CD REVIEW: STONEFIELD – As Above, So Below

CD REVIEW: STONEFIELD – As Above, So Below
Wunderkind/Mushroom
15 July, 2016
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
8/10

In the beginning there were four sisters – Amy, Hannah, Sarah and Holly Findlay. They lived on a farm in rural Victoria and to entertain themselves they all mucked around on musical instruments and raided their parents’ record collection. Eventually they got pretty good and recorded an album full of psych rock grooves and enthusiasm.

Then they got even better at the tools of their trade and started experimenting a little. The result is this second full-length album, As Above, So Below.

The keyword here is maturity. This album is a very clear progression from the classic rock stylings of their 2013 debut, pushing the psych rock faders up into the red, layering trippy touches that elevate the songs above mere stoner-classic rock and into trance-like works of beauty with an almost ‘90s indie rock feel at times.

It makes a potent brew: there’s literally so much going on that it takes a few listens to get to the heart of it, and I suspect the truth of the songs will continue to unfold for some listens to come.

To put it in even simpler terms, anyone can grab at three chords and write a catchy tune. To create something that has the textures and layers and hidden treasures of some kind of QOTSA-meets-Kate Bush-meets-Syd Barret-meets-The Doors melange of trippyness is a whole ‘nother world in every sense.

Category: CD Reviews