New Audio: Check Out A Digital 45 from Daptone Records’ First Old School/Lo-Fi Rock-Leaning Signing

Comprised of Mike Brandon (guitar and vocals), L.A. Solano (guitar), Alex Q. Amini (bass) and Kevin Harris (organ), New York-based quartet The Mystery Lights specialize in old timey garage rock and psych rock sound that’s both timeless and contemporary; in fact, their sound and aesthetic will most likely remind many listeners of The Who Sings My Generation-era The Who, The Animals and other acts out of the early 1960s, as well as Raccoon Fighter, The Black Angels and others. And as a result, the New York-based quartet has the unique distinction of being the first rock act to sign with Daptone Records newest subsidiary Wick Records. The band is gearing up to release their full-length debut — and it includes what will hopefully be a buzz-buidling tour that includes a few East Coast stops that begins with a show at The Palisades tomorrow and ends with several appearances during SXSW in Austin. In the meantime, while we’re waiting for new material on wax, check out the “Too Many Girls”/”Too Tough To Bear” 45, which was released last year.

“Too Many Girls” is a lo-fi rock leaning, lament of a song about a male narrator surrounded by a throng of women he can’t control or escape and it seems as though the narrator can’t figure out how he even got into that situation in the first place. Sonically, the band pairs a loose and bluesy guitar riff with howled vocals, an infectious call and response-based hook and propulsive yet persistent rhythm section in a song that sounds as though it could have been released in 1964 as much as it could have been released — well, last year.  “Too Tough To Bear” is a bluesy and stormy shuffle that sounds like the band was influenced by Phosphene Dream-era The Black Angels as the song manages to possess a similar psychedelic leaning, with the same incredibly tight hooks and palpable sense of danger throughout.

Of course, as I mentioned the band will be on tour throughout the better part of March. Check out tour dates below.

Tour Dates