Las in the spirit of the garage revival on their self-titled album, really has. Before we start reading a longing for truth into the expressional power of handmade music, made for a generation emotionally alienated by escapism and a fetish for technology, there is one thing that needs to be stated before that: First and foremost, Allah-Las’ music is down to very good songwriting. There are compositions, which introduce lighthearted yet memorable melodies and harmonies like in »Don’t You Forget It« and »Catamaran«. On the other hand, they reflect and even pay homage to their diverse roots between Surf, Americana, Garage and Folk, as on the session-like Sacred Sands. Allah-Las is certainly one of the best records of this summer and delivers the perfect late-summer-soundtrack: an album full of dusty riffs and sun-drenched melodies filled with longing, which is lots of fun while not even aiming at it.
Allah-Las
