I was gonna skip tonight. I’m still caught up in that “Game of Thrones” episode that was all kinds of crazy, and trying to decide if it all makes sense character-wise or not. Plus, I’ve had to step away for a few days once again. I had a series of live shows to check out … The Faint, White Lies & Health. And when you’re working during the days, those concerts fill up the nights, leaving little or no room to contribute to this here blog. But I felt I should at least get a quick one posted tonight. I’ll have lots of good things coming in the near future, I promise.
So tonight features a Barcelona-based kaleidoscopic dream-pop outfit called The Zephyr Bones, and their single “Telephone.” I pretty much know nothing about them. I’m not even sure how I stumbled upon their music. I think I was chilling outside on the loft deck, not really paying attention to anything, and they were just kinda there, running in the background on a portable outdoor speaker. And I just happened to listen.
Anyway, thanks to some Googling, The Zephyr Bones refer to themselves as beach-wave or psych-pop. I actually get that vibe. And considering that I live next to a beach, and was almost out on it today, I’d call that somewhat serendipitous. They’ve definitely got a laid-back surf guitar thing going on, at least on the intro to “Telephone.” It tends to recede into the background for most of the time, in favor of the glassy and gossamer dreamscapes and pop tones. But its definitely there, mostly in spirit, yet sometimes more tangible.
“Telephone” also has this Khruangbin kick to it, but like I mentioned, a lot heavier on the ethereal and airy. A quick glance at some of The Zephyr Bones’ other material seems to switch that comparison around a bit. Although, I think these guys got a bit more pop in their veins, whichever way you spin it. It’s kind of refreshing, with a lightness that feels effortless and comforting. There’s a psychedelic haze about it, too. But nothing too overt or downright mind-altering. It’s more of a loungey feel-good psychedelia that sits well with sand, surf, and sun … and maybe some mimosas or edibles. Nothing too crazy, though.
The Zephyr Bones sing in English for this one, but I’m not sure it matters. The wispy vocals seem to drift in and out of the spacey guitar chimes and silky twangs, feeling more like another layer of textural melody than anything else … which is okay with me. “Telephone” is more a provocation and evocation of euphoric feeling, than an actual pop song. But at its core, it’s that, too.
On that note, I’ll leave you with The Zephyr Bones’ “Telephone” to drift off into whatever dream-space suits you. Chill and enjoy!
“Telephone” from the 2017 album “Secret Place.”
And here’s a really weird music video, which isn’t what I’d expect from listening to “Telephone,” with the exception of some really cool trailing effects. At the very least, it lets you know what these guys look like.
