Rockfreaks.net

The Flying Eyes

Lowlands

Written by: BV on 30/07/2013 17:14:34

The Flying Eyes have been an interesting niche band for a while now, if you ask me. With two pretty cool releases such as “The Flying Eyes” (2009) and “Done So Wrong” (2011) under their belt, it would seem that they have got a good thing going when it comes to writing catchy and fuzzy garage-infused heavy-psych songs. With “Lowlands”, their kickstarter funded third release, The Flying Eyes seem more focused than ever before, due in fair part to the efforts of producer Rob Girardi.

The Flying Eyes kick off the festivities with the opening track “Long Gone”, a mid-tempo fuzz-rocker that sounds so delightfully grainy and crunchy that there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I am listening to the new album by The Flying Eyes, as they have successfully crafted a recognizable and enthralling sound. As the vocals kick in on top of the devastatingly fuzzy soundscape I am overwhelmed at how clean, yet dynamic they sound. The vocalist comes off as charismatic and most of all, on top of things – not easily overwhelmed by the massive soundscape, as I have come to experience many a singer be.

As we near “Smile”, I am happy to hear that their urge to jam their brains out has not diminished one bit as this long-runner, clocking in at six minutes, evolves from a slow and eerie beginning where the haunting guitar sounds and the simplistic drumming drones away with an alluring, yet underplayed presence whilst the vocalist does his to push the soundscape into the next gear. As the track evolves into a slow but nasty fuzz-rocker I am feeling a bit surprised as The Flying Eyes have now incorporated a hint of doom into their growing list of attainable sounds. – A pleasant surprise indeed, as these eerie and ambience-laden guitar figures really do seem to add a whole new, very complimenting, dimension to an already alluring band’s repertoire.

With the final track of the album, “Surrender”, the dynamics are shifted towards a slightly faster soundscape that contains hints of middle-eastern influences. This drone piece also happens to contain some of the finest drumming on the album, and they seem to intoxicate me to such an extent that I feel no choice but to surrender fully to the skillfully laid out songwriting of The Flying Eyes.

If I were to have a critical point on this album however, it would be that this brighter and somehow clearer mix might come off as an attempt to blast through to the mainstream – which could potentially put off some die-hard lo-fi fans. For me though, it’s a matter of balance and I do think that The Flying Eyes could have benefitted from going all in on the ‘pristine’ mix, rather than the murky opening of the album, that slightly progressed into the crystal clear production of “Surrender”. - Actually, I think they really should have done this because of the sole fact that The Flying Eyes' songwriting is interesting enough on its own to steer clear of using such a sound element as an ongoing gimmick or excuse to cling to. The sound of this album, polished as it may be, suits them surprisingly well and it is most definitely a step in the right direction for The Flying Eyes.

Download: Surrender, Under Iron Feet, Smile, Long Gone
For The Fans Of: The Heavy Eyes, Vibravoid, Witchcraft
Listen: facebook.com

Release Date 26.07.2013
Noisolution Records