No stranger to the Hassle, WHITE FENCE(us having written about them often, and them having played our big fest last year HOMEGROWN 3) is back with a pair of lo-fidelity psychedelic pop nugget filled records that is sure to please you, their fans, and will probably attract even more fans to their growing fan satchel. San Francisco’s WHITE FENCE is way ahead of most of the psychedelic pop pack for two reasons. They really have a SOUND, psychedelic no doubt but drawing from so many different inspirations that it is never trite, and they fully envelop you in it. The other reason is that this band(really just Tim Presley) has the songs. Simply put, Presley can really write songs and melodies, and in the end that is what will keep you interested and coming back for more.
Seemingly becoming less and less like the side project that it supposedly is, WHITE FENCE has two sprawling recent releases: FAMILY PERFUME Vol. 1 & FAMILY PERFUME VOL. 2.(out on WOODSIST) 29 songs between them, played back to back the thing at times seems like one almost never ending psychedelic song collage. Often there’s not much in the way of pauses, or obvious song conclusions, so unless you’re paying attention(listening to this I can’t blame you for not concentrating too hard) a few songs might drift by before you know it. VOL. 1 is even more a blur than VOL. 2. and definitely the lower-fi of these two sister records.
On VOL. 1 “Swagger Vets and Double Moon” shambles about all fried guitar noodles, 60s garage psych attitude and shaggy rhythm section. “Down PNX” is bordering on some psych-punk, biker psych biz. Driving beat, fuzz guitar blasting out across an urgent vocal.
As for VOL. 2… On “Real Smiles” the guitars twinkle amidst the woozy vocal melody, a serpentine lead fuzz guitar emerging from beneath the surface of the song on occasion. “Lizards First” is definitely walking a Syd Barrett line. Psych-pop bopping along most pleasantly, taking it very very easy, the song almost slowing to a halt mid song. But as you knew it would the song kicks back into gear and finishes up proper-like. There’s a definite Syd Barrett thing going on throughout VOL. 2. Birthed in the bedroom and emitting all sorts of poppy F’d vibes this is some real summer tuneage. Psychedelia all over the place, affected vocals and everything else smattered throughout, all out rock through straight up folk. Blast this in your car, or during your 3am visits to the arboretum this summer, ok? If this double record wasn’t enough we’ll also be getting to a profile of WHITE FENCE’s collabo record with TY SEGALL pretty soon as well. More summertime music for blasting. It’s a good summer already.