Regretfully it wasn't until the end of the year that I actually sunk my teeth into The Isotopes' 2016 release Overstay Their Welcome. Looks like they're already back with a new one, and this time I'm paying attention.
The name of this record suggests a bit more of a trad surf bent than their style-hopping previous album, and that does seem to be happening by perhaps a smidge, but there's still a lot of very fresh non-60's ideas going on with different moods, instruments, and playing styles. "(Grappling With the) Pickle Matrix" for instance, with its acoustic strumming and xylophone is not exactly something you'd hear on a Sentinals record. My favorite moments of this band, however, are the bigger songs like "Pearl Harbor Necklace" which showcases both guitar chops and creativity, switching tempo and playing with a sense of scale. And then of course there's the opener "Jolly Rancheros" which is just a full-tilt rocker; something they do very well despite meager helpings on this album in particular.
From what I've been able to discern, this is digital only, so head on over to Bandcamp.
Side note: love this band's logo.
