Common Loon is a Champaign, Illinois based psychedelic rock band with strong elements of dream pop presented in their song writing as well. This two-piece band consists of members Robert Hirschfeld on guitar and vocals as well as Matthew Campbell on drums. For a two piece, these guys make music that is as clean and polished as a band with four or five members to it.
The Long Dream of Birds is Common Loon’s debut album, and the record is a very captivating listen, being equal parts dreary as well as fun and rocking. It leads to a perfect mixture of what psychedelic rock should be. This style is demonstrated in full form on album opener “Dinosaur vs. Early Man”, a very beautiful yet groggy sounding track very comparable in sound to artists such as Spaceman 3 or Spiritualized. Things pick up and become more dream pop sounding with the track “Palestine Everywhere” a light breezy pop song with a very infectious, catchy melody sounding like something Galaxy 500 would have put out back in 80’s.
This record has a very timeless sound, almost like listening to a long lost mix tape. As I mentioned the previous track having an 1980’s dream pop style to it, “Happy Ending” is a very fun 60’s rock influenced track. With a surf rock drum and guitar melody and “ooh ooh” background vocals, it sounds like a lost radio hit. The record’s best and most compelling tracks are track 7, “Mexico”, with its abrasive guitar, crashing drum beat, and dark lyrics leading to a powerful spoken word vocal delivery. “Mexico” leads to what I think is the best track on this album, a song more people must hear. The records other main highlight is “Lisa’s Pixie Cut” a very shoegaze inspired cut with driving, distorted guitar and light airy keyboards lingering in the background of the song providing a track that is easy to bob your head to while remaining a captivating listen at the same time.
This is an extremely enjoyable record made by a very talented interesting band. This band definitely has a wide-reaching, genre-encompassing sound and hopefully this album is only a starter of more great things to come.
| Listen Here!
*1. Dinosaur Vs. Early Man
2. The Long Dream of Birds
3. Palestine Everywhere
*4. Happy Ending
5. Ho-Hum Apocalypse
6. Greenland
*7. Mexico
8. A Prayer for Hemophilia
*9. Lisa’s Pixie Cut
10. Outside
11. A Moment in Energy Transfers
* Track Picks
85/100- Highly Recommended
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