Coming out of St. Louis, newcomers The Marley Woods have made an emphatic entrance with their psychedelic power pop sound. Inspired by artists such as Beach Boys, the Olivia Tremor Control and the Shins, they filter retro influences through their modern sonic lens to deliver a sound that carries the echoes from the past while presenting music for a modern audience.
The Marley Woods channel their love of timeless tunes and inventive production into something that feels at once nostalgic and forward-thinking via a revival of a style through respectful tribute and original vision. Having first captured their sound in a series of bedroom demo recording sessions, they linked up with producer Denney Fuller, a member of Utah-based psych rock outfit The Mellons to bring their music to life.
The first taste of their original sonic output comes with their debut single titled “Good Times,” an epic display of their psychedelic power pop. With Denney’s wall of sound approach adding bright touches of mellotron, bells, timpani and glockenspiel to the band’s guitar-driven sound, “Good Times” marks the arrival of The Marley Woods in spectacular fashion.
Opened by the swell of tones, the sharp twang of guitar notes, bold thump of timpani and contrasting shake of bells combines before the arrangement jumps into a bouncy rhythm led by the expressive vocals. With a delivery and melodic flair McCartney would be proud of, the chug of guitar rhythms, snapping shuffle of drums and airy accenting chimes collide to deliver an enveloping sound that conjures all the charm of beloved songs like “I Want To Hold Your Hand.”
Flowing through moments of rolling drums and instrumental flickers, the splashing drums and enthralling layers of instrumentation is capped by instantly catchy melodic writing to form a dazzling sound that’s energising and enduring in equal measure. Wrapped up in stunning production, brimming with delightful vocal performance and cut with slick guitar leads, “Good Times” delivers a joyous celebration of psych-tinged power pop from an exciting new band that’s sure to leave their mark. As they continue to share more of their compelling songwriting and performance panache, we can’t wait to see what The Marley Woods have in store for the rest of 2024 and beyond.
Listen to Good Times below
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