Photo: Hayley Stuart
The band launched their last EP, 'Yellow Road', in June of 2017 after settling on their current lineup. Having grown a massively loyal fanbase in Waterford, they have been expanding their operations into Dublin and Cork with an eye to accomplishing the same there.
A January review of opening track 'Wash Basket Experience' by Crome Yellow found me much enthused; "Oh god, from the first 5 seconds of Crome Yellow's latest single I was away with the fairies in my head, seriously, what a delightful jam, and without showing my hand, a total killer of a single for 2019 at this very early, early stage. The funk is so cool, but so strong, the music is extremely laid-back to the point the Waterford four-piece are barely playing their instruments (but they are obviously). I want to disappear in this forever, also, lil' bit Republic of Loose, yurt." Delightfully, this was only the tip of the iceberg.
Those cool and laid-back jams litter their debut album See Why which was released last week. Second track 'Lately' is awash with gleeful colour and bopping beats, a kaleidoscopic piece of tropical sounds and nonchalant vocals. Although the band are influenced by 60's & 70's psych, time and again tracks such as this feel far more recent, there are small hints of the warbled sounds of Super Furry Animals' Radiator and Guerilla, particularly towards the end.
'Lies' is a nicely placed interlude early in the album, the bubble of relief is slowly released, Crome Yellow have dropped some LSD in your glass, but it's okay, you asked them too. Most importantly however, the track is evidence of an acute awareness of what lackadaisical psychedelia should do to a listener. With 'Poison' we hear the first glimpse of old school, it's a flighty and breezy jam, so mellow that it feels like the drummer's sticks are about to slip from his hands and his head is going to tip onto his snare, vibing.
Mood is tempered on the whimsical and gorgeous 'Fruitless Escapade', this has a distinct mid to late 90's Irish indie rock feel, just as we were emerging from an overload of Britpop across the sea, and Irish acts were getting far more experimental. I think of Dublin band Pelvis in particular, but with a bit more sunshine, and it's a warm amber shard coming through the curtain gap to be sure. At 2:14 a very slick guitar solo nudges its way in, a wink and a nod to the listener, before the track auspiciously fades out.
Back to back tracks 'Who Says There's Got To Be Music?' and 'Are We Gonna Leave The Lights On' feature vocalist Claire Kirwan, as the band straddle 70's disco on the former, and a bare contemplative song that touches on the awkward (and slightly dark) conclusion of a romantic encounter on the latter. Ears, brain and Crome Yellow themselves all melt into a slow-dripping psychedelic wax on 'Lemons', a hole in the ground slowly grows and we collectively end up slipping into it in slow-motion, the warmth of the music and vocals mean there's no cause for alarm, and that we just really should go with their flow.
'Tastes Much Better With You' sees the band say, "Right, fuck this, open the hatch to the rabbit hole, let's go." It could be seedy, but in a mutually accepting way, and you can't go full psych unless you get a little bit dirty along the way. It's a key highlight on the album for me, there's an enduring sound here that will never grow old or cold, and I think the lead guitar speaks for itself here. The bastard child of The Beta Band and Camel in full swing.
See Why closes with its title-track, to a degree the intro pulls back in those Republic of Loose characteristics I heard on the opener 'Wash Basket Experience', it's also the most U.S. indie-rock the quartet go on the LP. After the two minute mark they slowly wave goodbye and the lights dim gradually, one last reminder as if it were needed that pace and mood are central to everything Crome Yellow present here. There's even time for a short encore, as they re-emerge for one final groove, whilst it probably wasn't the intention, this drives home the feeling of how personal the album feels for the listener. It's hard to escape the idea that through the entire 10 tracks they weren't just putting on a private performance. What appeals the most about See Why is the variety of ideas and sounds, and the fact that they have taken a much-loved sound, and carefully made it taste good on a contemporary palate.
Crome Yellow play Pharmacia in Limerick on the 22nd of March and The Underground in Dublin on the 5th of April.
See Why is now available on all streaming platforms;
